Of Bees. Cap. 4.
ISidore saith, that Bées are called Apes for they are gendred without feature, or for that they knit themselues together with féete. Isidore sayeth, that they bée cunning and busie in office of making of honny, and they dwell in their own pla∣ces that are assigned to them, and chal∣lenge no other place but their owne. And they builde and make their houses, with a passing wonderfull skill, and of diuers flowers: and they make hony combes, wound and writhen with waxe very cu∣riously, and fill their celles, with many young. They haue an hoast and a king, and moue warre and battaile, and flye and voyde smoke and winde, and make them hardye and sharpe to Battaile, with great noyse. Many haue assayed & founden, that often Bees are gendred & come of carraines of dead flesh. And for to bring forth Bées flesh of calues, which be slaine, is beate that wormes may bée gendered and come of the rotted bloud, the which wormes after take wings, & are made Bées, as Béetles be of Oxe dounge, as Isidore sayth. And Ambrose in Exameron saieth, That the proper∣ties of Bées are wonderfull noble and worthy. For Bées haue one common kinde as children, and dwell in one ha∣bitation, and be closed within one gate. One trauaile is common to them all, one meate is common to them all, one com∣mon working, one common vse, one fruite and slight is common to them all, and one generation is common to them all. Also maidenhead of body without wemme, is common to them all, and so is birth also: for they be not medled wich seruice of Venus, neither resolued with lecherie, neither brused with sorrowe of birth of children, & yet they bring forth most swarmes of young. For where all other Fowles, bring foorth vnneth one birth in a yeare, euery one Bée bringeth foorth two, and passeth other, with dou∣ble plenteousnes of increase. Bées make among them a King, and ordayne among them common people. And though they be put and set vnder a King, yet they be frée and loue their King, that they make by kinde loue, and defend him with full great defence, and holde honour and wor∣ship to perish and be spilt for their king, and do their King so great worship, that none of them dare goe out of theyr house, nor to get meate, except the King passe out, and take the principalytie of flight. And Bées choose to their King, him that is most worthy and noble in hightnesse and fairnesse, and most cléere in mildnesse, for that is chiefe vertue in a King. For though theyr King haue a sting, yet he vseth it not in wreake. And kindly, the more huge Bées are, the more