HERBALS OF THE NEW WORLD 129 



the Islande they use it also in other hurtes and wounds, which 

 they take when they light with the wilde people : nowe they stand 

 in no feare of them, by reason they have founde so great a 

 remedie in a case so desperate. This Hearbe hath also vertue 

 against the hearbe called of the Crosse boweshooter, which our 

 hunters doe use to kill the wilde beastes withall and which 

 hearbe is Venom most stronge, and doeth kill without remedie, 

 which the Kinges pleasure was to prooue and commanded to 

 make experience thereof, and they wounded a little dogge in 

 the throate, and put forthwith into the wound the hearbe of 

 the Crosse boweshooter, and after a little whyle, they powred 

 into the self same wound that they had annointed with the 

 Crosse boweshooters hearbe, a good quantitie of the juice of 

 Tabaco and layde the stamped leaves upon it and they tied up 

 the dogge and he escaped, not without great admiration of all 

 men that saw him. Of the which the excellent Phisition of 

 the Chamber of his Maiestie, Doctor Barnarde in the margent 

 of this booke, that sawe it, by the commaundement of his 

 Maiestie, writeth these wordes — 'I made this experience by 

 the commaundement of the Kinges Maiesty. I wounded the 

 dogge with a knife and after I put the Crosse boweshooters 

 hearbe into the wound and the hearbe was chosen and the dogge 

 was taken of the hearbe, and the Tabaco and his Juyce being 

 put into the wounde the dogge escaped and remained whole.' " 



We are further given an exceptionally interesting account of 

 the use of tobacco in the rehgious ceremonies of the Red Indians. 

 " One of the meruelles of this hearbe and that whiche bringeth 

 most admiration is the maner howe the Priests of the Indias 

 did use it, which was in this maner : when there was amongst 

 the Indians any maner of businesse of great importaunce, in the 

 whiche the chiefe Gentleman called Casiques or any of the 

 principal! poople [people] of the Countrey had necessitie to 

 consult with their Priestes in any businesse of importaunce : 

 then they went and propounded their matter to their chiefe 



