Cochineal . 
391 
of Europe. The best cochineal comes from Mexico and 
New Spain, and was first imported by the Spaniards from 
their Mexican possessions, about the middle of the six¬ 
teenth century. The nature of the coccus was, however, 
quite unknown. By most early writers it is called either 
the natural fruit of the tree, or an animal product bred of 
putrefaction. Beckmann, in his History of Inventions and 
Discoveries , writes :— 
“ As the coccus was gathered at Midsummer [St. John’s Day] it was 
called St. John’s blood; probably because the clergy wished by that 
appellation to make this revenue appear as a matter of religion; and 
that name is still continued among the country people in Germany. 
As the monks and nuns carried on various trades, particularly that 
of weaving, they could employ the St. John’s blood to very good 
purpose.” 
We read in Ealduyt (vol. ii. p. 675), that on— 
“ the 9th of October, 1589, there arrived in Tercera fourteene ships 
that came from the Spanish Indies, laden with cochinile, hides, golde, 
silver, pearles, and other rich wares.” 
Du Bartas writes (p. 86) :— 
“ There lives the sea-oak in a little shel; 
There grows untill’d the ruddy cochenel: 
And there the chermez, which on each side arms 
With pointed prickles all his precious arms ; 
Eich trees, and fruitfull in those worms of price. 
Which pressed, yeeld a crimsin-coloured juice. 
Whence thousand lambs are died so deep in grain, 
That their own mothers know them not again.” 
On the second line of this passage bis commentator has 
the following note :— 
“ This is a graine first of all brought from the East; and I have heard 
that certaine caterpillers doe every yeere cast out the same in a certaine 
time, as the silk-wormes doe: some likewise hold that it is a part of 
their bodies. The grain is like a small pease ; and being kept (as wee 
see amongst [the dyers) resembleth a little graine of dryed currants. 
Being grinded, it hath a purple browne colour, and serveth the dyers 
