Part 3
_Palladivs_ writeth, that the best Hiues be those, which are made of the barkes and light corke of trées, bicause they be neither too colde in the Winter time, nor too hote in the Sommer. And of this, those Hiues whiche be wroughte and made of the small Osier or Willow trée, or of the Vine stickes knit togither, or Canes cleft in the middes (whiche be of like condition to the barke) wroughte close togither, and stopped close aboute wyth flockes and clay, tempered togither with water and salte, may aptly serue, if you will. But if neither of those fashioned Hiues like you, then may you make the Hiues of the woodde of a hollowe trée, or of light bourdes made square, and stowpyng somewhat afore. The worste Hiues be those, which be made of turfes or earth, bycause they be ouer hote in the Sommer, and ouer colde in the Winter. There be other two kinds of hiues, as the one made of drie hard Cow dung, and the other of tiles. Of whiche the one doth _Celsus_ rightly condemne, bycause the same is so lightly burned, and the other he alloweth, althoughe he dissembleth the speciall commoditie of it, bycause the same, if néede requireth, cannot easily be remoued and carried into an other place. And among these, I suppose oure forme of Hiues here in Englande, are not altogither to be disallowed, although they be in like daunger, to be easily burned, as the other Hiues aboue taughte, in that they be made with strawe. But to be briefe, for a greate swarme you ought to haue in a readinesse a greate hiue, and for a small swarme a little Hiue. And the Hiue also oughte to be a foote and a halfe, or two foote high, and in breadth aboue two foote and a halfe, or somewhat larger. Hauing besides two very small and narrowe holes, somewhat asunder, and so little ought the mouths to be, that neyther Béetle, Butterflie, gret Moth, Humble Bées, Euet nor Mouse may enter in, to spoile the Honny combes. Some suppose, or rather affyrme of experience, that the Bées are delighted with this closenesse, in that they more ioy to do their works and businesse in the darke, than otherwise.
¶ Of the clenlinesse and sweetenesse of the keeper of Bees, and howe Hiues ought to be fenced aboute, and prepared within. Cap.xvij.
The kéeper of Bées which mindeth to handle and looke into hiues, ought the day before to refraine the veneriall acte, not a person fearefull, nor comming to the hiue with vnwashed handes and face. And one that oughte to refraine in a manner from all smelling meates, poudered meates, fryed meates, and all other meats that doe stinke, like as the Léekes, the Onions, the Garlike, and suche like, whiche the Bées greatlye abhorre. Besides, to be then swéete of body, and clenly in apparell, minding to come to their hiues, for in all clenlinesse and swéetnesse the Bées are muche delighted. Nowe thus prepared & in a readinesse, open the hiues first of the Bées, about the .viij. or .x. day of Aprill, being then a cleare & warme day, & purge the hiues of all such filth which be gathered in them all the winter before, like as Spiders webs, which oughte especially to be wiped awaye, bicause they corrupt the combes, not with hands, but with a goose wing, the same ought to be done. After that, the Hiue oughte to be smoaked with Oxe or Cowe dung, for in that (as it were, by an affinitie of the kinde) do the Bées greatly delight. The little wormes also, whiche some name Maggots, that bréede in the combes, throughe the blowing of the Butterflies, and also the Butter-flyes ought to be killed and purged oute of the hiue. If the combes happen to fall throughe infection or corruption in them, then make a smoake with the drie dung and marowe of an Oxe or Cowe mixed togither, that the sauour may go vppe to them, whiche for that time will cure the weake combes, strengthen the Bées, & cause them to worke the lustier afterward. And from the beginning of May, vnto the last of Iune, the hiues ought then to be diligently looked vnto, that the yong swarmes flye not away. Also from the tenth of Iune, vnto the tenth of August, the hiues ought to be opened now & then, & to be smoked with such like as afore is taught. Whiche althoughe it be grieuous for the time to Bées, yet the same is very profitable, and strengthneth them. And from the beginyng of the Dog dayes, vnto the eightéenth of September, ought the Bées to be carefully looked vnto and defended, from the violence of the Hornet Bées, which often awaite before the mouthes of the Hiues, to set vppon and eate the Honny Bées. Nowe the kéeper in a fayre sunny daye, ought to clense the Hiues of al maner annoyances as before is taught, and diligently to stop the chincks, or clefts about, sauing the mouthes of the Hiues, with Oxe dung & clay mixed togither. And this ought to be done, for two or thrée daies before the change of the Moone, the better to defend the Butter flye and others, from créeping in. The Hyues besides ought to haue two bigge stickes cleane scraped, and running a crosse from side to side, and sprinckled rounde about within, and swéete and pleasant wine, or else the stickes to be harde rubbed ouer, with the gréene braunches of the Fennell or other swéete smelling herbs, or with a little hony & leaues of the Pere-trée, togither, or with the branches of the herb Time flouring, or Sanerie, or Maiorame, or the hearbe Balme, and Honny togither. Some annoint the stickes and hiue within, with the swéete creame of the newe Cowe milke, or with Water and Honnye sodden togither, and that sprinckled aboute within the Hyue, that the Bées maye be the rather and sooner moued to tarrie and dwell stil in the Hiues.
