became thoroughly kild: nowe they had sent
oftetimes unto one of the king's most famous phisitions, the
said boie during the time of this worke and operation to
make and see the proceeding and working of the said
Nicotiana, and having in charge to do the same until the end
of ten days, the said phisition then beholding him, assured
him that the _Noli me tangere_ was dead, as indeed the boie
never felt anything of it at any time afterward.

"Some certain time after, one of the cooks of the said
ambassador having almost all his thombe (thumb) cut off from
his hand, with a great kitchin knife, the steward running
unto the said Nicotiana, made to him use of it five or six
dressings, by the ende of which the wounde was healed. From
this time forward this herbe began to become famous in
Lisbon, where the king of Portiugal's court was at that
time, and the vertues thereof much spoken of, and the common
people began to call it the ambassador's herbe. Now upon
this occasion there came certain days after, a gentleman
from the fields being father unto one of the pages of the
said Lord ambassador, who was troubled with an ulcer in his
legge of two years continuance, and craved of the said Lord
some of his herbe, and using it in manner afore mentioned,
he was healed by the end of ten or twelve daies. After this
yet the herbe grewe still in greater reputation, inasmuch as
that many hasted out of all corners to get some of this
herbe. And among the rest, there was one woman which had a
great ring worme, covering all her face like a mask, and
having taken deepe roote, to whom the said Lord caused this
Petum to be given, and withall the manner of using it to be
told her, and at the end of eight or ten daies, this woman
being thoroughly cured, came to shewe herself unto the said
Lord, and how that she was cured. There came likewise a
captain bringing with him his son diseased with the king's
evill, unto the said Lord Ambassador, for to send him into
France, upon whom there was some triall made of the said
herbe, whereupon within four daies he began to show great
signs and tokens of healing, and in the end was thoroughly
cured of his king's evil."

Italy received the first plant from Santa Croce,[29] who, like Nicot,
obtained the seed in Lisbon. In 1575