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 Sapphir.

THe Sapphir is Skie coloured or blew, like to the Skie in the most faire weather. It is one of the Noblest and royall sorts amongst al Gemmes, and most méete to be worne onely vpon Kings and Princes fingers. This for his soueraigntie of the Lapidare, is called y^e Gem of Gemmes. It is found most especially in In∣die, although that sometimes, otherwhere. Cardane sayth, that it is next and aboue the Adamant in reputation: fift or last in the de∣grée of those Gemmes that be noble and pre∣cious: he sayth also, it is good (if it be not o∣therwise ouerlaide) to the eiesight, and that no∣thing in the whole worlde, doth more recreate or delight the eies than the Smaradge & Sap∣phir do••. Albartus Magnus saith, that he

hath proued it twise, that with the onely tou∣ching of this precious stone, the partie so disea∣sed, hath bene rid of the grieuous sore the Car∣buncle. It is meruelously effectuous against al venome. Wherefore, if thou put a Spider into a Box, and vpon the mouth of the Box, being shut thou layest the true Sapphir and kéepe the Spyder but a verie shorte time within the same, the Spider being vanquished and ouer∣come by such mean of close vertue dieth sodain∣ly. In olde time it was consecrated onelye to Apollo: for the which they thought their bu∣sinesse in Warres and affaires at home might be the sooner ended, if through such meanes they had enriched and honoured him, who by Oracle in all things those which were waigh∣tiest made onely the aunswere.