affections upon the things they fancie or as the Creeple layes his full weight upon his crutches and therefore when they are taken from them as Pharaohs chariot wheeles they are drawne upon all foure and stick in the mud yea they set on their affections as the Bee her sting with all their might and strength they convey into others their very bowels and hearts and therefore when they are gone they are heartlesse LVIII He that is pained with the Bees stinging must for cure speedily pluck out the sting and then apply juice of mallowes mixed with oyle or honey to the wound And the best remedy for a wounded conscience is first to pluck forth the sting of sin and then to wash in Christs blood and for the future keepe the heart above all keepings for as the eye is subject to infinite distempers so is the conscience LIX Bees solitary and alone especially in the night or winter season are quickly benummed with cold and die but many united together are agill and livel nay one chilled with cold put to the many recovers and hath a new returne of life So that I doe not improperly speake if I say they live as much by heate as by meate And therefore if there be many in a hive though there be but a tollerable supply of food they will doe well but if they have never so much meate and be not many and numerous they will miscarry and come to nothing The communion of Saints puts life into those that have it not and increaseth it in those in whom it is The health of the body doth not communicate it selfe to others it is otherwise in the life of the soule the life of it makes others to live more as iron sharpens iron so one holy man doth another when two lie together they keepe one another warme there is action and redaction this is a powerfull meanes to get and increase this life LX. Bees in the Spring when the weather is faire will worke chearefully but if the Sunne withdraw his beames the wind blow hollow the chilling showers descend then they are presently dull and livelesse scarce appeare if at all not farre from the hive it is an uncomfortable time the spirits of the Bees lower are heavy and sad we see it also in the body that the animall spirits in the braine which are the causes of motion and sense if they be obstructed there followes an Apoplexie and death So it is between Christ and the soule he is the Sunne of righteousnesse by whose beames we are all comforted and cheared but when they are withheld then our spirits decay and are discouraged Summer and Winter arise from the presence and absence of the Sunne the presence of the Sunne when it comes neare causeth the earth to be cloathed with a rich embroiderie of fruits and flowers And what makes the Summer and Winter in the soule but the absence or presence of Christ what makes some so vigorous beyond others but the presence of the Spirit As it is in nature so it is here the presence of Christ is the cause of all spirituall life and vigour but if he withdrawes his presence a little the soule failes LXI Bees when they assault a man strike fiercely at the face the beauty of man and principally in the face aime at the eye the beautie of the face Thus Satan though he be malicious against all mankind yet chiefly against those who by Christ are conquered out of his hand and having their garments washed in the blood of the Lambe are most beautifull For as the Panther rageing on the picture of a man bewrayes the hatred he beares unto him So the Devill to testifie how much he hates God himselfe spends the greatest of his fury on them that beare the image of God Thus doe Satans instruments incarnate Devils though they care not usually whom they wrong opprosse injure hate yet most of all the holy ones in earth are the object of their hatred they are the drunkards songs and a sport to the foolish What muttering what whispering what censuring what sinister construction is set upon every action of theirs what discovering what blazeing of infirmities what so high but they will reach it what so deepe but they will be sounding the bottome of it but a day will come when they will cry out with Cicero O me nunquam sapientem et aliquando id quod non eram falso existimatum Aye me that indeed was never wise but falsely thought to be what I was not And with those in the booke of Wisdome We fooles thought his life madnesse and his end without honour how is he accounted among the children of God and his portion among the Saints But the innocent heart shall then lift up a chearfull countenance as knowing that though here it were despised yet there it shall be justified and rewarded with a crowne of glorie LXII Waspes gather not as Bees yet some seeing them running on the tops of flowers and sucking in the cels are notably deluded supposing that they gather as well as the Bees Whereas they only suck to satisfie a wanton fancie but carry away nothing for a future supply of themselves or Common-wealth Hypocrites in many out-side duties may comply with beleevers and have their conversation in such actions that they are usually practicall in and so deceive many who are easily beguiled with similitudes All deceite is from similitude False wares having the same die that the true have deceive the buyers so falling starres are like other starres When we see men that professe religion false hearted many are apt to thinke that all are so wherefore the Apostle prayes that they might abound in all knowledge and judgement to discerne of things that differ this proximitie makes many deceived LXIII A lamp or candle by the brightnesse of it intiseth the Bee as many other flies to embrace it but by that meanes she is eyther drowned in the oyle or burned in the flame So the shewes of sinne and the pleasures of the world entice the mindes of men that their hearts are drowned in many feares and sorrowes and when they suppose that they have catcht all they themselves are caught Finally corruption and destruction the naturall ends of all things under heaven layeth hold upon them Qui lachrimarum causas tripudiantes peragunt et ridentes mortis negotium exequuntur Who goe dancing through the causes of their mourning and with laughter act the tragedie of their owne death LXIV The Titmouse is a great destroyer of Bees and more easily and certainly to obtaine his pray will in the winter watch at the doores of their hives their Castles of security and as soone as any come forth seizeth upon them and eateth them If none appeare he knocks with his bill and they feeling the motion come forth to know the cause and are presently devoured by him In the Spring time he resorts to the willow trees whither
