Lion (Maplet)

This is the entry for lion from Maplet's A Greene Forest

Of the Lyon.

The Lyon in his greeke vocable and worde is interpreted King: he is reported to be the King over all other beastes. There are divers of this kind: they only differing in their Mane eyther long or short. His strength is in his hed. His vertue in his heart, he sleepeth (as the Hare doth) with his eielids unshut. When he awaketh forth out of sleepe, he rubbeth out the print of his bodie and steps, lest the huntesmen espying them, should easily finde him out. He is verie gentle to man & never hurteth him unlesse he be greatly injured by him, or that he is throughly an hungry. He knoweth saith Plinie where the Lyonesse ath played him false play, and hath played him the Aduoetresse with the Libard, by a certaine rammish smel or sweate which ariseth of them both. Yet if she washeth hir selfe throughly, she may deceyve him. Aristotle sayth, that the Lionesse at the first birth or broode bringeth forth most of hir yong: then after that, she lesseneth every broode one. For at the first she bringeth forth five: at the second time, foure: at the thirde time three: at the fourth time, two: at the fift, one: and ever after that, she is sterile and barraine. Of their remembrance of good turne I neede not speake, or howe they have done man a goode turne one for another. As that which had a thorne in hir Claw being holpen of one named Androdus, & eased thereof: even when as he through envie was delivered up to be punished, & throwen into hir Denne, that Lionesse that he eased so before, did then well remember him. And also I neede not speak how God oftentimes brideleth in all beastes devouring whatsoever, to shew his pleasure and possibilitie what he can doe and worke by meanes of these. There was a fierce & hungrie Lyon let loose to Darius the Martyr, which not onely hurt him not, but also preserved him from the crueltie of other brute beastes. As likewise Daniell scaped scotchfree by Gods providence, turning the fierce countenance of that Lion that his enimies had thought would have soone devoured him nito a fawning and chearefull looke, not once having power to hurt him. Hamo a Carthagien borne, is first reported to have tamed the Lion.