INTRODUCTION OF TOBACCO-SMOKING TO EUROPE 9
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction of tobacco-smoking to Europe
TOBACCO-PIPES cannot be thought of apart from tobacco,
unless childhood recollections of bubble-blowing intrude. It
is pertinent, therefore, to consider something of the way in which
tobacco, and the smoking of tobacco, came to be widespread in
Europe.
ARRIVAL OP TOBACCO IN EUROPE
Tobacco was unknown in Europe until after the end of the
Middle Ages, although travellers to the Americas in the last decade
of the fifteenth century had found tobacco-smoking to be an
established and widespread ceremonial custom there. In 1558, a
Dutch merchant was commissioned by the French Ambassador at
Lisbon, one Jean Nicot, to procure seeds of the tobacco-plant for
the French Court at Queen Catharine's request. This he succeeded
in doing by 1561, but the resulting tobacco seems to have been
used medicinally, probably in the form of snuff, rather than
smoked in a pipe.
THE NAME TOBACCO
At first, the Indian name Petun was used in Europe, but Herbe
de la Reine (because of Queen Catharine's interest), Herbe Medicee
(from its first employment) and Nicotiniana (from Jean Nicot)
soon supplanted all recollection of the Indian name7.* The
Spanish used another Indian name, Tobago, perhaps derived from
Tobaco in Yucatan where the plant was first noticed in 1520. In
various forms, this name Tobacco has swept aside all earlier
names, except that commemorating Jean Nicot in the botanical
name of the species, and the related alkaloid, Nicotine.
TOBACCO IN ENGLAND
Smoking came to England during the reign of Elizabeth I and
has been with us a habit and a pleasure for nearly four centuries.
It is certain that one of the Tudor merchant-adventurers, Sir
Ralf Lane, Sir John Hawkins, Captain Dine or Sir Walter Raleigh,
brought the first tobacco into England for smoking, and this
must have been some time between 1565, when Sir John Hawkins
returned from the West Indies, and 1588, when tobacco was
becoming well-known.
*Numbers in text refer to list on page 37.