continually on any occasion Lord strike at the roote and dry up the fountaine in me for otherwise though the streames were stopt and the branches cut off and the sparkles quenched yet there would be a perpetuall supply as long as the poyson-full roote remaines XXXIX Many Bees especially when the gathering season is over and the state of flowers decayed about August will be curiously prying into their fellowes hives at first a few give the onset and if they be let alone unresisted or weakly opposed then they double and treble their forces fetching at their returne more of their companie and violently make a prey of all But if these scouts and ring leaders as they presse in be beaten out roughly intertained and stâ—utly opposed and fought withall they will then by degrees desist and at last quite give over Vaine and wicked thoughts if men give way unto them without checking the motions of them will pâ—esse as busily as flies in Summer into the heart but a good heart will not owne them nor allow himselfe in them but stands at staves end with them casts them off as hot water doth the scumme or as the stomack doth that which is noysome unto it They find not in it that intertainment which they have in carnall hearts where the scumme seeths in which are stewes of uncleane thoughts shambles of cruell and bloody thoughts exchanges and shops of vaine thoughts a very forge and minâ— of false politick and undermining thoughts yea often a little hell of confused and black imaginations XL. See you that narrow mouthed glasse which is set neare to the hive marke how busily the waspes and flies resort to it being drawne thither by the smell of that sweet liquor wherewith it is baited see how eagerly they creepe into the mouth of it and fall downe suddenly from that slippery steepinesse into that watry trap from which they never rise there after some labour and wearinesse they drowne and die you doe not see many of the labouring Bees looke that way they passe directly to their hives without any great notice taken of such a pleasing baite Idle and ill disposed persons are drawne away with every temptation they have both leasure and will to entertaine every sweet allurement to sin and wantonly prosecute their owne wicked lusts till they fall into irrecoverable damnation whereas the diligent and laborious Christian that followes hard and conscionably the workes of an honest calling is free from the danger of these deadly enticements and layes up honey of comfort against the winter of evill happie is that man who can see and enjoy the successe of his labour but how ever this we are sure if our labour cannot purchase the good we would it shall prevent the evill we would avoyde XLI A Bee stinging a dead body takes no hurt but stinging a live body loseth both sting and life together In like manner death so long as it stung mortall men only which were dead in sinne was never a white the worse but when it stung Christ once who is life it selfe by and by it lost both sting and strength Therefore as the Brazen Serpent was so farre from hurting the Israelites that contrariwise it healed them after the same sort death is so farre from hurting any true Israelite that on the other side if affliction as a fiery Serpent sting us or any thing else hurt us it is helped and redressed by death XLII That honey is sweete it is not a conceit only but the naturall qualitie of it is so yet out of a tast of the sweetnesse to thinke we cannot take too much of it is a misconceit paid home with loathsome bitternesse though our fancy be readie to conceive a greater blessing in outward good things then indeed there is yet we must not deny them to be blessings XLIII Bees when they are abroad at their worke if the clouds overcast the ayre grow darke there be any prelude of a storme which they are very sensible and apprehensive of speedily and in hast thick and threesold repaire to their hives for shelter and security And beleevers never pray so heartily deny themselves so throughly cling so fast to God as when a storme is towards or when they are overtaken by a tempest of persecution XLIV Bees are not querulous complaining or discontented creatures for when they have with many a sore dayes labour and heavie burden filled their hive and thereby furnished themselves against a winters want yet if they be driven and robbed of all have left neither meate nor materialls to put in any yet will if the weather serve speedily and chearefully renew their labours and with double diligence seeke out for a future supply And shall beleevers thinke much to suffer the spoyling of their goods all that they have travelled and sweat for and when they have by many a deare dayes labour got a little somwhat together then to be spoyled of all in a moment seeing they know they have in heaven a better and more endureing substance XLV When the worme dyes which is a more imperfect creature then it revives againe but is quite another from what it was before in every part and member before it was unable to act for it's owne preservation or the good of others could not move out of it's place in a word doe nothing but eate what was brought unto it but after a transformation and renovation it is agill and active laborious and profitable And in the new birth si licet parvis componere magna there must be a mortification of the old man and then an universall change and alteration in the whole man For a new Spirit is universall it goes through the whole man leavens the whole lumpe the new nature is common to all the powers not like a little spring that takes beginning in some peece of ground and ends in the same but like the great Ocean that encompasseth the whole world And as it is universall so it is alterative too it amends not the out-side only but the inward man also It gives a man a new temper it makes him that was fearfull and timerous become bold and couragious him that was peevish and passionate to be of a meeke and quiet spirit him that was dull and cold to be zealous and fervent it makes him with Onesimus profitable to himselfe and others XLVI Bees have a naturall and in-bred love to their Queene which makes them in her absence long after her nay unweariedly seeke for her without any other content or satisfaction but her presence and company and finding her they will not be severed nor sundered pull them away as oft as you will from her yet still they will draw neare and cling to her Carry her whither you will if they be sensible of it you have their company also How doth this condemne the want of love and affection of many subjects to their Governours of many people to their God whom a
low and almost close to the ground and rest often Aristotle saith The smaller Bees are more industrious than the greater his reason is their wings are worn and jagged their colour black and their backs bowing when saith hee the greater are smooth and beautiful like idle women when indeed they are originally of one magnitude but growing old their bodies are small thin and grey and their wings torn and tattered a certain symptome of an approaching death whereas the others beauty and lustiness is a Crysis of their youth not their idleness In the morning they are husht and still saith Aristotle untill one surely the Master of the watch with two or three loud buzzings calls them all up as it were to work But no such exciting sound could I ever hear nay I am confident there is none at all But some such like thing is practised by the Apes which some have transferred to the Bees Near the River Gambra in Africa and in many other places it is certain that the Apes gather together towards night some hundreds in a company and in the trees especially near the Rivers side dance their Lavâ—lita's and perform many strange Garboâ—les but about the setting of the Sun one of the company called by the English Mr. Constable with two or three loud voyces ceaseth all their disports and after that they continue quiet and silent untill the next morning when by a like voyce they have liberty given them to play and recreate themselves When the Bees likewise return from work they are as Aristotle and others a while in a tumulâ—uous hurly burly and then by degrees make less noise and less untill one flying about gives notice as it were that they must all to sleep but it is nothing so