132 THE OLD ENGLISH HERBALS 



as harty thankes as I acknowledge myself bound unto him for 

 this benefite received." 



We find that the Indians first taught the Spaniards the 

 use of sassafras, and " the Spaniards did begin to cure themselves 

 with the water of this tree and it did in them greate effectes, 

 that it is almost incredible : for with the naughtie meates and 

 drinkyng of the rawe waters, and slepyng in the dewes, the 

 moste parte of them came to fall into continuall Agues. . . . Thei 

 tooke up the roote of this Tree and tooke a peece thereof suche 

 as it seemed to theim beste, thei cutte it small into verie thinne 

 and little peeces and cast them into water at discretion, little 

 more or lesse, and thei sodde it the tyme that seemed nedefull 

 for to remaine of a good colour, and so thei dranke it in the 

 mornyng fastyng and in the daie tyme and at dinner and supper, 

 without kepyng any more waight or measure, then I have 

 saied, nor more keepyng, nor order then this, and of this thei 

 were healed of so many griefes and euill diseases. That to heare 

 of them what thei suffred and how thei were healed it doeth 

 bryng admiration and thei whiche were whole dranke it in place 

 of wine, for it doeth preserue them in healthe : As it did appeare 

 verie well by theim, that hath come fro thence this yere, for 

 thei came all whole and strong, and with good coulours, the 

 whiche doeth not happen to them that dooeth come from those 

 partes and from other conquestes, for thei come sicke and swolne, 

 without collour, and in shorte space the moste of theim dieth : 

 and these souldiours doeth trust so muche in this woodde that 

 I beyng one daie amongest many of them, informing myself 

 of the thynges of this Tree, the moste parte of them tooke out 

 of their pokettes a good peece of this woodd, and said : ' Maister, 

 doe you see here the woodde, that euery one of us doth bryng 

 for to heale us with all, if we do fall sicke, as we haue been 

 there/ and they began to praise so muche, to confirme the 

 meruelous workes of it, with so many examples of them that 

 were there, that surely I gave greate credite unto it and thei 

 caused me to beleeve all that thereof I had heard, and gave me 



