Meanwhile King Charles II was fond of eating ambergris with eggs. In 1685, Robert May described it as "both woody and floral," with a smell reminiscent of "leaf litter on a forest floor and of the delicate, frilly undersides of mushrooms that grow in damp and shaded places." People have been theorizing about where ambergris comes from since the Middle Ages. The Chinese assumed it was created when dragon spit fell into the ocean, while one 15th century encyclopedia posited that it was either tree sap, sea foam or crystalized tears. Its mysterious origins only added to its allure, turning it into a highly sought-after commodity.