The eleventh Booke of 



called TheevcSibecaufe they come ftealing and cat up their hony.Certein it is^that thefe drones G 

 be killed by the other Bees ; and furelyjking of their oWne they haVenone. But how they fliotild 

 be naturally without a fting, there is fome queftion^ and the fame as yet not determined. This is 

 wellknowujthatin amoiftandrainielpringjBees multiply better :but if it be drie weatherjihere 

 wiilbemoreencreafeof honey. Now if it happen, that the meat in one hive be fpent, the Bees 

 belongi;3g thereto will aflaile their next neigbours, with intent to rob and fpoile them of their 

 proviubn. But they on thecontrarie fidCjputthcmfclves in battaile aray^with full purpolc to re- 

 ceive them againc. And if there chance to be a keeper by^to fee the combat, that one part which 

 pcrccivcth him to favor their fidejwill not once make at him for to fting him. Other caufes there 

 arc befidcs, which make them often go togither by the cars: and then {hall ychave two fevcrall 

 captains to arraunge their battailons one againft another. But moft ofall they brawlc and jarrc H 

 uponoccafionof gathering and carrying Sowers, whiles they call each one to hisownc com* 

 panie,for to come forth and take part. But all this great fray is foone parted and difpatched, ei- 

 ther by cafting up fome duft among them,or by making a little fmoke and perfume under them. 

 And reconciled foon they be againc, with fetting before them a meflc of milkc,or honied- water. 



Chap, xviii. 



^ of the fmdrie forts of Bees in generdl : And what things be contr4rte 

 and hurt/fill unto them* 



THerc isakindof rufticalland wild Bee; and fuch aremorc roughand hideous to (ee to: I 

 much angrier alio and curft than the reft rhowbeit, more laborious and painfull by farrc. 

 Of domefticall and tame houfc-Bees, there are two forts. The beft be thofe that are ("hort, 

 well truft up and round, and withall,paintedwith(undnecolours,ThcIong ones be the worfe, 

 and fuch asrefcmblcwafpesrand yet the worftof all others, bee thofe that are hairie all over. 

 Within the kingdomcof Pontus there bee white Bees, and thofemake honey twice ineveric 

 moneth. Moreover, along the river Thermodoon^ there be two forts more. The one, gathercth 

 hony in trees: others,within the ground,3nd bring great encreafe thereof: for they frame their 

 eombs with a threefold courfe and rasike. The fling that Nature hath given unto Bees, fticketh 

 within their bellies. Some arc of opinion, that with the firfl prick they give with ic,ihcy die pre- 

 fently. Others hold, that they die not wiihall, unlcfTe they thruft it forth (b fiar^that fbuie of the K 

 gut f olloweth after : mary howfoever it be, they become afterwards no better than drones : nei- 

 ther gather they any more honcyj3s if they were guclded of theirvigorandftrcngthsfoasthey 

 ceafc to doe good and harme both at once. We find it written in Chronicles, that horfes have 

 been ftung to death bythcm.Fikhie ftinking favours they cannot abide, and namely^ fuch as 

 be contagious ^and from them will they flie farre enough.Nay morcthan that,fure they will be 

 to haunt and fling them that fmell as they goe ot fwect pomanders and odoriferous ointments, 

 notwithflanding they be otherwife themfelvcs fubjed to the injuries of mofl living creatures. 

 For firft and foremoft, they arc molcfted and aflailed bythofeof their owne mature, but yet de- 

 generate and of baftard brccdjto wit, Wafpes and Hornets :aIfo by a kind of Gnats called Mu- 

 liones . Swallowes, Martins, and fome other birds, makefoule work among them,and are their ^ 

 mor tall enemies. The Frogs lie in wait for them as they come to drinke : which is the principall 

 worke they have to doe, when they be about to multiply and breed young. And not thofc Frogs 

 onely which keepe in ftanding pooles and running rivers, but thofe land- Frogs of a Todes kind 

 will come of their owne accord from out of the bramblesand briers where they kcepc, and leap 

 up to the very dore and entrance of the hivej where they will blow and breath in unto them: and 

 wlien the Bees come flying forth thither, to fee what the matter is, foone are they fnapt up and 

 devoured. And as for FrogSjall the fort of them are fuppofed not to feele the prick of their fling, 

 Shcepe alfo are no friends of theirs : for if they get once entangled within their wooll,hardly can 

 they get out again. Secth but Crabfifhcsncer unto their hives, the very aire & fmell therof will 

 kill them. Over and befidcSjBees naturally are many times fick and that do they fhew moft evi- M 

 dcntly : a man fhallfee it in them by their hcavie looksjand by their unluftines to their bufinefTei 

 ye fhall markc how fome will bring forth others tliat be ficke and difeafed, into the warme funnc, 

 and be readie to minifter unto them and give them meat. Nay, ye fhall have them to caric forth 

 theit dcad,and to accompanie the corps full decently , as in a folemnc funcrall. If it chauncc that 



the 



