The Bee Hive of the Romish Church, Part – Conclusion 2
Now followeth further the exposition & declaration of the Bee hiue, and the description of the Bees, the Honie and Honicombe, with all things belonging therevnto.
The first Chapter. VVhereof the Bee hiue is made.
THE Bee hiue then, wherein our Bees dwel, swarme, & make their honie, is made with tough and strong wicker, or oziers of Louen & Paris, plaighted and wrought together. They commonlie call them at Louen, Sophismata, or Quotlibeta, and are founde for the most part by the Basketmakers of the Romish Church: namelie, by Iohannes Scotus, Thomas de Aquino, Albertus Magnus, and other such like, which hauehave bene verie expert and c…ning in this arte. These roddes thus wouen or plighted together must for the more securitie be bounde also with grosse Iewish or Thalmodician cables, and then ouer that drawe a clammi… or cleauing morter plaster, made of olde rubbish or chaskie dust (wherewithall the auncient old decaied Councels were wont to bee morteied and dawbed) beeing good and small beaten to poulder, and wrought verie thinne, with a litle chopt straw, which the Apothecaries call, Palea Decretorum, we…ing and often moystening the same with scomme of the auncient Doctors: and also mingled among the same some newe chalke of Trent, and so wrought together with sande, whiche is digged out of the decayed welles of mens superstitions: or of that olde sande which the Heretikes were wont to binde their argumentes withall. Here vnderunder you may also mingle some Iewes lime, or Bitumen, which is a verie tough and cleauing substance, wherewithall the citie and Towre of Babylon was wont to be bound and it is drawen out of the poole and dead sinke of Sodom and Gomorre: For herewithall thou shalt make such an excellent morter, that neither the heate of the Sunne, nor showres of raine, will bee of force to moisten it, or make it to splitte. The maisters of this Bee hiue, who louelove to hauehave it somewhat garishe to the eye, vse besides all the rest to make snowe white Gypsus, or a kinde of playster of white biblish Marble stone very finely grounde in a Louauist or Parisian mill, beeing wrought with excellent stronge durtie decrees, and so stroke ouer with a whiting brushe or pincell, and then painted with all manner of gallant pictures and braue images: for that makes a gaie shewe, and causeth the Bees the rather to enter into it.
The ii. Chapter. Declaring the first originall of these Bees.
COncerning the first original of Bees, are sundrie opinions amongest the learned. Some amongst the Poetes, as Higinius, and others saye, that there was a woman,Melissa. named Melissa, whome Iupiter did transforme into a Bee. And it seemeth partely, that our bees be of a feminate disposition. The other, as Euhemerus saith, that they are proceeded of hornettes and horseflies, which did norishe and feede Iupiter, being in a caue, in the lande of Creta, and that he (for that cause) did endue them with honnie. Which fable therein doeth agree with the trueth, forsomuch as the idol Iupiter, and all other idols are nourished and mainteined with the hony of our bees, and by them brought acquainted in the worlde. Some suppose, they were firste founde in Thessalia, whiche is a verie fertile soile of all manner poisones, and sorcerers necessaries: the other say, in an Is…and named Quea: other some, vppon a mounteine Himettus. In sūme, what so euer it be, thus much is of it, that our Bees are exceeding olde: for Moses mentioneth, that in Aegypt were suche a sorte of Bees,Psal. 118.12. Esaie. 7.18. Dauid declareth also of a swarme of such Bees, which hadde enuironed him aboute. And Esaie speaketh of the Bees in in Assyria and Chaldea. Yet notwithstanding our Bees do somwhat differ from those. For these were firste bredde at Rome, in the dayes of Numa Pompilius, and continued many hundred yeares after, and are maruellous…ie increased: yet after that, the firste kinde beeing all most worne out, they are growen to an other kinde, in the dayes of Phocas the Emperour of Rome. But wee will permitte this to the iudgements of Historiographers, and prosecute our matter.
The iii. Chapter. Of the qualitie and sundrie sorts of Bees.
