448 P I M 
black fpots ; (hells rufous, with waved black bands. It 
inhabits Cayenne. 
in. Pimelia quifquilia: black; antennae and legs fer¬ 
ruginous. It inhabits divers parts of Europe; and is 
found in filth and manure. 
112. Pimelia flavipes: brown; mouth, antennae, and 
legs, ferruginous; (hells with crenate ftriae. It inhabits 
the South American iflands. 
113* Pimelia ruficollis: ferruginous: (hells ftriate, 
black. Inhabits Saxony. 
114. Pimelia cyanea: blue; thorax pun&ured ; (hells 
ftriate. Inhabits Germany. 
115. Pimelia violacea : cylindrical, varied with fine po- 
lifhed blue and violet ; abdomen red behind ; (hells ftri¬ 
ate, punbfured. 
116. Pimelia leucographa : ovate; thorax very rough, 
uneven ; (hells carinate, rough, with longitudinal whitifti 
fmooth ftripes. 
117. Pimelia buparia : winged, black, glabrous; tho¬ 
rax lunate; jaws ftrong, toothed, as long at the head. It 
inhabits Spain, is defcribed to be of the fize of Lucanus 
interruptus, and it refembles the Tenebrio foflor. 
PIME'NI, a town of Naples, in Calabria Ultra : feven- 
teen miles north-eaft of Nicotera. 
PIM'ENT, f. [pimentum , low Lat.] Wine mixed with 
(pice or honey. Obfolcte. —He fent her piment, methe, and 
fpiced ale. Chaucer's Mill. Tale. 
PIMEN'TA, or Pimento, f. A kind of fpice; the 
Myrtus pimenta; (fee vol. xvi. p. 460.)— Pimcnta, 
from its round figure, and the place whence it is brought, 
has been called Jamaica pepper, and, from its mixt flavour 
of the feveral aromatics, it has obtained the name of 
“all-fpice:” it is a fruit gathered before it is ripe, and 
refembles cloves more than any other fpice. Hill's Mat. 
Med. —The pimento- trees grow fpontaneoufly, and in 
great abundance, in many parts of Jamaica, but more par¬ 
ticularly on hilly fituations near the fea, on the northern 
fide of the ifland ; where they form the mod delicious 
groves that can poflibly be imagined, filling the air with 
fragrance. Edwards's Hift. of the Weft Indies. 
PIMEN'TA (Agoftino), a Portuguefe poet, more 
commonly known by the name Agoftino da Cruz, was 
born at Ponte de Barca, in 1540. He was placed, when a 
youth, by his father, in the houfe of Dorn Duarte, fon of 
the Infante Dom Duarte, and nephew of king Manoel. 
As this prince inherited from his father a high efteem 
for genius, Agoftino, who had early evinced the germs of 
excellence, found eafy accefs to his fervice ; the prince 
and he were nearly of the fame age, and alike biafled by 
propenfity for ftudy. 
The houfe of Dom Duarte was the refort of the beft- 
informed fidalgos of the age, who converted with Ago¬ 
ftino, and received great pleafure from the vivacity of his 
difpolition, the fweetnefs of his poetry, and the elegance 
of his manners. Amongft thole who vifited molt fre¬ 
quently the prince, were Alvaro duke of Aveiro, and 
his fon Jorge duke of Torres-novas, who were afterwards 
the patrons of Agoftino, both in his fecular and religious 
years. From this notice, the profpe&s of Agoftino ap¬ 
peared bright, and fortune feemed to have already fmiled 
upon him; but his mind had other and fuperior attrac¬ 
tions, from which it could not be detached. 
The Infanta Dona Ifabel, widow of the Infante Dom 
Duarte, was particularly attached to the religious of the 
Arrabida, and founded the convent of Santa Catharina 
de Ribamar in 1551. On this account, the monks made 
frequent calls at her houfe, particularly the venerable 
Jacome Peregrino, a native of Pinhel, in the province of 
Beira. Curiofity to view the Arrabida attrabfed Ago¬ 
ftino thither. Here he heard Peregrino preach, and, 
feeling much edified, he requefted the habit of the pro¬ 
vince, which was given him with the confent and appro¬ 
bation of the infanta. The little convent of Santa Cruz, 
on the mountain of Cintra, was appointed by the provin¬ 
cial as the place where he (hould fpend his noviciate ; 
P I M 
thither he betook himfelf on the day of Vera Cruz 11s 
1560, and there, clad in the coarfeft garments, and inha¬ 
biting a fmall and dark cave, with the bark of the cork¬ 
tree for his bed, and a block of wood for his pillow, he 
began to forget the world. Having completed his year, 
he was unanimoufly chofen, and profefled on the fame day 
of Vera Cruz, taking the name of Agoftino da Cruz. 