for in full Hives in the latter part of the Spring and in the heat of Summer they make a great buzzing sound all night Bees live in a Martial discipline like Souldiers in a Garrison some alwaies watching and warding understand it of the Summer season when the chilling cold or nipping frost doth not force them into their Hives yet in the day time they continue it longer A hot Sun-shine or warmer aire even in Winter will quickly prompt them out of their Hives to take a short vagary near their stalls but if the cold bee intense they are quiessent if not dormant Bees are indefatigably that I say not covetously laborious alwayes working but never satisfied alwayes toyling but never coming to a period of their endeavours stiâ—l progressive never at their journies end being impossibâ—e to bee stâ—nted and the longer they work the more â—aâ—â—est they are and impatient of delayes or loyterings while there is matter to work upon in the fields and the weather is seasonable Nay if the flowers decay and grow scanty The Stocks that have enough and to spare will to keep themselves doing rob from their neighbours For every Hive or Commonwealth endeavours to bee a Non-such and to engross all within its own circumference and by any means to make it self the increasing figure though toyl and restlesness continually attend it They are not offended with red coloured cloaths as some affirm nor yet inâ—briated with sweet oyntments no nor much offended with stinking favours I have known twenty Hives together stand against a dunghil divers years and thrive and prosper well yet would I not perswade any to set them in such a place if hee can provide another They express not more love to their keepers than strangers but they being used to them with greater confidence venture among them which some more fearful beholding fancie that the Bees respect and love them more than strangers whereas would they boldly come among them nay take them in their hands and carry themselves peaceably towards them except when they bee irritated and offended before they should finde all love and favour from them They feed not on any flesh nor need Pythagoras caveaâ—s for that purpose That some Bees gather not honey but water for the King and his guard is a meer fable for they mutually perform all imployments That there is such an order that the elder Bees should have a proper place in every Hive and the younger another peculiar to themselves is as most of the opinions of the Ancients a fabulous narration for they are all promiscuously mixed together Bees as many other Insects have neither visible bones nor Cartilages nor Nerves nor fat nor flesh nor a brittle shell as some land and Sea-creatures have nor that which may bee properly called a skin but a body of a certain middle nature between all these like to a dry Nerve but far softer Their body is divided into three principal parts and there is motion in every part severed one from another so that whatsoever is the reason of their life it is not fixed to any one member but in the whole and therefore Pliny was deceived who accords in the former but denies that Insects and therefore Bees have any symptome of life by motion in the head except it bee cut off with the breast Aristotle taught him this lesson which without trial hee took upon trust as many more And Sealiger also after him and is not content to entertain an errour but insolently insults over Galen for placing the chief residency of the soul in the brain It is true that the heads of Eeles and Snakes cut off live not long when as the body lives a great while nay a speedy way to kill an Eele is to peirce her through the middle of her â—â—il Upon dissection I have found that onely the head being cut off the horns the chaps and the tongue also will stir and that a great while after the separation from the body Now the reason hereof may bee this Bees have the spirks diffused amost all over and therefore they move in their several peeces whereas men and beasts move very little time after their heads are off And therefore it is certain that the immediate cause of death is the resolution or extinguishment of the spirits and that the destruction or corruption of the Organs is but the mediate cause but some Organs are so peremptorily necessary that the extinguishment of the spirits doth speedily follow but yet so as there is an interim of a small time but for Worms and Bees the spirits are diffused almost all over and therefore they move in their several peeces Further to illustrate this Iohn Leo reports that men condemned to suffer death in Egypt have lived a quarter of an hour divided asunder set upon a heated Caldron sprinkled with unslaked lime and understood and given answers A living creature is sensible in every part so that it can exercise it in regard of heat and can also perform in every office that the organ or instrument for that office is remaining and hence are determined many controversies Some query whether a living creature can subsist without the head
lead an army of Ants. I say under the Commander of the Bees who useth not his sting that is exerciseth tyranny against none and orders nothing but that which is profitable for the Commonwealth when as they that lead an army of Pismires that is men who neither will nor know how to obey never perform any thing notable and praise-worthy so that aptly Himâ—â— describing the Greeks hastening to the Oration of Agameâ—non the General of the whole Army and as hee calls him the Pastor of the people compares them to Bees swiftly flying with their labours to the Hive where their Commander is constantly resident The Egyptians on this ground placed on the top of the Kings Scepter the bird Cuâ—â—phus which is a Stork with a River-horse underneath it implying that piety must suppress impiety clemency ferity And from hence the Tribunes of the Souldiers among the Romans carried their swords without edges intimating that the Generals of Armies ought not to kill the Souldiers but to correct them as the Commander of the Bees doth her subjects and perhaps on this ground the Egyptians by the Hieroglyphick of a Bee signified a King because it becomes a Commander of a people to mingle with the sting of justice the honey of clemency Memorable to this purpose was the practise of a certain King of Frâ—â—ce who having conquered the Insâ—brians and entred their City by a symbole or type thus exprest his clemency wearing a coat full of Images or pictures of Bees and this Motto written upon it Rex mucrone caret the King wants or useth not his sting Their Ethicks and Economicks appear in many particulars They make frugality the basis of their subsistance and therefore as they laboriously gather store of honey they shut up the Cells still as they fill them and untill Winter come will not open them but live in the mean time of Bee-bread and such provision as they get abroad lest if they should prodigally waste while they may work they might after starve when they cannot work And in the pleasures of this life they are so moderate that perfect temperance seems to rest onely in them They are neat and cleanly creatures never suffering any filth or excrements long in the Hive emptying themselves alwayes abroad And if in the Winter while they are weak and not able to indure the colder aire filth bee contracted yet as soon as the Spring comes and they grow numerous and strong they diligently cleanse their Hives and carry out all Their cleanliness