Those Bees Ergo, are of sundrie qualities, but are in a manner all brought into two sortes or species,Natural. hist. lib. 11. Cap. 18. Domesticall Bees. according to the description of Plinie. For the one are domesticall or house Bees, and bee conuersant among people. The other are strange and odde, terrible to see to, more teaslie or angrie, and with a sharper sting, but withall more diligent in their Beehiue. And albeit they are conuersant also amongest people, and frankly bestowe their honie, yet bee they more solitarie and straunger than the other, and therefore are called with the Greeke worde Monachi, that is to say, dwelling solitarie or by them selues and are knowen from other, by a hoode which they weare on their heads. Wee will tearme the first tame Bees: and these wilde Bees.Tame Bees. Wilde Bees.
Furthermore, they are both diuided into foure manner of sortes or kindes,4. sorts of Bees after the description of Aristotle and Columella. Of which, the verie best are thicke and round: they make the most honie,Thicke and sanguine coloured. & keepe companie next to their king, amongest which the most excellent are of a sanguine colour, as though they had redde scarlet winges. These tend the king, & are commonlie by his side, being of both kindes, wilde and tame: the other are of manifolde and sundrie sortes, with more varietie: but howe much the neerer they approche to the king, so much the thicker & rounder they commonlie growe.
The second kinde or sort resemble and are like to Waspes, Horseflies, and Hornets:Like waspes. they make not so much honie as the first, because they come not of so good a kinde. Notwithstanding, they labour earnestlie, and bring also much honie into the Hiue. They are in a manner of the condition and nature of Horseflies & Hornets, sauing that they louelove not so well to flie and seize on horses and kine, as they doe on sheepe. Wherin they digresse cleane from the nature of the ordinarie Honiebees, which do carefullie shunne the sheepe, for feare, lest they should intangle them selues, and sticke in their fleeces. But these hauehave a good remedie for that, for they first bite away their wooll after that their skinne, & lastely do sucke their bloude, to which they are wonderfullie addicted: and therefore (of many) are called bitesheepe, or for breuities sake, Bishoppes. There are also amongst these, which are as profitable in the Beehiue, as any other, by reason of their fearcenesse, for they hauehave verie fearce and murthering stinges, insomuch as those being stoung by them, canne hardely escape death. For the wound can not bee remedied with any thing, but with golden salue: they are of the generation of Wasps, which Aristotle and Plinie do name in Greeke Ichneumones, which may bee interpreted Inquisitors, or after the Latine phrase Inquisitores, and after the saying of Plinie are so called, because with greate industrie and diligence, they know to seeke and catch the flies, and bite off their heades, permitting them to liue of that which remaines: howebeit, these our Ichneumones do moste couet the woll and bloud of sheepe, and are maruellous bloudethirstie. They are like wise of both kindes, some tame, some wilde: But the wilde are alwaies more fearce and deadly. They are bredde or ingendred, after the same order, which Aristotle doeth declare of his Ichneumones: namely, they take verie venimous spiders, named Phalangiae, (which are found plētifullie in Spaine at the olde Inquisitors walles and postes) and carrie those to their holes: and after they hauehave greased them a good with filthe and durte (wherevnto ours vse commonly Popes grease) then do they set or broode ouer them, and after that sorte increase their kinde.
The thirde sorte is by Arlem named Pheres, Pheres.which signifies as much as theues and rouers, because they are of an exceeding theeuish disposition, and hauehave a great large and broade belly commonly blacke to see to. These deuoure greate store of honnie, and louelove exceedingly well the smacke of Prebends and fatte beneficed honie, whiche the Bee Apothecaries do tearme in Latine Veneficia: And therefore are called Veneficiati, or veneficed. They are for the most parte tame, yet there are founde not a fewe, which are of the wilde and straunge disposition. And they are separated amongest themselues, each ouer a seuerall office & charge, according as the king hath appointed them. For some hauehave nothing else to doe, but with an irksome buzing by day and night do swarme in their hiue. But they knowe their rule, how and when they shall swarme, and are for that cause called Regulares, or by a Greeke worde Canonici. Some are appointed eache ouer his honicombe apart, which they call Parishes, by reason whereof they are called Parishe Priests. The other are as Presidents in the conuocation house, & hauehave eache about ten Bees vnderunder their iurisdiction, whereof they are called in Greeke Decani: which in our tongue doth signifie the tenth men, or Capteines ouer ten.
