32 _ SHAKESPEARE'’S | BEE. 
’Tis seldom when the bee doth leave her comb 
In the dead carrion. 
ii, Kinc Henry IV., iv. 4, 79-80. 
So work the honey bees, 
Creatures that by a rule in nature teach 
The act of order to a peopled kingdom. 
They have a king and officers of sorts; 
Where some, like magistrates, correct at home, etc. 
Kino Henry V., i. 2, 187-204. 
The commons, like an angry hive of bees, 
That want their leader, scatter up and down, 
And care not who they sting in his revenge. 
ii. Kinc Henry VI, iii. 2, 125-8. 
Bers be cunning and busy in office of making of honey, 
and they dwell in their own places that are assigned to 
them, and challenge no place but their own. And they 
build and make their houses with a wonderful craft, and 
of divers flowers; and they make honey-combs, wound and 
writhen with wax full craftily, and fill their castles with 
full many children. They have an host and a king, and 
move war and battle, and fly atrd void smoke and wind, 
and make them hardy and sharp to battle with great noise. 
Many have assayed and found that often Bees are gendered 
and come of carrions of rothern [7.e., cattle]. And for to 
bring forth Bees, flesh of calves which be slain is beat that 
worms may be gendered and come of the rotted blood, the 
which worms after take wings and be made Bees, as shern- 
birds [7.e., hornets] be gendered of carrions of horses. Bees 
make among them a king, and ordain among them 
common people. And though they be put and set under 
a king, yet they be free and love their king that they 
make by kind love; and defend him with full great 
defence ; and hold honour and worship to perish and be 
spilt for their king; and do their king so great worship 
that none of them dare go out of their house, nor to get 
meat, but if the king pass out and take the’ principality 
of flight. And Bees choose to their king him that is most 
worthy and noble in highness and fairness, and most clear 
in mildness, for that is chief virtue in a king. For though 
their king have a sting, yet he useth it not in wreak. 
And kindly the more huge Bees are, the more lighter 
they be, for the greater Bees be lighter than the less Bees. 
And also Bees that are unobedient to the king, they deem 