also thus appears That they will not suffer their dead to continue long in the Hive but carry them forth to burial Their chastity is admirable for whereas many other creatures couple together openly Waspes also and Humble bees and many sorts of wilde Bees scarce specifically differing from them yet whatsoever the Bees do in Venus service they act in secret and far remote from the eyes and knowledge of all men The Poets say That this is the reason of it Saturn the husband of Ops and father of Iupiter was wont to devoure his own children when they were brought forth the reason of it was because Saturn was named the god of time and all times passing and returning revolve again into themselves which gave occasion to this history when Iupiter was born his mother Ops fearing the cruelty of her husband to him concealed his birth and the Cretans for fear that Saturn should hear the childe cry â—ung their brazen pans and kettles which noise the Bees following came to the place where the Infant was and fed him there with honey Iupiter for so great a benefit bestowed on his Nurses for a reward this admirable gift that they should have young ones and continue their kinde without wasting themselves in Venery Others report that Iupiter being much in love with a faire Nymph called Melissa turned her into a Bee and for her sake bestowed this and other priviledges on the Bees And they are not less valiant than chaste though industry and diligence may do much with all other creatures yet little with these no not to palliate their fierceness let them bee exasperated near their Hives you may as easily binde a Lion with a single hair as by opposition and resistance compose and quiet them though the creature is but little yet virtus noâ— minima Is it not strange to behold such a little Insect to contend with the most mighty to see such vigour in a creature without bones or scales or hard defences and yet to bee offensive to nay prevalent over the most strong and powerfull creatures In valour therefore and magnanimity they surpâ—ss all creatures there is nothing so huge and mighty that they fear to set upon and when they have once begun they are invincible for nothing can make them yeeld but death so great hearts do they carry in so little bodies In private wrongs and injuries done to their persons for which cause men will soonest quarrel they are very patient but in defence of their Princess and Commonwealth they do most readily enter the field For them they hozzard death And think in War they nobly lose their breath Their War whatsoever some say to the contrary is onely forreign for though in the same Hive by a violent or accidental congression of two swarmes there bee sometimes a deadly contest and bickering yet still it is forreigne for they were never united under one Commander They never fight whatsoever some unexperienced Observers report for food nor fall out among themselves for meat but alike communicate of all they have though but little and when it is spent if it bee no gathering season starve altogether Their Geometry appears in the fabrick of their combes and their Astronomy in the knowledge of the weather for they fore-know and presage windes and storms and either keep themselves in their Hives or go not far perhaps fetch water and quickly return When they flye not far from the Hive but flye about it the weather being serene and fair it is an usual token of an approaching storm or tempest Aratus prompted him if not experience with this observation But above all one excellent skill they have which the most experienced females though they much desire it must yeeld themselves to want for they know certainly when they breed a male and when a female which appears by this that they lay their Cephen-seeds in a wide comb by themselves and the Nymph-seeds in the rest which are of a smaller size In their own Commonwealth they are most just not the least wrong or injury is offered among them but I cannot commend their justice towards strangers for all that they can catch is their own unless they may bee excused in this respect that the Bees of divers Hives are at deadly feud or rather as Kingdomes that are at difference one with another If Bees creatures without reason have such Prudence Providence Fortitude
death of Cloudius that a swarm of Bees setled on the Capitol One speaking of the prodigies that did precede the battel of Canna saith that swarms of Bees lighted on their Ensignes Nec densae trepidis apumse involvere â—â—bâ—s Cessarum Aquilis Among the many Prodigies ominating Brutuâ—'s destruction swarms of Bees lighted in his Camp Swarms of Bees settled in the Camp of Diusus when hee fought prosperously at Arbala Ambrose sleeping in his swadling cloaths having his mouth open a swarm of Bees came and setled on his mouth which the father and mother walking by forbad the Maid that tended him to brush off where a while continuing at last they flew up into the air untill they could bee seen no more Plaâ—â— sleeping in his swadling cloaths the Bees brought hony to his lips foretelling the singular sweetness of his eloquence Hiero sometimes chief Magistrate of Sicilia the son of Hierâ—cliâ—uâ— a Noble-man who drew his original from Celus an ancient Tyrant of Sicily but his mothers stock was mean and contemptible for hee was born of a Maid-servant and therefore as a disparagement to his fathers race was cast forth whom the Bees wanting all humane help sed with hony which being known the father by the Aâ—gurs counsell received again and brought up as the Heir of the Kingdome Aelian citing Antenâ—r reports that the inhabitants of a certain City in Crâ—ta were forced to forsake their dwellings by certain Bees called Chosichoides which did miserably molest and sting them The Citizens of Marra two dayes journey from Antlich being besieged by Goâ—frey Duke of Bullen among other things which they threw over the walls to drive away their enemies cast over Hives full of Bees Luculâ—us Army besieging Themisâ—yra scituate on the banks of the River Thermodâ—oâ— and by Mines seeking to overthrow the wâ—lls the inhabitants opened them above and threw in Hives of Bees among them to their great trouble and vexation When Amuâ—ah the Great Turk besieged Alba Greca the Inhabitants besides other things cast Hives of Bees among the Turks whereby they were greatly annoyed A Captain of the Emperours being besieged by Giselbert the King of Lorrain restrained the enemies when they entred the place by casting hives of Bees for the horses being enraged with their stâ—nâ—s overthrew their Riders or were altother unserviceable Lupus Barriga warring with the Mâ—ors in Mauritania and besieging a Town called Tornâ—t the Inhabitants being at the last cast threw over the walls abundance of hives of Bees set on fire wherewith the Pâ—râ—â—ngâ—ls were so burnt and stung that they were forced to give over with the wounding of their General and many others Cozenours and Cheaters were thus anciently punished they divested the guilty person of his cloaths and then anointed him with hony all over his body and set him in the Sun with his hands and feet fast bound that by many reiterated stingings and the Suns heat they might receive a death worthy of their life In Sivil a City of Spain if a woman bears her husband shee is carried on an Ass through the City naked from the gâ—dle-sted upwards and being first anointed with hony besides other despights and injuries suffers not a