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Reproduction of the original: De Orbe Novo by Francis Augustus MacNutt

The first decade, or volume, of Peter Martyr's reports on the New World, published in 1511 as De Orbe Novo, was in fact the first European history of America. For twenty years after Columbus's voyages of discovery, Martyr's letters; in various versions, served as Europe's primary printed source for the Caribbean and the emerging continent of South America. Martyr, a wise observer and great storyteller, is one of the major informants on the voyages of Columbus. His work also includes the whole of the first decade of the De Orbe Novo and the fourth book of Martyr's third decade, which tells of Columbus's voyage to Panama. A new and accurate translation parallels the Latin text, while Eatough's extensive commentary contributes significantly to the remarkably detailed, complex and varied series of narratives.

This book presents an interdisciplinary study of the nature of the sixteenth-century dedication that will appeal to not only Neo-Latinists and musicologists but also historians of the book and philologists.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 edition. Excerpt: ... considered. I omit mention of the numerous kinds of vegetables, radishes, cresses, onions, and other things. They collect honey from the wax in certain trees, the bees furnishing them as they do with us. We have said enough concerning the poultry, quadrupeds, fish, and other foodstuffs. It is still more interesting to learn with what money these articles are bought. Your Beatitude already knows, because I have elsewhere written about it. BOOK IV AS I have already said, it is the fruit of certain trees resembling almonds, that is used by the natives as currency. These fruits are doubly useful, as they serve as money, and from the beans a beverage is made. This bean is not really good to eat; it is rather bitter, although soft, something like a skinned almond. To make the beverage the beans are crushed, and a handful of the powder thus obtained is thrown into water and stirred for some time until it produces a truly royal drink. O blessed money, which not only gives to the human race a useful and delightful drink, but also prevents its possessors from yielding to infernal avarice, for it cannot be piled up, or hoarded for a long time. There are several other beverages in this country; just as in the country of Your Beatitude the people drink both beer and cider, so are maize, fruits, and certain herbs mixed and cooked in large wooden vessels or jugs. The taverns where these drinks are sold stand near to restaurants. Before leaving Spain, Your Beatitude was already acquainted with these hitherto unknown particulars concerning the money, but we did not yet know how the tree producing it was planted and cultivated. Now we have exact information. These trees are planted in but few situations, for they require a climate both warm and damp, and...