TBe eleventh Bookg of 



GifAPv. .Kin I* 



THejbeft honieis«ver there, where the beft0pwers are- jn tlic iig^Cefp^acIes whercof^it 11- 

 ctb.As we may fee in thecounfrcy about Athens^ whiehcarrieth thfcrr^a0iiefor.hopie: alfo 

 ; , in Skilic within thofe territories about Hyijiettus and Hybla : and Jjlftlyjiri the Ifland Ca- 

 lydiia. Now this honie, whereof we tt'eat, is at the firft cleaie.4ndtbin as w^teS j and for c^rcainfe 

 daies in the beginning , it workes and boiles hke to new winejand io purgoth iifeife* By the twen- 

 tieth day it getteth a certaine cpnfiftenceand thick fubflanej^j and foone after gathereth a thin 

 ci^eame or skin over it : whichm the very heat of working, ismifed of a (cum, and fo thickeneih. H 

 The beft fimply that Bees can fuckej and leaft inkdttd widi the corruption of tree braunches^ is 

 that which they get out of the leaves of Oke^Tilia p .Lindentree J and Canies* 



Ghap. XlIIl. . . 



HOnie(aswe€ faidbefore) is better or worfCjaccording to the region where it is gathered^ 

 and that in many reipeds. For in fbme place ye fhali have goodly combs ; howbeit^morc 

 commendable for waxe than the honie in them : as in the Pelignianscbuntreyjand Sici- 

 lie. In othersjand namely in Candle^ Cypres, and Affricke, the combes yeeld more honie than J 

 waxe. Some countries there be, efpeciaily in the North parts^ where the combes pallc for big- 

 rteffejinfomuchjas in Gcrmanie there hath been a hony- combe feenceightfoot long5and black 

 all within.But in what region foevcr it be that honie is foundjthtec kinds there be of u. Firft^the 

 Spring honie^made of flowers onely^likeas the combe alfo: and thereupon the Greekes call it 

 Anthinon,which is as much to fay as the Floure-honie. Some would not have this to be once 

 touchedjbut to ferve for n ourilliment of the young Bees/hat the fwarmes or cafts may be more 

 ftrong and luftie.Ochers againe leave for the Bees of nonclefTe than of it : by reafon of the great 

 pientie like to follow^at the rifing of thofe notable ftarres in the Summer enluing.Moreovcrjthc 

 combes axe in their principall beautie abour the Sunnefteadin Summetjwhcn daies be longed, 

 at wliat time as the Vine and Thyme do begin to floure. AIfo3in taking forth of the honycombs, K 

 necdfull it is to be well advifed in ordering the matter for the provifion of food for Bees. If they 

 becutfliortand defiituceof their meat^ they eitiicrde/paire and die for want, or clfc depart and 

 flie away.Contrariwifejifyou leave them too much,plentie breeds idlenefle^that they will not la- 

 bour : neither deigne they to feed ot Erithace, tlieir ordmarie food^but fall to the good honie. 

 They therefore that bee well experienced in thefe matters, thinke it good to leave them the 

 twelfth part of tills rtore and vintagCjif I may fo fayjwhich is gathered m the combes . And veri- 

 ly ^ic fcemeth that Nature hath ordained a certainc fct day for to begin this vintage^if men would 

 taice knowledge thercol, andmarkeit weii^ namcly,the thirtieth day,after the Bees fwarmcd and 

 went forth :and ufually itfalleth ouCj that this gathering commeth within the month of May. A 

 fecond kind of honie there is, which we call Summer honie,and is named alfoHor^eum, of that 

 principall (calonwherein it is madejnamelyjin the very middeil of dog daies, when the ftarSi- 

 rius is in his full ftrength: and that commonly is "thirtic daies after the Sunne-ikad. And I af- 

 ftire yoUjNature hath lliewed her admirable and excellent power to men ward in this behalfsjin 

 cafe their fraud and deceit would fuffer her workes in their entire and proper nature without cor- 

 ruption and fophiflication^which marreth alljand maketh noting butconfufion* For upon the 

 rifingand apparition of anyftarrejandefpecialiy of thofe that be more excellent than the reft; 

 or after that a rainebow is feene above the earth, aiid no fhowcrs of raincprefently follow, but a 

 drilling dew warmed with the raies and beames of the Sunne ; yec iliall have that which falleth, 

 not tobe bare honie, butaverymedicinablething,evenacoelei^iallgift,fingular good forcies 

 and ulcers.yea,and comfortable to the principall noble parts within the bodie. And if this hap- M 

 pen to be at the rifing of the dog ftarrcjand it chaunce withall, that upon thefamc day(as often- 

 times it falleth out) Fenus^ luftter^ or OUer curie be Oriental], then fiiall yee have fo heavenly a 

 fwect liquor, that no one thing in the world maybee comparable to it for the curing of all our 

 maladies^ and even to reduce and recover us backefrom death to life-like unto that coekfliall 

 • ' and 



