I must not here omit the particular Whim of an Impudent Libertine, that had a little Smattering of Heraldry; and observing how the Genealogies of great Families were often drawn up in the Shape of Trees, had taken a Fancy to dispose of his own illegitimate Issue in a Figure of the same kind.
—[Nec] longum tempus et ingens
Exiit ad cœlum ramis felicibus arbos,
Miraturque novas frondes, et non sua poma.
Virg.[2]
The Trunk of the Tree was mark'd with his own Name,
Will Maple
. Out of the Side of it grew a large barren Branch, Inscribed
Mary Maple
, the Name of his unhappy Wife. The Head was adorned with five huge Boughs. On the Bottom of the first was written in Capital Characters
Kate Cole
, who branched out into three Sprigs,
viz. William, Richard,