HERBALS OF THE NEW WORLD 121 



with Waxe in good order. The Letter was written with verie 

 small Letters, and sumwhat harde to reade." The letter and 

 the precious gift of herbs, seeds and stones were from an officer 

 on duty in " New Spain " (he describes himself as " a Souldier 

 that have followed the warres in these countries all my hfe "), 

 who was unknown to Monardes, but had read his first book on 

 the use of the herbs in the New World, and therefore was em- 

 boldened to send him these rare plants and the " bezaar stones." 

 Nicolas Monardes, the author of this herbal (translated into 

 English by John Frampton),i most gratefully acknowledges his 

 unknown friend's kindness and writes of him, " the gentleman 

 of the Peru, which wrote to me this letter, although I know hym 

 not, it seemeth that he is a man curious and affectioned to the 

 hke thinges and I have him in great estimation. For bicause 

 that the office of a Souldier is to handle weapons, and to sheed 

 bloud, and to do other exercises apertainyng to Souldiers, he is 

 muche to bee esteemed that he will enquire and searche out 

 herbes, and Plantes and to knowe their properties and vertue. 

 And therefore I dooe esteeme muche of this Gentlemanne for 

 the labour whiche he taketh in knowyng and enquiryng of these 

 naturall thinges. And I doe owe much unto him, .... I wil 

 provoke hym by writyng to hym againe, to sende more thinges. 

 For it is a greate thinge to knowe the secreates and marvailes 

 of nature, of the Hearbes which he hath sent me. I will make 

 experience of them and I will know their vertues and operation 

 and theSeedes wee will sowe at their time." 



The interest in the plant-life of the New World may be 

 judged from the fact that Monardes's work, which is the earHest 

 "American" herbal, was translated into Latin by no less a 

 botanist than Charles de I'Escluse, and into ItaUan, Flemish, 

 French and EngUsh. Frampton's English translation went 

 through four editions. The original book was written nineteen 

 ^ Joyfull Newes out of the newe founde worlde wherein is declared the 

 rare and singular vertues of diuerse and sundrie Hearbes, etc. See Biblio- 

 graphy of English Herbals, p. 211. Nicolas Monardes was a Spanish doctor 

 hving in Seville and his book was written in 1569 (see p. 231). 



