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 Asse.

THe Asse is named after Etimologie of La∣tine worde Rescuy beast, for that men at the firste were saine to rescue them selues in iourneying, by setting thereon, or as some say, for that it is a beast of dull wit, & gro••e sense. Senos in Gréeke say some is Sensus, and Ase∣nos insensible or slow. It is of verie heauie and dul nature. His chiefest foode saith Auicen, are Briers and Brembles. And Aristotle semeth to becken to him, for that he sayth thus. The Asse by briestling amongest the Bushes and Briers hindreth the small Birdes in bringing vp their yong, and in their Nest building. And therefore the little Sparrowes doe him all the mischiefe that they can. And will often peck at him with their Bill. And especially then when as the Asse by rubbing himselfe against the Thornes or Briers, causeth their Nest to goe to wrack. Therefore when as the Asse braieth (which is a horrible & fearefull kinde of noise)

to them, they al then flie away for a good time. And comming againe afterwarde to the place where he is, and espying him prickled in any place by rubbing him amongst the Briers, in the place so raw and hurt, they neuer leaue off pecking, til they haue made it very sore, & haue eaten it in verie déepely: by this meanes hun∣ting him and compelling him to go awaye as fast as he can from their nestes. Here we sée that a smal sillie Bird knoweth how to match with so great a Beast. Auicen sayth, that the Crowe and the Asse are at naturall ••nmitie. For so soone as the Crow espieth the Asse, she flieth and flacketh about his eies & face, & pec∣keth and scratcheth out his eien. But it is very seldome that she pecketh them cleane out, he hath suche a deepe settling of his eien. Plinie saith, that he loueth his yong so tenderly that he runneth through fier and water to saue thē: Although it be most against his will to aduen∣ture in the waters.