¶ How Bees lacking honnie may be fedde in that present neede. Cap.xviij.
Bycause the boysterousnesse of the ayre doth sometimes constraine the Bées to abyde in their hiues, and that they may not only féede of Honny, but at the rysing of the constellation (named _Vergiliæ_) they maye be fed and cherished, and the same done in this manner without greate cost. As firste, if you take the number of ten figges, séething them in sixe pintes of fayre conduite or spring water, vnto a pynte wasted, whych after set the one side of the hiue within, laying many smal stickes a crosse ouer the Lycour, that those may serue in stead of bridgs, the apter for them to drinke of the Licour, without drowning in the same. Others wyll to séeth Honny and water togither, & the same to be poured into dishes set at the one side of the Hiue, in the whiche they will to put fine carded wooll, that the Bées maye the better drincke now and then, and be not cloyed with too much drinking of the licour, by lighting into it. Others take figs & raisons beating them togither, and after boyling them in the swéete lycour named Cuyte, they poure into dishes, couering the same with Oaten strawes a crosse. Others also will to take a little Hony, putting into the same a fewe Oate cornes, that the Bées lighting on them, maye so kepe their wings from wetting in the licour. Now all these meanes may well suffise to cherish and féed the bées in the Winter time, lacking then foode, beyng set neare to the mouthes of the Hiues. So that if a longer hunger oppresseth them, then with the hiues fast by the entring in, set little gutters made of halfe canes, or greate elder stickes cleft, into which poure of the swéete licours aboue taught, for by that meanes may they be wel recouered and strengthned in the déepe of Winter, when their foode fayleth them. Some wil to put fresh birdes cleane drawne, or the fleshe of a Henne finely shred into hiues, for the Bées to féede and sucke vpon in the déepe of Winter, & the fine feathers also they will put into the Hiue, that they may giue then a warmth to the Bées lying in them. And others also will to put the meate of rosted Chickens into their Hiues, to féede and sucke vppon, and not the boanes withall, least the sauour of the bones after the meate eaten off, might annoy the bées by lying still in the hiues, in that they so greatly abhorre all sowre and stinking sauors. Also these kinds of flesh ordered (as aboue sayde) may well serue the Bées in another drie Sommer, when as the most floures are then faded or quite gone away. Here note, that in the Spring and Sommer time, the bée-hiues ought to be loked vnto thrice in the moneth, gently smoking the Bées, to clense the Hiues of al maner filth, and to swéepe forth the wormes. Also _Menecrates_ willeth the kéeper of Bées, to kill the king blacke of colour, whiche by hys malice disquieteth the other king, and corrupteth the Hiue, in that he flieth out alone, or with a company of the bées folowing. So by that meanes (as _Virgil_ writeth) shall the battel of Bées be stayed. _Palladius_ writeth, that the swarmes be increased in the moneth of May, and that in the outmost sides of the combes be the drone Bées bred, which ought to be killed, in that those do muche disquiet the rest of the swarme. The Butterflies also do abounde, which he willeth diligently to kill, for their greate annoyaunce to the honny Bées.
