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.

Ofthe Gem.

I Must needes before I iourney any further or hasten to other, somewhat speake of the Gem: for that we haue beene occasioned and shall be hereafter to vse it as the generaltie or notion of the name and stock in these kindes. It is called a Gem saith Isid. for that it shy∣neth and is smooth as the Gum. This hath his best beautifying in the varietie and interpla∣cing of colours, & it is called precious, for that it is rare: all things that be rare are precious. Neither is it to be marueiled why eche Gem is precious, sith that al and singuler are not with∣out their diuine vertue. Of Gemmes, some are found in the earthes vaines, & are digged vp with Metalles: some are cast vp to lande and brought thither from the Sea his bottom, and their place of generation is vnknowen: other some are bred and found in the bodies & bellies of Foules, Fishes, Creatures & Beasts of the earth, Serpents and such as creepe my∣raculously

by God & prouident nature in their maner of working tasked. But in this kinde as in al others we must take heed of Sophisti∣cation: for to discerne & iudge truely the right Gem from the counterfayted, is the significa∣tiō of a most cunning man. It hath bene séene that in stead of a Smaragde some haue had so∣phistred and counterfayted Glasse: Wherfore let not colours deceiue thée: aswell gréene to eiesight is the Glasse as the Smaragde, thou must take héede as the Poet ••iddeth, much co∣louring is there and many decei••es.