The gentlemans exercise Or an exquisite practise, as well for drawing all manner of beasts in their true portraitures: as also the making of all kinds of colours, to be vsed in lymming, painting, tricking, and blason of coates, and armes, with diuers others most delightfull and pleasurable obseruations, for all yong gentlemen and others. As also seruing for the necessarie vse and generall benefite of diuers trades-men and artificers, as namly painters, ioyners, free-masons, cutters and caruers, &c. for the farther gracing, beautifying, and garnishing of all their absolute and worthie peeces, either for borders, architecks, or columnes, &c. By Henrie Peacham Master of Artes.

What Serpents and creeping things.

Of Serpents you haue the Crocodile, who hath his name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from the feare he hath of Saf∣fron which he cannot endure, wherfore nere Nilus, they plant it much in their gardēs, & nere their Bees, which the Crocodile continually lieth in waite for. For he loueth honie aboue measure. Otho Duke of Millane in the yeare 1099. tooke from a Sarazen his armes: which was a Serpent, a child issuing out of the mouth of the same, which to this day is yet the armes of Millane.

The Scorpion, the L••zard, yea the old Armes of France were the three Toades or Crapauds, Crabs, Creuisses, Frogs, Snailes, and such like.

I haue seene in an ancient coate three Grashop∣pers, but the owner I could neuer learne.

The Grashopper is called in Latine Cicada, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from singing, with a little skin vpon his side, against the which he rubs the thicke part of his leg, and so makes that noise, wherewith hee so di∣sturbs the sleepy hay-makers. When I found this E∣tymology first, I would needes make triall: which I found very true; so significant, and wittie were the Grecians at first, inuenting names to all things from their nature.

Of fishes you shall find in Armes the VVhale, the Dolphin, the Salmon, the Trout, Barbel, Turbot, Herring, Roach, Remora Escallop shels.

Cosm.

VVhat meaneth the bearing of Escallop shels?

Eud.

It betokeneth vnitie and friendly loue, for as they close so neerely they can hardly be separated, so should friendes and true louers: whereupon it is wor••e in the colours of the knights of the order of Saint Michael.

You must be very heedful in the blazoning of fishes, by reason of the variety of their natures.