Touching the wilde sorte of Bees, some are called fathers, or wt a Chaldean word Abbas, because they beare rule ouer the other Bees, like a father ouer his children. Some keepers, or after the Italian and French phrase, Gardians. Some are called the first, or in Latine Priores. Some Controllers, or in Latine Prouinciales: eache after his state and calling, & according to the rule and dominion which he beareth ouer the other common Bees, which common Bees make the fourth and last heape or kinde of Bees, according to Aristotles declaration, and are named in Greeke Cephenes, and in Latine Fungi, that is after our language, Buzzardes or Drones. These are the most vnprofitable Bees, and yet the most in number: they hauehave no sting, and will not worke, but liue on the labour of the other, and chieflie the wilde Bees, amongst the which some flie swarming from doore to doore, to finde out baightes to fill their bagges: and therefore are called Mendicantes, that is to say, Beggers, or begging bees: because they are of the begging order of Bees. But the tame Drones do not flie so from house to house, but tarrie in their Bee hiue, & there get their commons with swarming, without labouring, or doing anie good. For when they would doe anie good, then doe they commonlie misse, and are also for that cause called Missebees, or Massebees.
And these are the foure chiefest sortes & kindes of our Bees, agreeing verie fitlie with the descriptions of Aristotle & Plinie. For touching certein wormes (wherof they mention) the which do growe in the Bee hiue, & are termed by them with a Greek woord named Cleros▪ and hath no other name in Latine then Clerus, that is no seuerall or speciall sorte of Bees, but is a general name of all the Bees, when they first come forth: like as Plinie in the 16. chap. of the 11. booke hath written. For he saith, that whensoeuer the Bees come not to perfection, but remaine still wormes, then are they called Clerus, which falles out in like order with our Bees: for amongest them are none called Clerici, but those whiche beginne to fledge, and hauehave a white spot on their heads, which seemes to bee a white worme, as Plinie saieth. And if so be it, they remaine still in that state, without cō ming to further order or degree of Bees▪ then are they esteemed and accounted as of an vnperfect creation, and hauehave no other name but Clerici, and the white spot which they beare on their heads, Tonsura Clericalis.
The iiii. Chapter. Of the nature of Bees: of their ingendring, and procreation.
FVrther, concerning the nature of these Bees, there is a difference betwixt male and female, especiallie amongest the wilde. And they louelove to go together, yet do they not ingender the one of the other, but be most altogether ingendred & made of their king, like as Aristotle and Plinie doe plainlie shewe: for without this king, they can not bring foorth their like, notwithstanding they can brood vp these foresaid wormes, named Clerus, after they hauehave bene first ingendred by the king: if Plinie be credible, in the sixteenth Chapter of the forenamed booke of his Historie.
The V. Chapter. VVhat the rule and beeing of these Bees are, touching their King.
IN their rule they resemble the common sorte of Honie bees, for they hauehave all one king: yea can not abide without a king, whom they call Papa, as if one should say,Papa pate… Apum. Pater Apum, that is to say, The father of Bees, whereof it commeth, that we call al these Bees in the Dutch tongue Papen, & with vsus, Papisticall Priestes. For the Bees are called in Latine Apes.
This king hath a sting in like maner, but he doeth not occupie him selfe abroad, because al other Bees are prest to do him seruice, in whatsoeuer it pleaseth him to commaund. And like as this king of Honiebees hath a spot on his head: so likewise doeth he carrie a token or marke on his head, like a triple crowne: howbeit, all the other Bees (as hath bene said) do beare in like maner a round white spot in the middle of their heades, in manner of a crownet. They flie all at once about this king, and shewe themselues verie meeke and obedient towards him. Hee goeth seldome abroad, but when he doeth determine to go forth any whither, it may be perceiued lōg before, by the swarming and humming of the forerunners. For whensoeuer he goeth out, the whole swarme followeth round about him, and oftentimes they carrie him on their shoulders, like as the honie Bees doe carrie their king.
