The eleventh Booke of 



thanliatd. This is the very fubftancc whereof iheyconfift, and nothing have they befides. iFor G 

 within there is nought^unlelFe it be in fome very few^who have a certain pipe or conduit in ftead 

 of a gut^and the fame wrapped and enfolded together. Whieli is the caufe,that if they be cut in 

 twame and pulled in peeces^yet they have a fpeciall propertie to live lpng,iind each part afunder 

 will pant and ftirre by itfelfe.Thereafonis,becaufethc vitall vertuein them (whatfoeveritis) is 

 not feated in any one member^this or that^buc fpread aad defufed throughout the whole bodie; 

 and ieaft apparcntin the headjof all other parts: for^thatalone^unlefle it be plucked away toge- 

 ther with the breaftjmooveth not one jot. Ndkindof creatures have more feet than thcle : and 

 the more they have.thc longer live they when they be divided afunder; as we fee by experience in 

 the Scolop€ndrcs.Eics they have^that is eertaincsand befides fight,they are not without the fen- 

 ces of feeling and taking : fonie%re be ^hichfmell^and afevy that have their hearing alfo, h 



Chap. v. 



^ OfBees, 



BVt among them all, Bees are principal!, and by good right defervc cfpeciall admiration, as 

 being the onely Infers ordained by Nature for mans ufe.Thcy gather honie^a raoft fweer, 

 plealant, fine, and wholefome liquor. They frame the honie combes^andworke the waxcj 

 which fetve for a thoufand turnes in this life. They endure paines continually ,and difpatch their 

 workeand bufineUe. They have a policic and Commonwealth among themfelves.They hold 

 theirfeverallcounfelsiand there is not a fwarme or caft that they have, without a king and cap- I 

 tainc of their own : and that which is moft admirable of all^thcre be civile falTiions and cuftomcs 

 among them. Moreover, being as they are^neither tame and gentle^ nor yet to be counted wild 

 and favage, yet(fce the wonderous worke of Nature!) by the means of fo little a creature, nay^a 

 ftaddow rather (to fay a truth) of the leaft creature, fhee hath cffeaed a thing incomparable. 

 What ttrength of finewes, what force and puiffancc is able to countervaile this fo great indu- 

 ftrie and cffcduall power of theirs ? What wit and policie of man is anfwerable to their difcreec 

 and orderly courfe ? Bcleeve mcjthey paffe them all, & in this one point furpalTe, That all things 

 are common among them,and nothing know they private and feverall. What fhould we debate 

 and make queftion any more as touching their breath ? Why fhould we difpute oi their bloud, 

 which cannot chufe but bee very little in fuch fmall bodies ? Let us rather confider hencc-forth K 

 their wit,and the gifts of their mind. 



Chap. vi. 



ii^ThemttirnllorderandregimentthiitiswBees, 



BEes all winter time keep clofe with in their hives. And good reafon : for how pofTibly iliould 

 they endure hard froft and chilling fnow? howihould they abide the peircingblaftsof the 

 North winds? And verily it is the manner of all thefc Inleds fotodoe,butyet theykecpc 

 not info long. For why ?bcingneiiled warme as they are within our houies, they fooner doe re- 

 cover their vigor,and come abroad betimes.But as concerning Beesjcither the times have chan- ^ 

 ged, and places altered their courfe, or els the writers beforetimc of this argument have greatly 

 erred. They begin to retire themfelves and take up their wintering harbor, prelently upon the 

 fetiing and occultation of the ftar're Vergiliae;and come not forth into the field againe,untill af- 

 ter the riling and apparition thereof. So that Bees goe not abroad at the very beginning of the 

 Spring,as writers have fetdownc, (for who feeth notthecontrariethroughoutallltalie) butre- 

 maineftill clofe and lecretjuntill that Beanes begin to blou me, before which time they fettle not 

 themfelves to any worke or labour.But from thence forward,they loofe not a dayjthey ilacke not 

 their painefuU travelljneither play they one jotjif the weather be faire and will permit. The firft 

 thing they doCjis to make their combes and waxe,that is to fay, their own habitations and ftore- 

 houles. When they are provided of lodgings they thinke upon the multiplying of their owne M 

 kind: and finally,they gather and make both honieand waxe : the fubftance whereof they fueke 

 from the flowers of trees and hearbes, from the gums alfo of trees which breed fuch gluey mat- 

 teij-and befidesjOutof the juice, gum, and rofin of the willow, elme, and cane. Withthefeand 

 fuch like^they plaifter all the hive witliin ihroughout,as it were with a coat or parget, ciitermin- 