little misery from the Bees Waspes and Flies that molest and sting her Marcus an old man in the reign of Constantine overthrew an Idol Temple at Arethusa and was taken under Iulian the Apostate and first scourged on his naked body and after other punishments in the last place put in a basket being all over anointed with hony and so set abroad whom the Bees thinking hee had robbed them stung therefore to death Hermonay the son of Amymer and Lysodicâ— being a childe and coming to the Hives to rob the Bees was killed with their stings Onesilus the brother of Gorgus King of Salamiâ— in the Isle of Cyprus fighting against Artybius a Persian General was slain and his head cut off and hanged over the gates of Amathusium a City in the same Island which hee had sometimes before besieged into which when it was empty a swarm of Bees entred and filled it with combs this is reported at a Prodigy and doth not prejudice the cleanliness of Bees for consulting the Oracle they advised to take down the head and bury it Livonia is replenished with stately Woods and those furnished with industrious Bees which sometimes being numerous are put to hard shifts for habitations Mr. Barkley an English Merchant did in one of these Woods eat hony out of a mans skull wherein a swarm of Bees were and bred as it hanged It is reprorted that in the Sepulchre of Hippocrates the Prince of Physitians for a long time a swarm of Bees lived and wrought hony in it and that this happened extraordinarily is concluded because that Nurses anointing childrens mouths near the grave with the hony easily cured them Dâ—onisius the son of Hermocrates swimming over a River upon his horse his horse was mired and could not bee pulled out by any means hee leaped off his back and goâ— safely to the baâ—k and so forsook the horse as no longer his But the horse followed after and neighed whereupon he returned and when hâ—…old on his Maâ—â—o mount up a swarm of Bees encompassâ—d his hand which hung on his Manâ— a presage of his future command and Empire The Trâ—phâ—nion Oracle was thus found out When as a year or two together there was no rain some were sent from every City to Delphos to implore help To whom desiring a remedy for the drought Apollâ— commanded them to go to Labadea and seek a remedy for their evill of Trophonius Going therefore to Labadea but not able to finde the Oracle Sâ—on one of the Ambassadors an old man when he had espied a swarm of Bees resolved to follow them withersoever they went When therefore hee saw them flying to a Cave hee entred in and understood that place was the Oracle which they sought for Comates feeding the flock of his rich Master in Sicily was sometimes accustomed to offer somewhat of his flock to the Muses which when his Master knew hee reproved him very sharply whom Comates intreats not to bee angry for by the Muses help there should be a large remuneration Go to saith his Master let us make trial whether the Muses will feed thee and inclosed him in a hollow tree and there left him to perish with famine And at the years end returning found his servant alive and well and many Hony-combs about him for the Bees by a hole had entred into the tree and maintained him The Bee master being absent one came and stole the combes out of the Hive who afterwards returning found his Bees plundered and while he stood still a while to examine and corsider concerning the author of iâ— The Bees came home from work and finding their house robbed and him standing by did fal upon him and cruelly sting him To
whom hee thus spake Oh you wicked creatures you let go unhurt him that robbed you and punish mee â—t aâ—am careful of your safety Melissa one of the Oread Nymphs finding Hony-combes in Pelopenesus invited her follows to taste thereof with the sweetness whereof they were so ravished that the Grecians called the Bees by the name of that Nymph Iacobus Sannoâ—arius that excellent Poet hath his figure cut to the life in Mergelliâ—a near Naples where he lived from whose mouth the Bees do seem as it were to suck hony Livy doth relate that there was found two Coffins of lead in a tomb whereof one contained the body of King Nâ—ma being some four hundred years after his death and the other his books of sacred Rites and Ceremonies And that in the Coffin that had the body there was nothing at all to bee seen but a little light cinders about the sides but in the Coffin that had the books they were found as fresh as if they had been but newly written covered over with watch candles of wax three or fourfold Agesipolis a King of the Lacedemonianâ— dying of a Feaver near the City of Clynthia was preserved in hony and so carried to Sparta where hee had a royal Funeral Claudius Caesar had a Hippocentaure a Monster part horse par bull brought out of Egyp in hony which Pliâ—y saith he saw Aâ—sâ—ith the widow of King Edgar sometimes Monarch of this Island traiterously slue King Edward his son that her son Ethelred his brother in law might as hee did succeed him Some ten years of age was hee when his brother Edward was slain and hee out of childish affection wept for him bitterly which his mother extreamly disliking being author of the murther onely for his sake most cruelly beat him her self with a handfull of Wax-candles So that hee would never endure Wax-candles But another Writer saith that Ethelred would never endure any Wax-candles because hee had seen his mother unmercifully with them whip his brother in Law King Edward either report may bee true Now the Sword and Scepter is taken from the Iews instead of other penalties they inflict sharp penances according to the nature of the crime Thus the Adulterer satisfieth for his hot lust in cold water wherein hee is enjoyned to sit some Winter dayes and if the water bee frozen the Ice is cut out and hee set therein up to his chin as long as an egge is roasting In Summer time hee is set naked in an ant-hill his nose and ears stopped and after washeth himself in cold water If the penance seem lighter they enjoyn him further to run through a swarm of Bees and when the swelling of his body through their stinging is abated he must do it again and again according to the measure of his offence If hee hath often that way offended hee is bound to indure that penance many years Hunding the 23. King of Sweadland upon a false report of his brother in Law Hadings death King of Denmark invited all his Nobility to a sumptuous feast to conclude which hee had provided a very large vessel of Mead of which hee drew out himself to them untill they were all drunk and then in token of love to his supposed dead friend plunged himself into the vessel and so was willingly drowned but ridiculously and foolishly some applaud and prefer him therefore before many heroical Greeks and Romans Hostilia is a Town in Italy watered by the River Pâ— the inhabitants whereof when meat for Bees grows scarce about them carry their Hives into Boats and by night convey them up five miles against the stream In the morning the Bees go forth to their work and so do they shift places ascending up the River till by the sinking of the Boat they know their Hives to bee full of hony and then return they home and take it What is the reason why among the Sarmaâ—ians there is plenty of hony and in Africa small store of Bees And hee renders this as a reason the plenty of trees and variety of flowers which in a few dayes after the snow is dissolved embroider all the fields and the many