He hath likewise certeine loiterers by him, and Seruitours which garde him, and some other of the verie best, which bee of a ruddie or sanguine colour, & remaine alwayes next to his side, and are for that cause named Laterales, or a Latere. In summe, each one would faine be next: for that is reputed for great honour: where he settles, there is the host of the whole swarme and staple of the honnie and honnie combe: and such as dwell many hundreth miles thence, bend notwithstanding their flght thitherwards: who so euer hath him to friend, shall in like manner finde friendshippe of all the whole swarme: when they lose him, then is all their porridge spilte, and sporte at an end: For they creepe pensiuelie to their selles and closets, and there buzze or swarme so longe and so much, till they hauehave gotten an other. And if by mishappe it chaunceth, that there bee twoe or three kings, (like as hath often hath bin seene,) then falles out great schismes and troubles among them, and they bee at mortall warres together: yea, cease not, till the one or the other bee dispatcht & made away: like as Virgil hath finely set forth.
The Vi. Chapter. Of their Burialles.
THey obserue their burialles verie carefullie, like as also the common honnie bees do, and make a great hūming, whensoeuer they carrie anie of the Bees forth. With the sound of hallowed beiles & pannes, they are greatlie to be comforted: for with such tinging they are well holpe vp & amended, and then they gather toge-in their bee hiue wt a great buzzing. But especiallie they are to be cōforted whē they are pēsiue & ill at ease,Argentina and Nummularia are phrases alluded to coyne or gold & siluer. with a burnt incense of good herbes, to wit, Argentina & Nummularia: for that sente they louelove a life, according to Virgils writing, who saith, The cōmon honiebees are well pleased wt burnt incense of Casia, Thymus, & other sweete smelling hearbes. They obserue their Vigiles like to other Bees: for there are some which rise in the night with a great humming, & swarme the one to the other, like as if they were singing Mattines or De profundis.
The vii. Ch…pter. How these Bees worke, and how they be mainteined.
THese Bees in their labour resemble much the common sort of honiebees, for they cease also from worke in the winter time, & when it is foule weather. They intend not to labor, onles first the Beanes do bud, and hauing once begun, they cease not so long as faire weather continueth, iust as Plinie doth write of the other bees. But herein they differ from the other, in that they cannot make anie freshe or newe honiecombes: but it must be made to their handes, by certeine other Apothecaries, which are skilfull in the same, & make the honiecombe after this sorte: They take two or three vnces of honiedeawe, whiche falleth from heauen vponupon the Prophetical and Apostolicall beanes, & is commonlie called, Manna coeleste, or Drosomeli. It was wont to be found plentifullie in Calabria, but nowe it is also in Germanie, England, and Fraunce: yea also verie rife in the Base countries. But this may they not by name put rawe in the hiue: for it would cause the Bees to hauehave a laske, and would all die of it. Therefore do they hate this excedinglie: insomuch that where they are conuersant, this heauenlie deawe is scarse and harde to bee founde. Therefore the Apothecaries must first temper this honnie deawe in this order: They let it be molten first by a whote fire of Sophisticall seacoales, and after that they doe let it seethe more than the one halfe away, in a thicke and troubled muddie water, which they hauehave drawen out of the Tiber at Rome,Tiber, Sene, and Dilie, are riuers so called the Sene at Paris, or the Dilie at Louen: and beeing thus sodden, do still it in a clocke bell, or Doctors hood, so long and sufficient, till the naturall substance is cleane gonne, and that the Quinta essentia by them bee drawen from it.
This Quinta essentia, they mingle with a plaster cake, which they make thus: Recipe halfe a pounde of blewe counsell, which let soke three dayes & three nightes in strong Romney or Bastard: or if you can not get Romney nor Bastard, then take of the best Vinum Theologicum, which is to bee got, or of that wine whiche the whore of Babylon was woont to giuegive kings and Princes to drinke. These councels thus soakte, and the stalkes and carnels pickt cleane away, you shall bruse or beate verie small in a Parisian morter, and ofter moysten them with strong Romishe durtie decres, straining it through a Spanish cloute, or an Inquisition bowlter, and mixt with a little driuell of the olde Teachers, and sturde together, you shall with waxe, wherewith the Bulles of Rome bee seald (so much as need requires) make it in a Plaister cake: which Plaister cake is by the Apothecaries, named Pastillus, or Bolus fidei Romanae, and this cake a little besprinkeld and powred ouer with the forenamed Quinta essentia confected of the honnidewe, you shall set in the Beehiue. For this is the honnicombe, and the foundation wheron the Bees labour. If so bee it, you can not make the same, you shall finde it to bee soulde at Trent, for there hauehave these bees Apothecaries for the space of two or three yeares ben gathered a long time together, to make so much of this hō ni combe, that it may suffice all the Bees in Europa, and is sould very good chepe. You may cause it to bee brought thence by the Pardoners, which commonly driue their Mules amongest the mountaines in Italie.
