Part 2

And _Aristotle_ declareth the Bées to be the clenlyest amongst all other beastes, bycause in flying abroad, they shed then their dung from them, leaste anye sauour or stincke of their dung be felte in their cotages or hoales. If these want honny at anye time, then doe they eyther kill, or driue quite away the drone Bées.

¶ Of the maruellous gouernement of the kings of honny Bees, and of the obedience which they vse to him. Cap.viij.

Nature hath not onlye committed hir lawes to bookes, the which men may lerne by, but hath especially set forth conditions and properties, as for an example of the lyke, by the bées, whose kings for doubt of reuenging, haue by the prouidence of nature no stings. Whereby is to be vnderstanded, that the kings ruling in power, thorough the lacke of their stings maye be by that meanes the slower to hurt, and offer reuengemente. Yet some affirme the kings to haue stings, but they suppose them not to vse their stings. And of this _Plinie_ maketh a doubt whether the king be armed as the other bées, or lacketh a sting. Which _Columella_ putteth out of doubt, writing of the king that he hath no sting, vnlesse any perhappes thinketh that big head as it were, whiche the king carrieth in his belly, to be his sting, with the which at no time they vse to sting or hurt anye. This king only do Bées reuerence, and honor him in such sort, that any of them is obedient and very ready at his bidding, to do whatsoeuer he assigneth them vnto. Also this obedience and seruice whiche they vse to their king, they do not the same for feare of punishment, but onely of a loue which they owe vnto him. Yet they punish one another in such sorte, that after their stings be lost, they dye forthwith. _Aristotle_ writeth of two maner of kings, the one as he affirmeth to be red, which he iudgeth the better, the other king black of colour, which he confesseth to be lesser of body, yet howsoeuer the kings be, they are notwithstanding far bigger of body, than the honny bées, & haue a brighter and goodlier head then the other Bées, yet shorter wings. So that their king created among them, goeth not any time forth of the hiue, without the whole swarm folow him. The king flying forth of the hiue at anye time, the other folow him, in such sort, that eche couet to flie next him, & ioyeth to be séen of the king in office, and whersoeuer the king settleth him or resteth, there be other Bées placed like strong holds or castels about him. About the king also be placed certaine rulers, which wayte vpon him by a dayly aucthoritie, If anye happeneth, as writeth _Plinie_, to breake of the kings right wing, then from the king will not the swarme after departe, as the like was rehearsed afore. Besides these, the Bées haue a maruelous order among them, if their king happen to die, for then they shal bitterly mourne for their king deade, and for the lacke of another, as such whiche cannot be guided and ruled without a king among them, and of this they be in continuall mourning. So that for the time, they carry no foode into theyr Hyues, nor flye not forth, but with a sadde bewailyng and humming, after theyr King, they heape thicke togyther aboute the deade body, and vnlesse another King increaseth by little and lyttle among them, they dye for hunger. Theyr king laboureth not, but as the other flye foorthe, hee in the meane tyme as an exhorter moueth and encourageth forwarde euerye one to hys worke, by his flying aboute in the Hiue.

¶ What kinde of Bees are beste, and rather to be chosen. Cap.ix.

In this point, & for true knowledge of these, doth _M. Varro_ discribe those Bées to be best, which be small of body, and diuerse and round, bycause they be earnest in labour, and make a thinne honny, and better endure labour, and gather their honny on hilles, but the worser Bées gather their honny of the garden floures onlye, whiche be somewhat long of bodye, lyke to waspes. _Virgil_ doth especially commend the small Bées, beyng somwhat long, light, and clenly in their businesse, and glistering to golde. So that the greater and rounder Bée, is discommended of all writers. Although the fierce Bées are very ill, yet is their yrefulnesse, a note of the better Bées, whiche may easily be appeased, by the daylye haunting among them, for if the kepers do often handle the Hyues, then do they become gentle in a short time.