Fountains and Rivers wherewith they are much delighted Whereas in Africa the fruits and the flowers by the violent heat are quickly withered and the waters are scarce so that of necessity those things being wanting wherein Bees delight there must needs bee few or in some places none at all His reason is not worth an answer had hee been read in history hee might have learned the contrary Io. Leo Ioaâ—n dos santos would have besides many other credible Authors convinced him of the plenty of Bees in Africa But no wonder if hee were a stranger abroad that was ignorant of Countries near home Hee affirms that in Germany France Britain Italy there are none or few Bees because if you will beleeve him there are few trees fruits waters In Angola they have great store of hony which they thus procure they hang in the top of the Eliconde tree a hollow peece of wood or chest which the wilde Bees being there numerous quickly finde and laboriously fill once in a year with hony and wax which the Negroes then take with smoke rewarding the industrious creatures with robbery exile death It will not bee altogether impertinent to give you a description of this tree with which the Bees are more delighted than any other The Eliconde-tree is very tall and exceeding great some as big as twelve men can fathome spreading like an Oak some of them are hollow and from the liberal skies receive such plenty of water that they are hospitable entertainers of thousands in that thirsty Region Once have I known three or four thousand remain at one of those trees and thence receiving all their warry provision The Negroes climb up with pegs of hard wood which that softer easily receiveth the smoothness not admitting other climbing and I think that some one tree holds forty run of water This tree affords no less bountiful hospitality to the back than belly yeelding as her belly to their bellies her back to their backs excepting that this is better from the younger trees whose tenderer backs being more seasonable for discipline are soundly beaten for mans fault whence came the first nakedness whereby one fat home cut from the tree is extended into twenty and is presently fit for wearing though not so fine as the the Iuzanda tree yeelds which yeelds excellent cloath from the inner bark This tree is alwayes green of a strange form especially in the branches that grow very high and cast down very small threds which touching the earth do bring forth roots from whence other plants oâ— trees do spring forth most abundantly in great numbers By like beating of their Palm they make Velvets Sattins Taffeties c. But I deviate too far from my subject The burning of Waxen-candles on
flattish and these alterations are all in the same Grashopper for in some you shall finde all without coats in others some with coats and some with none at the same time They have three black teeth in either jaw the teeth and jaw are one peece and of a bony substance In the head is a manifest brain or at least somewhat equivalent Some Grashoppers have not the long prick at the taile but two tants above and two shorter underneath and some have stumps instead of wings but howsoever they variously differ in their externals yet in all that I have dissected are alike the vitals indeed and other particulars are not so visible in the smaller as in the greater Grashoppers copulate after the manner of other Insects the less ascending the greater for the male is the lesser They disclose their eggs on the earth fastening a pipe which they have at their tail to it The males have none All lay their eggs together in one place so that they make a kinde of combe but not on the superficies of the earth but a little underneath then the form of them as they were first produced being changed out of that earthy cover appear little and black Grashoppers and after the skin being broken on every side they become greater they bring forth their eggs in Autumn and presently being delivered of them perish for there breed certain worms about their necks which strangles them saith Pliny which eat through them saith Scaliger and the males also dye they are quickned and come from under the earth in the Spring Grashoppers b eed not much on mountainous or squallid moist lands but in Champion grounds which are apt to chap for they lay their eggs in the chaps and cranies out of which Winter being past in the beginning of the Summer following of such eggs as are alive come the Locusts or Grashoppers They copulate thus the male ascending the female puts in those two tants or pricks that are eminent in the end of the back by turning back of the tail into the females womb and they are very long and closely joyned together that they can scarce bee severed neither yet by leaping or motion no nor yet without difficulty with your hands The female in her venery moves her belly earnestly and closeth in the lower part to the male and holds him very long sometimes with the opening of her womb sometimes with a strait shutting of it making her dalliance more delightful for while her womb opens the male more deeply insinuates himself to the bottome of iâ— and when it is contracted is more delighted with the pleasure of it There are seen two passages in the females privity severed each from other and covered with a thick coat it is black on the out-side and hard and cartâ—laginouâ— but within seems somewhat rough and scabrous with certain wrinkles At the bottome of this covering the womb growing white is like a womans privy parts The male after copulation dyes For by a long continued use of venery they spend all their radical moysture and spirits also The females after they have brought forth either by the violence of the pain or multitude of their young whereby their strength is consumed perish likewise or as Aristotle by little Lice which breed in their necks and as Pliny saith strangle them as Scaliger eat into them and kill them They flye over large Seas continuing divers dayes together in their flight and make such a noise with their wings that they seem to bee Fowls and shadow the very Sun They infest Italy oftentimes out of Africa consuming all with their bitings and with their black sharp and burning excrements and with a sharp slaver which they in eating let fall out of their mouths yet are they not poyson for both the Parâ—hians and Ethiopians feed of them Willichius assigns them a King and a Monarchy but Solomon denies it saying That they have no King yet go they forth all by bands but though they bee sine rege lege yet have they a conspiring agreement to do mischief When they wasted Gaul 852. they marched in the aire twenty miles a day in an ordered battel and formed squadrons and when they fell on the earth they had their camp the Commanders with a few went before the Army a dayes journy as it were to finde out fit places to quarter in and the very same hour that the fore-runners or harbingers came the day before the whole Troups came the day after before the rising of the Sun they stirred not from the place where they settled but the Sun being risen they marched or flew away in their orderly Regiments Cuspinian observes the same in the same Country in the year 874. but with this difference that they marched then but four or five miles a day Of Locusts there are sometimes seen such monstrous swarms in Africa that in flying they intercept the Sun beams like a thick cloud They devoure trees leaves fruits and all green things growing