About the beginning of Nouember ought the Hyues then to be cleared of their filth, so that al the Winter following they may neyther be remoued nor opened. And this may not be done but in a warme sunny daye, the combes maye not be touched with hands, but with the feathers of a stiffe goose wing, or such bigge foule. After that to stoppe the chinkes round about wyth Oxe dung and clay finely laboured togither, and to lay strawe thicke ouer the toppes of the Hiues, the better to defende the Bées from the cold and tempestes.
¶ How the dead Bees may be restored to life againe. Cap.xix.
The kéeper of bées ought to foresée and take héede, that the Bées perysh not through ouer great heate, or ouer mighty cold. If at any time by a sodaine showre in the séeking for foode, Bées happen to be beaten downe, or nipped wyth a sodaine colde (which seldome so commeth to passe that the Honny bées are so deceyued,) that harmed with the droppes, they lye grouelyng and flatte on the earth, as dead in a manner, then gather the Bées togyther, putting them into some vessel for the nonce, which after set in a warm chamber or Parloure, & couer warm ymbers, being somewhat more than hote, on the Bées, whiche gently shake with the ashes, but in suche sorte that you touche them not wyth your hande. And setting the Bées in the sunne, and neare to their hiues, they will after recouer, and flie again into their cotages.
¶ Of the battel that Bees sometime haue among themselues. Cap.xx.
_Vergill_ writeth, that the Bées sometimes minding to fighte, do hastily brust out of the Hiues, and as it were in ciuill battels among themselues, do fight lyke strangers one against the other, & smite eagerly in their fight one at an other. If so be one hyue hath especially two kings bred vp in the same, whych very well may be knowne, when as the bées clustered and heaped togither, doe represente or represse as it were the forme of two beardes hangyng downe. Now theyr readinesse to fight is knowen, when in the ayre is heard a greate sounde and noyse among the Bées lyke to the manner of Trumpets, whiles they fiercely and cruelly fighte togither among themselues, & in this battell they glitter with the wings, sharpen the stings with their beakes, beare forth their breastes, and about the king they gather and swarme. So that they shoute wyth great noyse, flying and dashing togither, and that in heapes and rounde companies mixed or ioyned togither, and greate is the noyse made among them. And to be shorte, in this strong and eager battell, many of them fal headlong downe, and that thicker then haile stones to the ground.
The kings themselues in the meane time flying in the middel frontes, doe fight with a fierce courage within themselues, and they also are séene to flie hither and thither among thicke heapes and swarmes of the Bées, (like as valiaunte Capytaines are wont to do in the time of a battell) with their glistering wings and beakes, beating downe of the swarmes, here & there and on eche side of them, of both partes. So that of themselues not giuyng ouer this eager battell, untill the one part be forced to turne the backe to the other, and flye away with expedition. Therfore that this doubtful battel in the meane time may be ceased and quieted betwene them, the wise practisers wyll that the kéeper of Bées, do staye and appease this broyle of them, by the casting of fine earth ouer the Bées, whiles they be thus fighting, which (as the wise affirme) of experience doth forthewith pacifie the great stomackes and courages of both partes. But if this auayleth not, then with honny and water sodden togither, or raysons in like order, or with any other swéete licour sprinckled on them, is their furie appeased, whiche doth as it were with the pleasaunt swéetenesse, quiet the irefulnesse of the warriours, and wyth the same in this controuersie they are maruelously appeased. If neyther of these remedies do yet preuaile, then let the keper marke diligentlye those Bées whyche fyghte in the fronte, and bee moste eager Capytaines, that hee maye kill them with expedition, for by that meanes, and with the other remedies aboue taughte, maye the battels and fight of the wariours be throughly ceased.
