A greene forest, or A naturall historie vvherein may bee seene first the most sufferaigne vertues in all the whole kinde of stones & mettals: next of plants, as of herbes, trees, [and] shrubs, lastly of brute beastes, foules, fishes, creeping wormes [and] serpents, and that alphabetically: so that a table shall not neede. Compiled by Iohn Maplet, M. of Arte, and student in Cambridge: entending hereby yt God might especially be glorified: and the people furdered. Anno 1567.

Of the Worme.

THe Worme is called Vermis, quasi Ver∣tens, for complication or folding had in hir body as it crepeth, some wil haue it called Ver∣mis, for shewing hirself first in the springtime at what time, the whole kinde commeth forth. As they haue diuers kinds, (although but one common name) so haue they diuers meanes to engender. For some arise of rottennes of flesh, some of corrupt humors, some by drie rotten∣nesse: Againe some by méeting had of both kinds. Wormes are verie wonderfull in their kinde. One kind which is called the Panlmer that that maketh hauocke of our fruite in the Garden or field: another which breedeth in the toppes of Ashes and Oliues, and is in colour gréene: in humor or iuice verie poysonous, and is called Cantharis, another which is cal∣led the Cauler, which eateth out the sides of y^e leaues of many herbes and especially of Basel.

Another which is named Cnips, which eateth through Timber and hauing eaten it through neuer resteth in al one place: wherfore he hath his Prouerb. Cnips in loco stare non potest. And is properlie applied to men, that be waue∣ring and inconstant. And there is a Worme called Cerastes, which when she hath had hir belly full and eaten inough, engendreth ano∣ther. And there is another which is called the fier Worme, & semeth as it were to be a kinde of Spider: which flyeth by night to the candle∣light or flame of the fier, and hath hir pastime so a while, till hir winges be singed or brent: & after that she hirselfe also lacking these, cannot escape, but is also brent: whose follie hath also raysed vp a Prouerb Pyraustae gaudere gau∣dium. The fire worme hath ioyed his ioy: foo∣lish men pleasure is little and short. The Be∣tle also is of the same linage and stock that the Worme is: likewise the Spider both y^• of the yearth, and that also of the water. This laste is of such nimblenesse that running vpō the water neuer drowneth nor deaueth, like∣wise the Butterflie: out of whose dung Mothes are said to bréede, with many moe else, which do require longer discourse.