THE "HERBE GREWE IN REPUTATION." 85 



gentleman from the fields being father unto one of the pages 

 of the said Lord ambassador, who was troubled with an ulcer 

 in his legge of two years continuance, and craved of the said 

 Lord some of his herbe, and using it in manner afore men- 

 tioned, he was healed by the end of ten or twelve daies. 

 After this yet the herbe grewe still in greater reputation, 

 inasmuch as that many hasted out of all corners to get some 

 of this herbe. And among the rest, there was one woman 

 which had a great ring worme, covering all her face like a 

 mask, and having taken deepe roote, to whom the said Lord 

 caused this Petum to be given, and withall the manner of 

 using it to be told her, and at the end of eight or ten daies, 

 this woman being thoroughly cured, came to shewe herself 

 unto the said Lord, and how that she was cured. There 

 came likewise a captain bringing with him his son diseased 

 with the king's evill, unto the said Lord Ambassador, for to 

 send him into France, upon whom there was some triall 

 made of the said herbe, whereupon within four daies he 

 began to show great signs and tokens of healing, and in the 

 end was thoroughly cured of his king's evil." 



Italy received the first plant from Santa Croce,* who, like 

 Nicot, obtained the seed in Lisbon. In 1575 first appeared a 

 figure of the plant in Andre Theret's " Cosmographie," 

 which was but an imperfect representation of the plant. It 

 was supposed by many on its discovery to grow like the 

 engraving given in form resembling a tree or shrub rather 

 than an herb. Tobacco was first brought to England by Sir 

 John Hawkins, who obtained the plant in Florida in 1565, 

 and afterwards by Sir Francis Drake.f The first planters of 

 it in England were said to be Captain Grenfield and Sir 

 Francis Drake. One account of its introduction into Eng- 

 land is as follows : 



"The plant was first used by Sir Walter Kaleigh and 

 others, who had acquired a taste for it in Virginia.^ Among 



*The Pled Bull Inn, at Islington, -was the first house in England where tobacco was smoked, 

 while Moll Cut-Purse, a noted pickpocket who flourished in the time of Charles II., is said 

 to have been the first Englishwoman who smoked tobacco. 



Biiumio * ranee Dy Am 

 of Botany (Paris 1868). 



tShort says of its introduction into England: " Sir Walter Raleigh's Marriners, under Mr. 

 Ealph Lane, his Agent in Virginia first brought this Commodity into England Anno 1584; and 

 cnat famous Proprietor of this Plantation foresaw good reasons to introduce the use of it, 

 however King James might afterwards, through his own personal Distaste both of it and, 

 him, wrote his Counterblast against it ; a work surely consistent with the Pen of no Prince, 

 but one of his Politicks." 



