Of the Hiftoric of Plants, 
1546 
qualitie. The trunke or body is couered with a grayifh barke : the timber is white and foft,not fit 
to make fire of, much lelfe for any other vfe ; for being cut and put to the fire to burne, it yeeldeth 
forth fuel) a loathfome and horrible ftinke, that neither man nor bead are able to endure it : where- 
fore the Indians hauc novfe thereof, but onely of the fruit, which in fhape is like the Greeke letter 
A.of the bigneffe of a Cheftnut, and couered with a mod hard fhell, wherein is contained a kernel 
of a mod venomous and poyfonfoine qualitie, wherewith the men being angry with their wines 
do poyfon them, and likewife the women their husbands : they likewife vfe to dip or anoint and* 
invenome their arrowes therewith, the more fpeedily to difpatch their enemies. Which kernel! 
they take forth with feme conuenientinftrument, leaning the fhell as whole as may be, not tou- 
ching the kernell with their hands becaufe of its venomous qualitie, which would fpoile their 
hands, and fometirnes take away their life alfo. In which {hells they put fome little Hones, and tye 
them vpon ftrings (as you may perceiue by the figure) which they dry in the Sunne, and after tye 
them about their legs, as we do bells, to fet forth their dances, and Morofco Matachina's, wherein 
they take great pleafure, by reafon they thinke themfelues to excell in thofe kindes of dances. 
Which ratling found doth much delight them, becaufe it fetteth forth thediftimftion of founds’ 
for they tune them and mix them with great ones and little ones, in fuch fort as we doe chimes or 
bells. 
j There is alfo another fort hereof, differing onely in forme - they are of the like venomous 
qualitie, and vfed for the fame purpofe. % The fruit of Higuerro is like that of a gourd in pul DC 
and it may be eaten : the ftiape of the fruit is round, whereas the former is three cornered. $ 1 ’ 
Thefe do grow in mod parts of the Weft Indies, efpecially in fome ofthe Iflands of the Cani- 
bals,who vfe them in their dances more than any ofthe other Indians, f You may fee thele vpon 
ftrings as they are here figured, amongft many other varieties, with M r . Ithn Tradejcant at South 
Lambeth, $ 
The N amts tind Vfe. 
We haue fufficiently fpoken of the names and vfe hereof, therefore what hath beene faid mav 
fuffice. 3 
+ The figures were tranfpofed. 
f 7 ‘he Place. 
The Time. 
We haue no certaine knowledge of the time of flouring or bringing the fruit to maturitie. 
Chap. 158. Oj the vomiting and purging j\(uts. 
1 Nuces vomica. 
Vomiting Nuts. 
I Nuces purgantes. 
Purging Nuts. 