Now after the Bées are thus quieted, and the swarme setled rounde on some gréene bowe nexte hande, then marke whether the whole swarme hangeth downe like a cluster of grapes, whiche so séeing, declareth there to bee eyther one king or two, by good agréement reconciled, whiche let alone on such wise, vntil they flye backe vnto their proper home. But if the swarme shal be deuided into two or many round clusters, then iudge that there be yet manye Captaynes lefte, and that their yre is not ceased: and in those partes, where you especially sée the bées to cluster moste thicke and rounde togyther, there diligently séeke out the Captaynes. Yet annoynt your hand before with the iuyce of the hearbe Baulme, that touching or handling the Bées, they flye not hither and thither, after which put in your fingers gently, and seuering the Bées asunder, seke diligently among them, vntil you finde out the author and procurer of the battell, whiche you oughte likewise to kill. _Vergill_ writeth, that the kings sometimes fly forth for a vaine delight, to sport them flying in the aire, which you may easily stay and let, if that you pluck of the kings wings, that he cannot afterward flye.
¶ How Bees, may be recouered and founde againe. Cap.xxj.
If it so happeneth that bées are flowen away, & that you be in doubte whether they be lodged neare hande, or farre off, _Palladius_ doth instructe and teache many goodly wayes to finde them againe. First he teacheth to take red leade, or red Oker infused in water, or any other colour, stayning, and to carry the same wyth you in a little shallow dishe. Vnto suche a spring or running water as the honny bées haunte, especially in the moneth of Aprill. And there sitting downe, awayte the comming of the Bées to drinke, which after they be come, and there drinkyng, stayne in the meane whiles such bées, with your rush coloured redde at the ende, as you may well retche with the same, sitting yet stil, and watching the comming againe of those Bées marked to drinke, whiche if they shortlye returne, then is it an euidente note and token, that their lodging and cottages be neare hande, but if those Bées are long before they returne and come againe to the place, then maye you suppose and iudge them to be farre off, and the distaunce you may gesse, according to their long tarrying and soone comming againe. That you maye easily finde the place where the Bées lodge, whether the same bee farre or neare hand, _Palladius_ teacheth the same wittily in this manner.
Firste he willeth to take one whole ioynt of a bigge cane or Elder sticke stopped at the one end, and the other end left open, to annoynt within, with a little honny, whiche laye neare to that spring or running water, that the Bées daylye haunte vnto.
When Bées resort to the same, and that certayne be entred within the quil through the sauor thereof, then stop the hole with your thumb, letting one of the Bées afterward to flye forth, whiche dylygently marke, and follow that way it flyeth, for it wyll shewe you part of the way to their home. And after you can sée the same no further, then quicklye set forth another bée, whose flight in like manner marke, and followe after, for that it maye also shewe parte of the way vnto their home. And so let flie the bées by one and one, vntil they bring you vnto the place of the swarme. Nowe if the same place be déepe in the earthe, then with a smoake made eyther of drye flaxe or Brimstone, driue the Bées out, and when the swarme is come forthe, then ring on a bason or shrill panne, for being by and by feared with the shryll sounde of the same, the swarme eyther lighteth on a yong trée, or on the opener bowe of a bigge trée, which so founde out, couer ouer with a hiue prepared for the nonce. But if the swarm be placed in the hollowe of a trée, and hauing bowes, or in the stocke of the same trée, then with a verye sharpe sawe (if the meanes of the same will giue leaue) cutte it asunder. And in such sort, that the parte emptie aboue the bées be first cut, and the parte beneath it which it séemeth the Bées to be lodged, to be like cut asunder, and the stocke thus cut asunder, at both the endes, couer with a faire shéete, leaste any large cliftes appeare after the cutting, whiche also annoynt with honnye, for the better staying in of the bées, and after carrye the same home, which place by your other hiues making smal holes in the same, for theyr flying in and out (as afore was taught) in the ordering of the other hiues. But it behoueth the diligent sercher, to chose the morning times for the finding out of Bées, wherby you may haue the space & libertie of the day before you, to finde out the resort of Bées. For by loking late after them, it falleth out so, that although the Bées are neare hande, yet bycause they haue then done their busie and careful laboure, they flye no longer abrode to séeke foode, nor yet resorte to drinke.