out of the earth At their departure they leave eggs behinde them whereof other young Locusts are bred which in the places where they are left will eat and consume all things even to the very bark of trees Their coming is known by the discolouring of the fields long before for they shine by reflexion Before the birth of Christ about a 170. years the Pastures of Italy were covered as it were with clouds of Grashoppers and about Capâ—a a hundred years together In the Consulship of Marcus Plaâ—tius Hypsaeus and Marcus Fulvius Flaccus Africa scarce breathing from bloody wars an horrible and extraordinary destruction ensued For whereas now throughout all Africa infinite multitudes of Locusts were gathered together and had not onely quite devoured the corn on the ground and consumed the herbs with part of their roots and the leaves and tender boughs of the trees but had gnawn also the bitter bark and dry wood being with a violent and sudden winde hoisted aloft in mighty swarms and carried along time in the aire they were at length drowned in the African Ocean Whose loathsome and puâ—rified carkasses being by the waves of the Sea cast up in huge heaps far and wide along the shore bred an incredible stinking and infectious smell whereupon followed so general a pestilence of all living creatures that the corrupt bodies of fowls cattel and wilde beasts dissolved by the contagion of the aire augmented the fury of the plague But how great and extraordinary a death of men there was I cannot but tremble to report For in Numidia where Micipsa was then King dyed fourscore thousand persons in the Kingdom of Mâ—ssinissa according to Eutropius if I mistake not eight hundred thousand And upon the Sea coast next adjoyning to Carthage and Utica above two hundred thousand are said to have perished Yea in the City of Utica it self were by this means swept from the face of the earth thirty thousand
coming as a fortunate boading for seething and drying them in the Sun they bruise them to powder and so eat them And they were the food of Iohn Baptist in the Desart yet there have been some as Theopâ—ylact testifies who understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the budâ— oâ— tops of certain herbs oâ— some kinde of wilde fruits in which number was Hermolaus Barbarus who saith Chrysostome and Aâ—haâ—osius before him were of the same judgement but Chrysostome denies it and saith a Locust is a small creature between a flying and â— creeping of which in the Deâ—arâ—s of Iudâ—a were great store they were wont to boyle them in oyle and they were the food of the poorer sort Augustine confirms it also that Iohn fed of Locusts And Theophilact witnesseth the same who doth also interpret the eating of Locusts allegorically as also Origâ—n Diodorus saith that the Acridâ—â—agi or the Ethiopians bordering on the Desart that feed on Grashoppers are of lower stature than other men lâ—an and exceeding black So also Strâ—bâ— and adds they are of a very short life seldome exceeding forty And Solinus also takes notice that the borderers on Mâ—urhania in a certain season the Spring gather great quantities of Locusts which they salt and live hereof all the year but none out-live forty years The Parthians of old fed of them as Pliny reports And Scaliger saith the Sirians and Persians eat them before they have wings namely the young ones It is to bee observed that all Grashopper-eaters are of a short life A learned Physitian enquiring what was the cause the people about the Red-sea are troubled with boyls on their legs and armes demands if it bee from the aire or the region or their food concludes peremptorily it was from their food And Diodorus affirms that certain people with frequent eating of Locusts were not onely short lived but much anguished and at last consumed not onely with boyls mentioned before but with a cruel kinde of winged lice of which one gives a full relation At the Vernal equinâ—x when the South-west-winds blow from an uncertain place an incredible number of great Locusts are brought which in flying differ little from birds but much in the shape of their bodies With these Locusts salted and otherwayes prepared the people live they are excellent for footmaâ—ship but feeding of so dry nourishment they live not beyond the fortieth year for then they dye if not before a miserable death for a certain kinde of winged lice is bred in their bodies like unto Dog-flyes but somewhat less They begin at the breast and belly and in a short space eat off all the skin of the face Some of them are like Lepers and gievously scratch themselves and the disease still continuing and these vermine increasing their humors are spent and they extreamly tormented till at length they bee killed and consumed by them CHAP. XXXII Of American Bees IN the West-Indies the Bees are small about the bigness of Flies or somewhat greater and the points of their wings cut overthwart and have through the middle of the wing one white line across They have no sting They make great Hony-combs and the holes in them are four times greater than the cells of our European Bees although they bee much smaller their hony is good and wholesome but it is very dark like wine being boyled In the Island of Cozâ—mel which is near the coast of Iueaâ—an there are many Hives of Bees like those of Spain but less and much hony and wax the hony is like the Spanish hony but somewhat sharper In the Island of Hispaniola are no Bees that ever I saw or heard of In the firm land are very many and of many kindes as well as in the form and shape of the creature as also in the variety of the taste and colour of the hony and difference of the wax But though Oviedo neither saw nor heard of any yet are there â—â—es in Hispaniola but as small as Flies which sting not their hives are four times as great as ours their hony is white In the Indies are few swarms of Bees hee understands domestick Bees which then were rare but now in many places common Their Hony-combes are found in trees or under the ground and not in Hives as in Castile The Hony-combes which I have seen in the Province of Charâ—â—s which they call Chiguanas are of a gray colour and have little juice and are more like unto sweet straw then to Hony-combes The Bees are little like unto Flyes the hony is sharp and black yet in some places there is better and the combs better fashioned as in the Province of Tucuman in Chille and in Carthagene In Peru especially about the City Câ—rtage are many Bees which breed in hollow Trees and make as good Hony as the Bees in Spaine there is one sort of Bees not much greater than Gnats these stop up the hole or passage into the cavity of the tree and by a pipe of waxe as great as the middle finger goe in and out to their labours their Hony is thin and somewhat sharp they get usually about a quart of hony out of a tree There is another sort of Bees which are somewhat greater and black for the former are white the entrance into the tree where they work is made up except a passage for them with waxe and some other mixture whereby it is harder than a stone their hony is without comparison better than the former and a Tree will afford usually a gallon and sometimes more There is another sort of Bees which are greater than the Spanish Bees but none of them stings but when they finde that any goe about to plunder them they will charge upon him that â—nts the tree and hang about his hair and beard these greater Bees yeeld usually three gallons out of a tree and it is â—aâ—ie better hony than any of the former In the Province of Guayaquil which is not farre from Quito they breed in Trees and are not much greater than Flies the Waxe and the Hony which they gather is red and although it hath a good taste yet is it not like to the Hony of Castile Near the Rivers of Vasses and Plate the Bees are not like ours being not greater than the small Flies where with wee aâ—… troubled in Summer they work in Trees and make larger combes than ours the extremities of their wings are blunt as if they were cut Oviedo and Tâ—evet confirm it or bitten off and have in the middle of them a cross spot drawing towards white without stings their wax is as black as pitch The hony generally of the Bees of the new world candies not but is alwayes liquid like oyl The Country of Mackasies 372. Germane miles from the City of Assumption in the River of Plaâ—e near Pern is so abundant in Bees that you shall scarce open any tree with a