The Bées also endure if they be diligently loked vnto, for the space of ten yeares, and beyonde this age no swarme can passe, althoughe the kéepers supplye the Hyues yearelye with yong Bées, in the steade of the olde deade, for in the tenth yere, in a manner, of the generall death of them, the vniuersall kinde of the whole Hyue is then consumed. And therefore, that thys maye not happen throughe all the Hyues in that place you must alwayes increase your Hyues with yong Bées, which diligently Hyue in the springtime, or beginning of Sommer, when as the swarmes be first and newe thrust forth of the Hiues, and so maye the number of your Hiues be encreased. Agayne some wryte, that in the Countrey of _Pontus_, the beste Bées bée white, bycause they gyue theyr yéelde of Honnye twyce in a moneth. And _Gulihelmus de couchis_ affirmeth the beste Bées to be aboute _Thermodoon_ in _Capadocia_, abyding in the Earthe, for that these doe buylde and make a tryple yéelde of waxe, and giue also aboundaunce of Honny.

The foresayde _Varro_, affirmeth those Bées to be in healthe, which often kepe and be in a swarme togither, that be clenly & can do their businesse and worke alike, and that quicke & light in the same, beyng neyther hearie nor foule of body, or appearing dustie, such also which be not ouerleane of body, and that out of any of their cotages no dead bées be carried thence, & forth of their Hiues. For all these notes do declare suche like Bées, to be both euill and vnprofytable. _Palladius_ declareth, that the best Bées may be knowen by the fulnesse or emptinesse of their vessels, for if the Hiues be full, then those Bées doth he best commende, if the Hiues be nothing so full stuffed, those Bées doeth he greatly dissalowe. And he also praiseth those Bées, whiche excelleth or passeth others in the loudnesse of humming, or do abound in the great haunte of the swarme, not broughte to the Hiues from farre places, so that there maye be such agrement, that they be not after feared awaye, with the newnesse of the aire and place.

¶ Where the Hiues of Bees ought especially to be placed. Cap.x.

_Aristotle_ willeth the Hiues of Bées in the winter time to be placed in a warme place, and in the hotte season of Sommer, in a colde place. _Palladius Rutilius_ in his firste Booke of husbandrie teacheth that the fittest place for bées, is that, whiche is in a Garden, not farre or rather neare to the owners house, which by that meanes suffereth not the windes, nor the accesse of théeues or beastes.

Which also nourisheth Trées growing on the Northside of the place, the better to defend the cold ayre from them, & cleare springs or faire riuer water running by. _Columella_ willeth the Hiues to be set open toward the south, far from noyse, & haunte of people and beastes, neyther in a hote nor colde place, for eyther of these do molest and harme the bées. Also that the hyues stande in the bottome of a valley, or if not so possible, then placed neare to the valley, the better and easier for the Bées to bring their foode gathered to their hiues, and in anye case farre from stincking puddels, ditches, dung-heapes, and such like filthy stinckes, which greatly annoye and endamage the bées beyng neare hande to their hiues, _M. Varro_ writing in his second booke vnto a huswife of the countrey, willeth hir also to set the Hiues close to hir house, and vnder some shed, & that far from the noyse of formes, whiche is mente from a groue or wood, leaste through the woodde or groue neare hande, the same may giue a sounding noyse, like to that whiche men commonlye name the Eccho, whiche sounde in verye déede the Bées do greatly hate. _Virgil_ willeth bushie trées to be planted and stand right before their hiues, like as the Peare trée is, the Peach trée, the Oake trée, many kyndes of Apple trées, the birche trée, Holy trée, the Iuy trée also, not allowed for his goodnesse, but bycause the same giueth out muche honny, and al other trées which beare no bitter floures. And he willeth these plantes and hearbes to grow neare hande, as the Rosemary, the red and damaske Rose, the white Lillie, the Violets, the Flouredeluce, the Organye, the Time, the running Time, the Sauery, swéete Maiorome, the Saffron floure, which coloureth the honny and maketh it smel swéete, the beane floures, the French beane floures, the Mellylot floures, the hearbe Baulme, the white Poppie floures, the Bitonie floures, the Borage and Buglosse floures, and manye other swéete and wholesome floures, not here named. But the Boxe trée, the Masticke trée, the dogge or Gatten trée, or as some suppose the long and high Chéeri trée they greatly hate, for that tasting of the floures of anye of these, they die forthwyth. _Maro_ wylleth standing waters, to be neare to their hiues, & so shallow, that smal stones thrown into them, may appeare aboue the water, & serue in stéede of bridges for their often recourse to them, & that they may aptly stretch their wings abroad on the stones, at the heate of the sun. The standings for hiues ought to be thrée foote distant from the ground, & wittily stopped about with red clay, least vermine, and Myse créepe into the hiues, and spoyle the honny combes. The Hiues also oughte to be set a little asunder the one from the other, least by loking into them, you shake one another by cleauing togither, and so disquiet the bées nexte to, which feare al manner of shaking least the same throw not downe their weake workes of waxe. And the mouthes of the hiues ought to stand somwhat stiper than the back part, leaste rain beating in, might not lightly run out again by their entry or hole. For remedy of the which, some make a couer ouer theyr hole the better to kéepe off the weather & raine. And no manner of heate so much harmeth them, as doth the bitter cold, & for this the faces of hiues ought to be toward the winter rising of the sun, that the Bées may so receiue the warme comfort, in the morning comming forth, & be the liuelier, for colde doth cause them to be sluggish, and for that cause their holes ought to be very narrow, that as little colde as is possible, may enter into them, and so narrowe made, that the Bées within may receiue the encrease but of one Bée at once, For by that meanes can neither the Béetil, butterflie, nor great moath enter, to annoye them. Besides for their often recourse home, _Maro_ willeth to make two or thrée commings into the hiue, somewhat distant asunder.

