130 THE OLD ENGLISH HERBALS 



Priest, foorthwith in their presence he tooke certeyne leaues 

 of the Tabaco and cast them into ye fire and did receive the 

 smoke of them at his mouth and at his nose with a Cane, and 

 in taking of it he fell downe uppon the ground as a Dead man, 

 and remayning so according to the quantity of the smoke that 

 he had taken, when the hearbe had done his woorke he did 

 revive and awake, and gave them then aunsweares [answers] 

 according to the visions, and illusions whiche he sawe, whiles 

 he was rapte in the same maner, and he did interprete to them 

 as to him seemed best, or as the Divell had counselled him, giuing 

 them continually doubtfull aunsweres in such sorte that how- 

 soever it fell out, they might say that it was the same whiche 

 was declared and the aunswere that he made. 



" In like sort the rest of the Indians for their pastime do 

 take the smoke of the Tabaco, to make themselves drunke 

 withall, and to see the visions, and things that represent unto 

 them, that wherein they do delight : and other times they take 

 it to know their businesse and successe, because conformable 

 to that whiche they haue seene, being drunke therewith, euen 

 so they iudge of their businesse. And as the devil is a deceuer 

 and hath the knowledge of the vertue of hearbs, so he did shew 

 the vertue of this Hearb, that by the meanes thereof, they might 

 see their imaginations and visions, that he hath represented unto 

 them and by that meanes deceiue them." 



The Red Indians also used this herb when they were obliged 

 to travel for several days " in a dispeopled countrie where they 

 shal finde neither water nor meate." They rolled the leaves 

 into small balls, which they put " betweene the lower lippe and 

 the teeth and goe chewing it all the time that they trauell 

 and that whiche they chew they swallow downe and in this sort 

 they journey three or foure dayes without hauing neede of meate 

 or drink, for they feele no hunger nor weaknesse nor their trauel 

 doth trouble them." (This custom Monardes compares to that 

 of the bear, which during the winter " remaineth in his Caue and 

 liueth without meate or drink, with onely chewing his pawes " !) 



