326 The Honey-Makers 



which yielded not unto her her desired profit, but did con- 

 sume and die of the Murrain, made her moan to another 

 woman more simple than herself ; who gave her counsel to 

 get a consecrated Host, and put it among them. 



"According to whose advice she went to the priest to 

 receive the Host ; which, when she had done, she kept it 

 in her mouth, and being come home again, she took it out, 

 and put it into one of her hives. Whereupon the murrain 

 ceased, and the honey abounded. The woman, therefore, 

 lifting up the hive at the due time to take out the honey, 

 saw there (most strange to be seen) a chapel built by the 

 bees, with an altar in it, the walls adorned by marvellous 

 skill of architecture, with windows conveniendy set in their 

 places ; also a door and a steeple with bells. And the 

 Host being laid upon the altar, the bees, making a sweet 

 noise, flew round about it. 



" Unto this story my author immediately addeth another, 

 like unto it, and as likely : How certain thieves, having 

 stolen the silver box wherein the Wafer-Gods used to lie, 

 and finding one of them there, being loth, belike, that he 

 should he abroad all night, did not cast him away, but laid 

 him under a hive ; whom, the bees acknowledging, advanced 

 to a high room in the hive ; and there, instead of his silver 

 box, made him another of the whitest wax ; and when they 

 had so done, in worship of him, at set hours, they sung 

 most sweetly beyond all measure about it ; yea, the owner 

 took them at it at midnight, with a light and all. Where- 

 with the Bishop, being made acquainted, came thither 

 with many others ; and lifting up the hive, he saw there, 

 near the top, a most fine box, wherein the host was laid, 

 and the choirs of bees singing about it. The Bishop, there- 

 fore, taking the host, carried it with the greatest honor into 

 the church ; whither many resorting were cured of innu- 

 merable diseases." 