any ability or opportunitie in any kind to glorifie God let us not be negligent but say with the Psalmist As long as I have any breath I will praise the Lord. And with that Valiant Captaine that defended his Ship with his left hand when his right hand was cut off and with his teeth when his left hand was gone If we are disabled one way for doing good let us try what we can doe another if by our tongues our pennes our hands our gestures XXXI Some young Queene-Bee in the departure of the last Colonie will steale forth with her that is designed Leader because in her present state by staying behind she is sure to perish In her going forth there is roome for hope and possibilitie of life if she can attaine the throne Beleevers that have been formerly reduced unto extremities and impossibilities within themselves looking upon God as omnipotent and so able to save as mercifull and in Christ reconcileable and so likely to save if he be sought unto resolve as the Lepers in the famine of Samaria not to continue in the state they are in nor yet to returne to the Citie to his wonted hants and waye where they shall be sure to perish and in the latter is a possibilitie not to perish Therefore take up a conclusive purpose to trust Christ and if I must perish yet he shall reject me I will not reject my selfe I will goe unto him XXXII When Bees rob other hives a speciall way to divert them and cause them to desist and give over is by making them worke at home by running a pen knife through the hive and so opening their combes let out their honey which they will seeke presently to stop up againe and let their neighbours alone Thus Hambal was wont to say that the only way to fight against Rome was in Itake and this Scipio happily experimented upon the Carthaginianâ— XXXIII If our lippes drop honey by the preaching of Gods Word and the sweetnesse of his Doctrine it is good and commendable but if our hands drop Myrrhe by the crucifying of sinne and the mortification of our earthly members to the obedience of Christ and the perfect imitation of Christian holinesse it is most comfortable and heavenly XXXIV As the wittie Bees when they goe about to fill their combes with sweet honey suck first upon the sweetest flowers of the fields and gardens and then carrie the sweete juice into their hives so ought beleevers before they enter on their prayers to fixe their cogitations upon the two sweet flowers of power and love which they find in the name of the Father and then carry the pure juice of them into the inward hives of their soules and consciences and so shall they make a most precious honey combe of all spirituall devotion XXXV Honey and oyle are used by the Spirit of God for the two Emblemes of pâ—â—ce and plenty as we may read in the song of Moses saying He made him râ—aâ—â—n the high places of the earth that he might eate the increase of the field and he made him to suck honey out of the Rock and oyle out of the stâ—nty Rock XXXVI I eate my honey-combe with my honey hereby is understood that peace which ouâ— Saviour hath made betwixt our Saviour and us The sinne of Adam and Iâ—ve in Paradise made the breach between God and mankind the death of Christ made the atonement and reconciliation When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne As then Sampson in his Riddle said unto his companions Out of the eater came meate and out of the strong one came sweetnesse which was meant of a dead Lion in whose belly Bees had hived and made honey so I may say of Christ for he was the Lion of the tribe of Iudah and from him being crucified for our sinnes and slaine for our redemption we receive our honey and our honey-combe that is to say peace with God the Father But for the honey-combe why should Christ eate it Wolves are very hungry that will not leave the bones till the morrow and so is Christ though he be not a Wolfe yet he is a Lambe that is both hungry and thirsty till he have taken away the sinnes of the world and therefore he eates his honey-combe with his honey so greedy is he to cancell the hand-writing which was against us so desirous of our peace and reconciliation XXXVII Beleevers must not flie low and close to the ground like Bees against a storme but raise their flight to a high pitch even as high as the most high as did Moses when he saw him who is invisible for mens quavis ave levior cum deus pennas aptarit praetervolat montes saith Chrysostome The soule when God hath once furnished her with wings flies higher then any bird over the highest mountaines and so as the same father saith else-where as God is said to be in heaven and yet is also bere on earth so we that are here on earth are yet also in heaven XXXVIII As honey is not truly honey when it hath lost its sweetnesse no more is the death of the righteous truly death having lost it's bitternesse and fearfullnesse and terrors in the godly XXXIX The Spider is never the more commendable because he weaves his web out of his owne bowells neither the Bee despised because she gathereth her honey out of diverse flowers The citing of humane Writs for illustrating points of Divinitie is not so common as commendable if it be done without vanitie and ostentation making choice of the best Authors for better understanding of the Text and more cleare declaration of the truth XL The Bee for her honey pleaseth many but for the sting displeaseth not a few so mildnesse hath bent where severitie could not breake XLI As one will know more of the sweetnesse of honey by one tast of it then by a hundred disputations and discourses of it so to speake of spirituall joyes to such as have not felt them is ridiculous because they are knowne by apprehension not by discourse and to them who have felt them it is needlesse to discourse of them for this doctrine is better knowne by one experience then by a hundred rules XLII Mors is Morsus death is but a biting not a consuming and utter devouring as he that biteth taketh some and leaveth some so death getteth a morsell of flesh as the Kite taketh garbadge from the dunghill and the Dogs offall from the shambles but the soule it meddleth not with I cannot therefore better compare the grave then to the honey-combe where is both honey and waxe The honey of the soule is taken out the wax of the flesh remaineth behind till the resurrection of just men XLIII The waxe that is affixed to Letters patents howsoever for substance it be the very same that which is to be found every where yet