¶ What things Bees doe chiefly abhorre, or greatly hate. Cap.xj.

To bées, is that (named the Eccho) vngratefull or much displeasing, which as _Plinie_ writeth, doth greatly fear them, through the straunge sounde rebounding againe, and the miste also doth muche molest and trouble them, besides the spinner through hir web hanging downe before the Hiue, and the sluggishe butterflie (which _Plinie_ nameth dishonorable) that is two wayes pestiferous, as the one, when he spoyleth the waxe, and dungeth within the Hiue, and the other, breading Magottes or little wormes within the combes. They greatly hate oyle, like as all the kindes of the other Bées doe, and a stinking sauoure, which euidently appeareth by that kind of herbe named Mugworte, that they especially hate, bycause the same is of a strange stincke to them. The hornettes also of the like sorte creast, but bazer of kynde, they greatlye feare, for that to the Hornets the Hony Bées are a speciall foode. Also they be meate to swallows, to sparrowes, and to all other small byrdes.

The frogs besides, they do greatly feare, which only lye in waite for them, both in Marishes, running springs, shallowe waters, and little ditches, and the like doe the Toades lye in wayte for the Bées, whiche destroye manye of them. And the shéepe doe greately trouble the Honnye Bées, if so be they happen to fall or lighte into the Wooll of theyr backes, out of whyche, they cannot easylye wynde or gette themselues againe.

And if any happeneth to boyle or seathe Riuer Creauisses, or sea Crabbes neare to the Hiues, and that the Bées féele the sauour therof, they die forthwith.

¶ By what signes men may know, when the hony Bees are diseased, and how men may cure them. Cap.xij.

This is a speciall argument and note, that the Bées, are diseased, if that they fly scattering in the swarme, if they kéep not their proper colour, but be (as it were) of a strange and contrarie colour: if they also are ouer leane, if they appeare dustie and hairy, and that out of their cottages bée dead Bées carryed thence. When al these notes and signes are espied in the Bées, it is then highe time to séeke remedye for them, leaste helpe (by longer running) be sought too late. Therfore _Palladius_ willeth to minister the kernels of _Pomegranats_, brused and mixed with swéete and pleasaunt Wine, and the same powred into the chanels or gutters of halfe canes, set nere to the mouths of hiues, or honny, with Rose leaues well beaten togither, and so ministred to them, or the berries of the Saruice trée brused, and mixed with Honny: for lacke of these helpes, a man may make a smoake of drie Oxe or Cowe dung, whiche smoake muche delyghteth and comforteth them, so that the same be often vsed vnto Haruest.

But if throughe the Maggots or little wormes of the Butter-flyes the Bées be diseased, _Rutilius_ then iudgeth it beste, to set a brasen Candlesticke, or suche like vessell, with lighte burning in it at Euening, within the hyue, that to the same light (the Butter-flyes gathering, and flying about) may so fall down into it, and be destroyed.

