Wolf (Maplet)

This is the entry for wolf in Maplet's A Greene Forest

Of the Woulfe

The Woulfe is called Lupus saith Isidore, as if you would say Leopos, footed like the Lyon. It is a most ravinous kinde of Beast, terrible, and astonyshing a man at his first sight: whereof arose the old Proverbe, Lupus in fabula. Signifying, that there it was best to stay, and to have no more such talke of him as was talked of before. Aristotle saith, that in time of conjunaion they be most fierce, alwaies wood so long as they have yong. And the same Author also saith, that when they are hunted and put to flight, they cary their yong with them, & in their journeying they take eate of Origan, to sharpe their teeth, which are in a maner like to outr Saw. They being in extreme hunger (rather than they should famish) feede hartily upon yearth and suche like grosse matter. Ovid recordeth of a pleasure done or of well deserving in this kind to two brethren, Romulus & Remus, whom Amulius their Grandfather fought to have destroyed. And ths he sheweth the same.

  Venit ad expositos (mirum) Lupa faeta gamellos,
   quis credat pueris non nocuisse seram.

  A Woulfe with belly big with yong to two twinnes abject came
   who in the world would not have thought that these should have had harme.

Likewise a he Woulfe of wonderfull crueltie is reported at the beheading of Edmond King of England to have taken away from the company of the head, and to have preserved it long time without hurt or blemish.