The Middle-English translation of Palladius De Re Rustica / ed. by Mark Liddell.

De apibus inuestigandis & aluearijs purgandis. vij ca ^m.

This mone in places apte is been to seche. Place apte is ther swete herbes multiplie And bees the welles haunte, & water cleche; [ 150] Vtilite is there to mellifie. But wher the swarmes dwelle, is craft tespie. And first yf they be dwellyng fer or nygh, Se heer the craft, and truly hit is sligh.

Taak rubryk [vel radul id est rubricam.] poured in sum litel shelle, [ 155] And therwithal the baak of euery bee [apis.] A pensel touche as they drynke at the welle, And note hem after whiderward they fle. Then by their yeynturnyng a mon may se How fer or nygh they be. And to the nygh [ 160] To come is light, but to the fer be slygh.

Kitte out a ioynt of reed, and in the side Therof let make an hole, and theryn do Hony or swete wyn sumdel; biside

The well or water that the been gooth to, [ 165] [165 Ms. they, B the.] Let hem goon in as fele as wol in go, And after hem the hole yclosed be; And first let oon of hem out of hit flee,

And folow fast, for thiderward they dwelle [fol. 87.] Straught wol they fle. And whan thou may not se [ 170] No lenger hir, another forth to telle Let go, for thiderward ek wol she fle; But sewe vppon. Do thus fro bee to bee, Thus wole they lede oon to their dwellyng place. But in the mornyng gynne hem thus to trace, [ 175]

That al the day vnto thy sewt suffise, ffor toward nyght in restyng they assure. [177 Ms. nygh, B nyght.] Or thus: a thing with hony thou deuyse To sette as by the welle of their pasture. When oon hath tasted hit, anoon his cure [ 180] Doth he to brynge his brethren to that feeste, And that they haunte anoon the meest & leeste.

Now se the cours how they go to & fro, And sewe hem hoom. Yf they hen in a kave, Bismoke hem, out of hit anoon they go. [ 185] Then make a sowne [sonitum.] on bras, & thou shalt haue Hem lightyng in sum bush or tre; now shaue Hem into an hyue. If they be in a tre, Ther hous ouer and vnder sawed be.

Vpwrappe hem clene & sette hem with thin hiues. [ 190] To frote [perfricare.] her houses wel with citriage [citriagine.] And herbes swete, is plesaunt to their lyues. If this be doon while veer is yong of age, The welles nygh, of vnfeyned curage

Of been therto wole come a multitude. [ 195] Now war that theues nought thi craft delude. [196 Ms. delute, B delude.]

Now purge her hyues, sle the butterflie [papiliones.] [fol. 87a.] [197 Ms. their, B her.] That in the malwes flouring wol abounde. A brasen vessel streyte with brinkes hie, A light at nyght make stondyng in the grounde: [ 200] The butterflies wole this light enrounde And brenne hemself; thus may me hem destroye [202 Ms. destoye, o added above in same hand, B destroye.] Vchone anoon. that thinges fele ennoye.