The viii. Chapter. VVhichWhich sheweth on what flowers and herbes these Bees labour and gather honnie.
THese Bees do labour almost on all sortes of flowers and hearbes: but Plinie saieth that they cannot worke of one herbe, which is called in Latine Rumex, & in dutche Patience, which with vsus is Patience, nether yet of an other, which he calleth Chenopodium, and with the Germaines, is called Swines death. To these two herbes, our Bees in like case hauehave no lust or desire: but aboue all, they hate twoo other hearbes, of which the one is called amongst the Apothecaries, Gratia Dei, or the MercieMercy of God: the other, Palma Christi. For whosoeuer dare presume to set these herbes by their hiue, they would all at once set vppon him, and kill him with their stinges. Therefore if any will keepe this Bee hiue, he must fence his gardē frō such hearbes: but he shal sowe and set these hearbes following, wherein they hauehave a singular delight, as namelie, Broade way, Cokoe flowres, Assecucombers, or wilde Cucombers, Dogges tongue, & Dogges ribbe, Calues snow…, Cats tayle, Wolues clawe, Goose grasse, Goats beard, Buckbeanes, Hogges grasse, Toades f…owres, Lybards clawes, Madde hearbe, Toggeworth, Pennie male and female, or Man and wife. And next to the Bee hiue, hee shall set Popes hearbe, Popes wodde, Dragons bloud, Seuen tyded hearbe, Monkes hoods, Foolish mathes, Romish morsels, or Diuels bit, Romish royles or rigges, (as it please you to tearme them) Wolues berries, Belflowres, and Caunterburie tales. Also a litle further from the Bee hiue, whither commonlie they go to solace thē selues, shalbe Virgins markes, Maiden haire, Capillus Veneris: For therewithall they are wonderfullie pleased. Also, Pothearbe, and Cuppeberries: for these they oftentimes like better then Seuentyded hearbe or Popes hearbes, which groweth next their hiue. And if it fall out, that you hauehave the commoditie of a running water by it, or a faire ditche, that wilbe patte and fit their turnes maruelous well. And you shall set in it, the hearbes called Vmbelicus Veneris, and Restum Merionis, which in the Germane tongue is called Narren Kolben: and shalt not forget to hauehave neare about the Bee hiue, some beanes growing with their flowres. And further, if thou canst so bring it to passe, thou shalt place a Mill not farre from the same: for they flie willing about the Milles, because they resemble them in lightnesse and vnstabilitie.
The ix. Chapter. Declaring the diseases of these Bees, and the remedies to the same.
THese Bees in like manner are not without diseases, like vntounto other common Honie bees, and are especiallie troubled with the laske of the purse, and with the monie dropsie: and then are they quite out of heart: therefore must their Hiue bee often perfumed and smoakt with the forenamed herbes, to witte, with Argentina Nummularia, Goldemaries, or Mariegoldes, golde flower, and other such like. The Apothecaries knowe also to make a syrrope, which is verie good against all their diseases, which is this: Recipe, A handfull of rootes of Seuen tide herbe, of Rattleflowers, Coggeworth, and Peniemale, and beate them with Diuels milke, and sprinkle or mingle the same with the Quinta essentia of foolishe mathes. And further, a bole of fine white wheat meale, with dogges greace made trimme and round, and that sodde together with crosse thornes, and crosse herbe, and with nine leaues of Alleluya, and that being done, steepe it, and let it soake in Vine syrrope, and then hallowed with fiue fingred herbe: put to the same so much honie, vntil it wax a thicke syrrope. This syrrope is called of the Bee Apothecaries, Syrrupus Missaticus, which is verie good and costlie to bee laid in the Bee hiue. For if the Bees eate of the same in the morning fasting, they shal not die the same day, vntil their breath be gone from them. And if so be they happen to die, then shal they immediatlie passe to the Bee heauen. It might also by great mishappe fall out, that the whole generation of Bees might perish, like as in some Countries hath bene seene, as England and Scotland: for the auoyding of whiche inconuenience, Virgil giueth you good counsell, whom in anie case followe. Prouided alwayes, that you, in steade of a Calfe, may also take a Hogge or an Asse, and stoppe his mouth or nostrelles, like as Virgil doth write: howbeit, you neede not to kill him, but onlie strawe certen herbes vnderunder him of the most principal, which we hauehave named in the Bee hiue, to wit, Popes herbes, and Seuentide herbe, and let him lie a while on these foresaid hearbes, in hogges dongue, you shall perceiue a wonder: for of this Asse or this Hog will rise a swarme of Bees. And thus dooing, you may mainteine the kinde.