Agoftino earneftly refufed any advancement to the offices 
which belonged to his order. At the age of fixty-five, 
however, hoping to obtain the object which he had fo 
long defired, namely, of retiring to the Serra de Arrabida, 
as a folitary reclufe, he accepted the appointment of 
fuperior of the convent of St. Joze de Ribamar. When 
a convenient opportunity offered, he preferred his prayer 
to the provincial, foliciting with tears his acquiefcence. 
This and feveral other applications were fruitlefs; but, 
when he nearly defpaired of fuccefs, a mode offered, by 
which his vvifh was at lad accompliftied. There was 
living in the convent belonging to the Algarves, at 
Serubal, the venerable Fr. Diogodos Innocentes, a native 
of Torrao, and brother of the chief prior of the order of 
Avis. This friar was defirous of retiring to the Arrabida, 
and of redding in the houfe which had been occupied by 
St. Pedro de Alcantara, near the hermitage of the Seigneury 
da Memoria, The intereft of his brother, and his exem¬ 
plary life, obtained him the permiflion. The fuccefs of 
this friar increafed the defire of Agoftino ; he refigned his 
fuperiorfhip, and, falling at the feet of the provincial, 
at laft fucceeded. On the day of St. Jorge, in 1605, he 
obtained his patent; and on the following day, taking 
leave of his friends, and receiving the bleffing of the pro¬ 
vincial, he departed on his journey to the Arrabida. 
The duke of Aveiro and his fon were then refident at 
the Quinta of Azeitao. As duke was the patron of 
the Convento da Arrabida, and having repeatedly be¬ 
friended Agoftino, he confidered it prudent before his 
retirement to pay them a vifit, and advife them of his 
intention. The duke was in his garden when he arrived, 
and courteoufly received his blefling, addrefling him with 
his accuftomed affability ; “Welcome, father, flow is 
it that you are abfent from the Arrabida to day ? This 
is St. Jorge’s day, and you are in the vicinity of the 
court?” Agoftino modeftly replied, “That it was a 
memorable day to him;” and, (bowing the duke his 
patent, informed him, “ that he now fought the Arrabida 
for ever, and intended to fpend the refidue of his days 
devoted to God.” The cell of St. Pedro de Alcantara 
being occupied by the Fr. Diogo Dos Innocentes, 
Agoftino requefted the duke would give orders for the 
erection of a fmall hut, fufficient to (lielter him from the 
heat and the cold, which he was gracioufly pleafed to 
afient to ; and the venerable father, taking leave of the 
duke, repaired to thechurch of ourLady to pray. Imme¬ 
diate direffions were given for the erection of a hut near 
the Seigneury da Merporia, which was forthwith built, 
and remained for long a memorial of its pofieftbr. It 
will be fufficient to remark, without entering into a.par¬ 
ticular detail, that his life was fpent in the exercife of 
religious duties, and under the greateft deprivations, 
receiving from the convent, on the Monday, the bread 
which was to ferve him the remainder of the week; and 
which, with herbs and water, formed his foie fupport. 
In the midft of this peaceful retirement, a teinpeft arofe 
to difturb his quiet. The religious of the Provincia da 
Arrabida took offence that the two folitaries, Diogo dos 
Innocentes and Agoftino da Cruz, (hould refide at large ; 
and gave their opinion to the chapter, that they (hould 
either be entirely detached from the convent, or become 
refidents like the reft. Innocentes agreed with them, 
and, renouncing his patent, was removed on account 
of his age to the con vent of Alcuba9a. Agoftino retained 
his, either from his refolution to continue the life of a 
reclufe, or fearing the difpleafure of the duke de Aveiro. 
It is certain he remained there until March 1619. In 
the beginning of that month he was attacked by a violent 
2 fever. 