_Aristomachus_ writeth, that the diseased Bées maye bée couered in this maner, if that all the corrupt combe within the hiue be taken forth, and freshe foode anewe put in of the whole, and the hiue after smoaked within. Also he affyrmeth, that Rosemarie sodden with water and honny togither, and beyng colde, poured into halfe canes or Elder stickes, made hollow like gutters, and the same set by the mouthes of the hiues, for the Bées to drinke on, doth recouer the Bées again. _Hyginius_ affirmeth that eyther the Oxe or mans vrine set in like manner (as aboue saide) by the mouths of the hyues, doth also recouer the diseased Bées. Nowe all these, and suche like muste the kéeper of the Bées doe, whiche is bothe sober and chaste, and féedeth not vppon sowre or tarte meates, nor filthy or strong of sauour, nor any salt meates.

¶ What manner of person, the keeper of Bees ought to be. Cap.xiij.

The Bées for that they muche abhorre all filthye stinkes and smells, _Palladius_ willeth the kéeper of them to eschewe dilligently al strong and yll smelling sauoures, one also that delighteth to be chaste of body, and frée from filthinesse, among these not breathing sowrely, or of a stinking breath, not sweating, nor sauouring of sweat, not one besides of wicked conditions, or suche a person as standing among the flight of the Bées, doth not earnestly moue and procure them to fly to him, or as one stinged endeuoreth to defend himselfe from them, but rather as a flatterer among his acquaintance, and children, hath learned to entreate, and please the Bées by a more gentle manner. He also whiche mindeth to haue also in a readinesse the hiues vnto his vse, in which he may receiue forthwith the rude youth of the swarmes put forth, which if they be not diligently preserued, they flye quite awaye at the full heate of Sunne. But how these hiues ought aptly to be prepared, shall hereafter bée taught in the sixtéenth Chapiter.

If the Dorre Bées, or Bées without sting, be ouer manye in the Hiue, and that you woulde gladly ridde them forth, then do on this manner: first take and plucke off the wings of one of those Dorre Bées, which lay or put within the Hiue, and incontinent the Honny Bées espying the same, will fal vppon the other Dorre Bées, and both kill and driue them quite away.

¶ By what subtil meanes, the swarmes come forth, may be preserued from flying quite awaye. Cap.xiiij.

_Palladivs_ in his second Booke writeth, that the swarms of the honny Bées fly awaye especiallye in the moneth of Iune. But with vs the same oftner happeneth in the moneth of May, as hathe bin noted by sundrye, diuerse times, especially if the yong Bées be sounde and hartie within the Hyues. Therefore the kéeper muste diligently looke to the Hyues, and at no time be absent, especially when the young Bées increase and abound in the Hyues, for if they be not then carefully looked vnto, and stayed by the diligence of the kéeper, they al fly quite away. For such is the nature and propertie of the Bées, that as soone as the swarms of the yong Bées, are bred with the Kings, and that they be strong & able to flye away, then as disdayning the swarms of the olde Bées, they séeke the more gouernment. For that they be suche liuing things, that delight to rule alone, not séeking ayde and counsell of the elder Bées: and therefore do the newe kings flye forth, with the young swarmes following them, which for a day or two before their flying away, remaine heaping togither before the mouths of the Hyues, & right vnder the Hiues, so that by their comming forth, and heaping in suche order, they properly shewe the desire of a newe place, and be as yet contented to remaine thereabout, if so be the kéeper prouide for them a place and an apt Hiue. But if they haue no kéeper to looke diligently to them, then as it were by an iniurie repulsed, they after séeke a newe place. That this may not happen, let then the warye and diligent kéeper, looke circumspectlye to the Hyues in the Spring time, aboute the eight houre of the daye, (when as the swarmes are not yet flowen away,) that he maye the diligenter marke and sée the flying oute and comming in of the yong Bées.

Now the readinesse of the Bées in flying away, is known two waies, as the first is, when for certaine daies before, in a maner at the setting of the Sun, they plentifully or abundantly gather on a heape righte before the mouthe of the Hyue, like vnto greate clusters of Grapes, and doe hang togither on heapes one vpon another.

