The eleventh Booke df 



Chap, x« 

 }^ The order that fhej keepe in thir mrkfi 



THc manner of their bufinefle is this. All the day time they havea ftanding watch and ward 

 attheirgatcSjmuchhketoihef(?r/'^^^^«dr^inacampe. In the night they reft untill the 

 rnorning : by which timCj one of them awaketh and raifeth all the reft with two or three 

 bigge hums or buzzes thatitgivethjtowamethem asit were with lotind of trumpet . At which 

 fignall given, the whole troupe prepareth to flie forth, if it beafaireandcalmedayioward:for 

 they docbbthforefeeandalfo ibreiTicw when it will be either vsindie or rainie, and then will 

 they keepe within their ftrength and fort. Now when the weather is temperate (which they fore- j| 

 know well enough) and that the whole armie is on foot and marched abroad,, fome gather togi- 

 thcr the vertuc of the flowers within their feet and legs : others fill their gorge with water, and 

 charge the downc of their whole bodie with drops of fuch liquor.Thc younger fort of them go 

 forthto workc^and carrie fuch ftutfe as is before-named, whiles the elder labour and build with- 

 in the hive. Such as carrie the flowres abovefaidjftuffc the inner parts of their legs behind (and 

 thole Nature for that purpofc hath made rough) with the helpe of their forefeet ; and thofe again 

 are charged full by the mcanes of their muffle. Thus being full laden with their provifion,thcy 

 retutnc home to the hivc,drawne even togither round as it were in a heapc, with their burden : 

 by which time,there be three or foure rcadie to receive them,and thofe eafc and difcharge them 

 of tlieir lode.Forthis you muft thinke, that they have their fcverall offices within. Some are bu- ; 

 fie in building, others in plaiftering and overcafting, to make all fmooth and fine : fome be at I 

 handtofervethe woikemen with ftuffe chat they need pothers are occupied in getting readie 

 meat and vidualsout of that provifion which isbroughtin :fortheyfeednotby thcmfelves, 

 but take their rcpaft togither, becaufcthey fhould both labour and eat alike, and at the lam.e 

 houre. As touching the manner of their building, they begin firft above to make arch-workc 

 embowcd, in their combsj and draw the frame of their worke downward ; where they make two 

 little allies for every arch or vault, the one to enter in by, the other to go forth at. The combs that 

 are fattened togither in the upper part,yea and on the rides,are united a little, and hang all toge- 

 ther. They touch not the hive at all,nor joine to it. Sometime they are built round jOiherwhiies 

 winding bias,according to the proportion of the hive. A man fhall find in one hive honycombs 

 fomtime of two forts : namely,when two fwarmes of Bees accord togither : and yet ech one have ^ * 

 their rites and failiionsbythemlelves.Forfcare leafttheic combs of waxefhonldbe readie to 

 fall, they uphold them with partition wals,arched hollow from the bottome upward,to the end 

 that they might havepaflage every way to repaire them. The formoft rankes of their combs in 

 theforefrontjcommonly arc built void and with nothing in them, becaufe they lliould give no 

 occafion forathcefeto enter upon their labours. Thofe in the backc part of the hive, are ever 

 fulleft of honie : and therefore when men would takeout any combes, they rurne up the hives 

 behind. Bees that are empioied in carrying of honie, chufe alwaies to have the wind with them, 

 if they can. If haply there doc arife a tempeft or a ftorme whiles they bee abroad, they catch up 

 fome Uttle ftonie greet to ballaife and poife themfelvcs againft the wind. Some fay,ihat they £ 

 take it and lay it upon theii fhoulders. And withall, they flie low by the ground under the wind 

 when it is againft them, and keepe along the buflies, tobreakeihe force thereof. A wonder it 

 is to fee and obferve the manner of their worke. They markc and note the flow-backs, they cha- 

 fticethemanonc, yca,andafterwardspunifh them with death. No lefle wonderfiill alfoitisto 

 confider how neat and cleanc they bee. All filth and trumperie they remove out of the way : no , 

 foule thing, no ordure lieth in the hive to hinder their bufinefle. As for the doung and excre- 

 ments of fuch as are working within, they be laid all on a heape in fomeby corner, becaufe they 

 fhould not gocfarre from their worke; and in foule weather (when otherwife they have nought 

 to doc^ they turne it forth . Toward evening, their noife beginneth to flacke and grow lefTc and 

 Icflc: untill fuch time as one of them flieth about with the fame lewd humming, wherewith ^ 

 (hce waked them in the morning, and thereby giveth a fignall (as it were) and co#maundc- 

 mcntfor to goc to reft : much after the order in a carcpe. And then of a fuddaine they are all 

 bufhcandfiient^ . 



Chap. 



