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 Lamprey.

THe Lamprey in Gréeke is called Muraina, with the Germanes Ein Bricken: there is of this kinde two sorts, both differing in co∣lour. For the one is blacke in colour, died a∣mong with ashie spots: the other is white ha∣uing black spots. She swimmeth all whole in flexible sort, and all alike bending hir bodie: aboue the land she creepeth no other wise then our serpents doe. The best of this stock or kind are those that be called Flutae, in Greke Plootai, good saylers or fluites, for that they kéeping al∣wayes at the waters highest can not be drow∣ned. Antonia, Drusus wife had such delight in a Lamprey that she dressed and arayed hir all ouer with golde Ringes, and the same be∣set aboute with precious Stones. Likewise Crassus by surname the rich, so loued a Lam∣prey of his owne bringing vp, that when she dyed he lamented sore, and bestowed also great cost of hir burying. And whē as he was laugh∣ed to scorne of Lucius Domitius for so doing, he gaue him this aunswere. Thou marueylest sayth he, why I so bewaile this Fishes death. But I marueile more at him that hauing had the losse of thrée Wyues, neuer yet for ought that I could sée, bewayled it. This Domitius

is reported to haue poysoned thrée Wiues for hope that he had of rewarde or greater riches thereby.