The other note is, that when they be minded within thrée daies after to flye awaye, they make as meruellous noise and sturring too and fro within the hiues at euening, as Souldiours at the Alarme within a Castell, whiche you maye easilye knowe, (this readinesse of them) if that you lay your eare to ech hiue. And when some of the Bées are flowen awaye, then doe those waite for the others, vntill the whole swarme be come togither. That the Bées fly not awaye, _Plinie_ teacheth in the .xj. Booke of his Naturall Historie, that the hiues ought to be annointed about with the iuyce of the herb named Balme. Also other affyrme, that the swarme to settle and stay againe through the onely throwing of fine duste on them, if so be the same be throwen on light, and that ouer the bées. Some beside affirme, that the Bées will not flye awaye, if that the dung of the first calfe of any Cowe, be smeared about the mouths of the hiues. _Plinie_ writeth, that by the only binding of the fresh white Vine (running in hedges) rounde about the bodies of the Hyues, it stayeth the swarme from flying away.

¶ Of the Bees newe settled in a swarme togyther, and taken or recouered agayne. Cap.xv.

When the Bées are nowe in a tumulte in the ayre, by throwing fine earth on high ouer the Bées, or ringing a basen or kettle, they be with the shrill sound made astonied, that they maye the sooner settle downe neare to the kéeper, whiche if the same happen to be on the branch of a trée, or on a graft or yong set, then with a very sharpe sawe, gently sawe that off, and laye it on the grounde, and spéedily set a Hiue on the same prepared for the purpose. For by that meanes (without doubte) will the whole swarme flye vp to the toppe and head of the Hiue. Yet it often happeneth, that they doe not wholy cleaue on a heape to the braunch of a trée, but to the stocke or body of the trée, whych by that meanes muste néedes be cutte by a greater force, so that not able to be recouered by this meanes, the swarme muste be quickly swéepte off, either with the hand, or with a Gose wing, that they may so fall togither into the hiue. If the swarme happen to be clustred togither on the top of a trée, so high, that they cannot be climed vnto, to take them downe, then after the shaking of them into the Hiue (turned vppe) either with a pole or high forke, the hiue must spéedily be turned down to the earth. And if they be not thus taken or recouered, yet if the King shal be still in the Hiue, then doth the swarme fly in againe, if he remayneth not, then wil none of the swarme abide in the hiue, but flye forthwith vnto the former place. Wherfore, that they may be moued to abide, you muste then sprinckle the hiue with water and hony togither, and couer the same within with the gréene Nettle, or rather the gréene Fennell, or some such swéete herbe, annointed a little with Hony, and after set at the Euening in their proper place. For the hiue in the day time, after the recouering thus of the Bées, may not be stirred vntil the Euening, that the Bées so quietly resting all that night, may in the morning leisurely go forth. But for thrée daies togither in a manner, muste the kéeper dayly looke, whether the swarme kéepeth belowe in the Hiue, for if it doth, then are the Bées purposed to flye awaye. And if none of al these remedies, may yet moue the Bées to stay and tarry in the hiue, then be-smoke the hiue with flaxe, and they will after enter in and abide in the hiue. Which so staying in the hiues, set at the Euening in his proper place. Here learne a farther instruction, that if the swarme of Bées cannot be gathered and recouered togither all at one time then may you gather the swarme at two or more times togither, and alwaies put eche part gathered vnder the hiue. If it happeneth that you haue gotten the King, with a part of the swarme, then will all the others soone come to hiue (without further trauaile) of their owne accorde. If the Bées also be entred into the hollowe of a trée, then to the hole, whiche they vse to go in and out at, as their proper doore, sette a prepared hiue, and beneath their hole, neare to the roote and bottome of the hollow (as you can gesse) boare another bigge hole, that ye may wel put in a smoke of Brimstone to them, whiche may so cause all the Bées to fly out at their hole into the Hiue, set ouer the mouth of it. For no better deuise or inuention can be had in this matter, than by such a smoake made. If the same hollowe trée be so thinne, that it may easily be sawed asunder, then with a sharpe sawe lette that hollowe parte be cutte asunder, bothe aboue and beneath, and after couering it with a cleane shéete, carrie the swarme home, which at euening couer with a newe Hiue sprinckled with water and honny mixed togither. For so they will tarrye the willinglier, being all shaken forth of the body of the trée, and couered with the Hiue. Besides the hearbe Mugworte (whiche the Bées by a naturall hatred do abhorre) doth chase them with the onely smell from place to place.

¶ Which are the best and fittest Hiues for the Honny Bees. Cap.xvj.