Throughe whiche it so commeth to passe, that the searcher after Bées knoweth not then howe neare, or far off, the swarm is from the spring or running water. Some take the iuyce of the hearb Baulme in the Spring time, and annoint the same round about the hiue, whereby the sauour of the iuyce maye cleaue and abide on the vessell, whiche afterwarde being fayre within, sprinckle aboute with a little honny, setting the same hiue downe neare to the woodde or groue of trées fast by that spring or water running by it, and after the same be filled with a swarme, carry it gently home. Yet doeth not this like, but in such places where the swarmes of Bées do abounde, for that oftentimes it so hapneth, that vnlesse the hiues be dailye watched, that the goers by do take them away. But to lose sundrie hiues, gretly hindreth not, so that you may in the mean whiles enioy one or two of them full.
Nowe hitherto hathe béene sufficientlye taughte, suche remedies and helpes, as necessarily serue, to the taking, and recouering of Bées loste, and otherwise to finde oute straunge swarmes.
¶ That the Bees sting no person, comming neare their Hiues. Cap.xxij.
_Plinie_ in his twentith book writeth, that the hearb Sperage, brused and mixed with oyle, and annoynted with the same, doth defende the person from being stinged, by comming nygh to their hiues. And in his .xxviij. booke he also wryteth, that if any happeneth to be stinged by a Scorpion, that he shall neuer after be stinged of any Bée, but yet being stinged, he teacheth to drinke the iuyce of Hearbe-grace and Rue mixed with wine, and to lay the leaues also in plaister forme on the stinged places. In the 21. booke he writeth the like, that bées stings are by nature venomous, against the which he teacheth to take & vse the iuyce of Mallowes, or the iuyce of Iuie leaues, and to annoint eyther of the two, on the stinged places, as a souerain remedy. And in the 23. booke, he teacheth wyne for a remedy, as boyled with bay leaues, and after drunke. In the 24. booke he teacheth to take a drop of that molten, whiche the honny Bées make at the entrye of the Hiue, to be a like remedy, as of the water _Bezoar_ to be vsed against venemous bittes. _Auicen_ in his seconde rule teacheth, that the decoction of the March Mallowes wyth vineger or wine, and the same anoynted on the stinged places, to be a perfit remedie.
Whiche also in his fourth rule affirmeth, that the Honnye Bée hath like dispositions to the waspe, sauing that they leaue their stings behinde them: wherfore for remedie of the wasps, you may vse those which we haue afore taught againste the stings of Bées.
¶ When and howe, the Hiues ought to be gelded. Cap.xxiij.
_Palladius Rutilius_ in his first booke teacheth, that the hiues of Bées ought not to be gelded, before you consider and sée whether they be rype, vnto the comming of the true Honny, whyche in a manner (as hee teacheth) commeth to vse in the moneth of Iune, or as others affirme, in the ende of Auguste, vnto the midle of September.
Now there be certaine notes and tokens, by whyche we trye and fynde out the ripenesse of them, whiche be these, firste if the hiues be ful, then do the Honny Bées drive forth the ydle drone Bées out of the Hiues, and there is also hearde within a small or shrill humming of the Bées for that the emptie cottages of the combs, as they were hollow buildings, do receiue a sound & noise, procured then bigger, so that when there is hearde a big & hoarse sound of the humming of them, then is it not yet méet to geld the combs. _Varro_ writeth, that it is then time to geld hiues, when as you see within, that the Bées hang clustring round, & that the holes of the hony combes be couered ouer, as it were with thin caules, for then be they full of honny. Now the day of gelding the hiues ought to be done timely in the morning, when as the Bées are astonied throughe the colde aire, and not done in the heate of the day, when they be procured to fly forth of the hiues, and being then very angry, to sting those persons which come to the hiues. The maner of gelding the hiues is on this wise, first stop the holes of the hiues, that the Bées passe not forth, with grasse or some other hearbe, after that putte vnder fine linnen ragges, or strawe, making a little smoake with the same, whiche smoake so flying vppe, causeth the Bées after to breake & leaue their clustering togither.