The x. Chapter. Of the waxe and honnie of these Bees.
THe waxe which these Bees make, is called Bull waxe, being of great estimation and solde verie deare: yea, a great deale dearer, then his weight in golde: but it is exceeding forcible, for who so hath of this waxe, doubtles hath great preheminence: for in Lent he may eate fleshe without let or daunger of lawe, he may marrie and lie with whom he will: yea, although she weee his owne sister, without beeing reputed an Heretike for dooing the same. He is also defended from Purgatorie, as one which eateth mustard is free from the daunger of thunder. For it is said, That if anie with this waxe, did come before Lucifers gate, he should bee forced to deliuer three or foure soules out of Purgatorie, spite of his teeth: yet wel vnderstood▪ so far forth the wax do not melt through the heat of the fire: for there must stand vponupon it, the perfect seale impressed with a ring called Annulus piscatoris. Concerning the honnie, there are some coūtries in which no other is vsed then of these bees, & whereas it is greatly esteemed, to witte, aboue all, in Spaine. It was wont also to be much vsed in Germanie & Frāce, but is growen now out of request, & with many nothing regarded, like as it is also fallen out in the base countries: but the Spaniards hauehave of late brought whole ship lodings out of Spaine, whereby it is become more vsuall againe: yet by experience it is found, to be vnnaturall and vnholesome, yea verie hurtfull and poysonable to be eaten. For it is of the same operation,In the 21. boke of the natural historie, in the 13. Chap. which Plinie doeth mention, speaking of the poysonable honnie, and declaring that the same may bee knowne, by that it is not fast nor thicke, but of a ruddie colour and straunge sent, whiche strikes soone into the head, and prouoketh neesing: such as hauehave eaten it, do cast them selues downe to the grounde, and seeke to coole them selues, &c.
This is the description wherewithall the nature and operation of our bees honnie, doeth fittely agree. For it is in like manner bloudie coloured, and waxeth neuer thike nor faste, but remayneth still nature and operation of our Bees honnie, doeth fittlie agree. For it is in like manner bloudie coloured, and waxeth neuer thicke nor fast, but remaineth still vnstedfastlie floting. It hath also a maruellous strange sent, for it sauors very stronglie after the honnie combe, which is chefelie made of stinking Romishe Decrees and decretals, and perboild or sodden with foule stinking water. It strikes in like manner quicklie into the head, and prouokes not only neesing, but also beereaues one of his senses and vnderstanding. It is also exceeding heauie in weight, and burdensome, and therefore such as vse it, hauehave for the most parte a heauie stomach, as though a mill stone lay on their heart. It incenseth all the limmes and partes of the bodie with heate, and makes one as it were puft vp, and further makes one cholericke and angrie: yet remaine they still creeping and cralling on the ground, very loathe to looke vp towards heauen. They seeke still to coole them selues, and runne like madde men from one place to an other, and fling them selues vponupon their knees, before woodden stockes & stones▪ or brasen images, to finde some refreshing. But howe much more they trouble them selues herein, so much the more sicke and diseased they become both in heade and stomache. They raue sore, and are verie greedie after the foresaide syroppe, calle Syrupus Missaticus: but the more they vse of it, the more they swel with self-holines, so that they are like to burst: somtimes they wax faint hearted, & loose their courage, their eyes are darkened, their eares stopt vp, all their partes numme and astonied: and yet they are persuaded to be most strong and lustie, & to hauehave their senses at libertie, to vse their limmes, feeling, and vnderstanding. Wee finde some, which hauehave euen the like accidents or Symptomata, as though they were bitten of a madde dogge, hauing their bodies wholie bloudie and sanguine coloured. They are lothsome, and shunne the light: they hauehave an euerlasting payne, like a gnawing worme at their heart: they foame at the mouth: yea, they barke and blowe, and also bite those whome they meete, although it bee their owne father and mother, sister or brother, those onelie excepted, whiche are troubled with the same disease: for to such they doe no hurte or dammage. Some of them runne a pilgrimage to Saint Heughe, or Saint Gole, or in like case to our Ladie at Halle: yea, they sticke not to runne to Italie, to our Ladie of Loretta, or to Spaigne to Montserrato, and to Compostille, and to Hierusalem, and to other places more, hoping to saide some refreshing of the Saintes, but all will not helpe them.
The xi. Chapter. VVhichWhich …heweth a remedie for all those, which are diseased with the honnie of these Bees.
THe onelyonly remedie is, to make them caste all, whatsoeuer they hauehave receiued and taken in (but that will they hardly doe:) And after that▪ shall be ministred vntounto them eueryevery morning a Syroppe of the heauenly honnie deawe, whereof wee hauehave spoken before, wholy rawe and vnsedde. And after they hauehave vsed this a while, and that there boddie is well prepared and cleansed with the same, Then shall they receiue a drink of the sapp of Gratia Dei, And of Palma Christi: And so (with Gods helpe) shall, by that meane come, to good health and perfection.
The xii. Chapter. Declaring howe it is to bee taken, that which Aristotle writes, that the Bees dye, whensoeuer they are anointed with Oyle.
TOuching the rest of that which might be said of the nature and propertie of Bees, I referre you to Aristotle, to Plinie or to Collumella. For our Bees doe in a manner agree wholie with theirs. OnelyOnly you are to note, that where as Aristotle & Plinie doe write of the other common honny Bees, that they dye, whensoeuer they are anointed wt oyle, that is to bee vnderstood, of a speciall kinde of oyle or grease, which is called holy or hallowed oyle. For when our Bees are anointed with the same, then are they queasie, and without doubt, do seldome recouer or rise againe: but touching the other oyle, they hauehave a singuler ioy in it: for they can not worke aright, or as they should do in the Beehiue, vnles they bee first greased with oyle. And whensoeuer you will raise the generation of an Asse, Calfe, or Hogge (as was saide a little before,) then must you grease the same a good with oyle, or else it will take no effect. There is also made a certeine confect of Oyle, Salte, White Virgins waxe and spittle, wherewithall their heads bee smeared, before they come or are bredde to anie full perfection. And if they will not yet cotton, then are they greased againe with oyle: for therewithall are they formed and brought to a fashion, and when they come to be full growen Bees, then must they the thirde time bee salued againe with oyle, and therewithall they come to a full naturall and most perfect kinde.
The locke of this Booke.
HErein I thought good to instruct thee, good reader, to the end thou mightest discerne the nature and propertie of these Bees, from the other common honnie Bees: and not to thinke, that in all respectes they agree, but differ in many. But whosoeuer hath any vnderstanding, will perfectly perceiue it of him selfe. Therefore will wee not trouble thee any longer, but make an end of this our Bee hiue: Each reade & consider, & specially ponder all the witnesses and allegations which are alledged herein, as well out of the Scripture, as other Bookes, I trust he shall reape commoditie by it. God the Lorde lighten all our hearts with his holy spirit, and keepe vsus from all errours, through his euerlasting trueth, wisdome, and Sonne Iesus Christ, to whom belongeth all praise, honor and glorie, with the Father, in the vnitie of the holy Ghost. Amen.
FINIS.
Imprinted at Lōdon, at the three Cranes in the Vinetree, by Thomas Dawson, for Iohn Stell. 1579.
End of the text · Phillips Marnix, The Bee Hive of the Romish Church (1579)