CHAP. I. Of BEES and their Excellency.

PLINY that great Naturalist (Lib. 2. pag. 5.) to express the most transcendent Excellency of the Nature of Bees, saith thus, viz. Inter omnia Insecta Principatus Apibus, & jure praecipua admiratio; solis ex eo genere hominum causâ genitis: Of all Insects, Bees are the Chief, and the most worthy to be had in Admiration, being the only things of that kind, which are bred for the behoof of Man.

He says further (Lib. 2. Chap. 10. pag. 3.) That the Work and Fruit of of the little Bee, is so great and wonderful, so comly for Order and Beau­ty; so Excellent for Art, Wisdom and Ingenuity; and so full of Pleasure with abundant Profit and little Charge: That the Contemplation of which may very well beseem an ingenious Nature: And therefore (not without cause) are the Bees called the Muses Birds: Apes, cum causâ, Musarum di­cuntur volucres (Varro Lib. 3. Cap. 15.)

The Contemplation and Love of which, did so ravish those Antient and great Bee Masters, viz. Aristomachus and Piliscus (as Pliny reporteth in his Natural History, Lib. 11. Cap. 9.) that they were pleased to spend most of their time, in this pleasing Business.

Further, Aristotle himself, the Ancient and great Philosopher, thought his Historia Animalium very lame and imperfect, unless he had inserted a Par­ticular Tract of the Nature of Bees: of which he discourseth more at large, than he doth of any other living Creatures.

Pliny likewise in his Natural History, is very copious in and about this Melifluous Subject. Besides diverse others that have written thereof, as Collu­mella Varro, Palladius and Averroes, &c. Yea, the Learned and Grave Fa­thers of the Church (St. Ambrose and St. Isodore) have thought it a Subject fit for their Pens.

Unto which I might add, both for Ornament and Authority, infinite others of these our later times, &c.

Amongst which, I cannot but with all due Respect, approve of the late Invention of the New Bee-Houses and Collonies (a Prospect of which may [Page 2]be seen, in his Majesties Garden, in St. Jameses Park) so much admired and ap­proved of, by the Royal Society at Gresham Colledge in London; and wish the Management thereof, might fall into the hands of such Ingenious Persons, as might further improve so useful an Invention, being already encouraged, by his gratious Majesty, and since by diverse persons of Honour.

Make but Inspection through their transparent Windows (before and be­hind the Collonies) and you cannot chuse but admire, the Bees most incom­parable and ingenious works, curiously adorned, fitted and accomplished by assiduous Industry.

The Curiosity of their Fabrick, with its exquisit Cells (when first I view­ed) on a suddain forced me into an unwonted Extasy, with extream Admira­tion; as it did the most Experienced Mr. Charles Butler, in his History of Bees, Cap. 6. pag. 103. n. 9. whose Condign Merits, neither Envy nor injurious Time shall ever obliterate, or bury in oblivion: nor anticipate my thoughts from perusing his Feminine Monarchy

And in the same acknowledgement, admire the curious Buildings of these small Insects or pretty Bees; often divertising my self with this Quaere, viz.

And whilst (Reader) I admire the many Myriads of both Sexes, with their admired Assiduity:

CHAP. II. Of HONY, and its Singular VERTƲES.

NEXT I shall Treat of the Profits which arise from Bees, viz. HONY, with the ordering and use of Meath, Mead, Hydromel and Metheglin, with their singular Vertues, for the Use and Comfort of Mankind.

HONY, for the Extracting of which, the most natural and seasonable time is in August (i. e. from the end of Dog days, until the sixth day of September or thereabouts) because till then the Combs are full of Skadons (which deceive the Hony-Men: make the Hive heavier and the Hony worse) for the Skadons, Maggots, and young Bees, as well as the Sandarak, corrupt the same (experienced by the Ancient Bee-Master Collumella, Lib. 9. Cap. 15.) viz. Pulli & rubroe sordes sunt Mali saporis, et succo suo mella corrumpunt.

The time aforementioned for the running and working of Hony (viz. English Hony) is most proper fit and convenient, except in Hot Countrys, where their Gathering lasts longer.

Out of the new Invented Collonies, by reason of their neat contrivance, and most ingenious Shutters, is drawn the most Nectarian and best Hony (for the Bees by reason of the said Shutters, there is no necessity of killing them, with either the Smoak of Brimstone, Bunt, Tutchwood, or Mushroom's) which makes the Hony smell of smoak, and so consequently renders it much worse) for indeed it were a pitty to reward with Death, those pretty and industrious Animals, out of whose Collonies we receive such vast profits, as Honey and Wax (no ways adulterated) far excelling the other in Gust and Odour.

Of all Hony that which runneth of it self, is most commendable. 'Tis called (by our best Bee-Masters) Acoeton or the finest Nectar, which for its incorrupted purity, (by others) is called Virgin Hony: because (as Plantius in Fernel. Lib. 7. Method. Med) Quod, è Favis sponte primùm defluit, virgineum Mel, vulgo appellatur.

Whereof there are two sorts, viz. Right Virgin-Honey (which is of a Swarm, and runs of it self) 2. Bastard Virgin-Hony (or rather to be called the finest Or­dinary) Varro Chap. 6. num 30.) which though it be of the same Swarm, yet be­ing mixt with other and laid up in corrupter Vessels, and not in the pure Virgin Cells is rendred much inferiour to the true Virgin Hony.

The differences and degrees of Hony in goodness, are as well Natural as Ar­tificial.

For 'tis made better or worse, by the ordering or handling of it: so is it in it self better or worse, according to the different Condition of the Soyl where it is gathered: for Varro Cap. 6 [...]um 32. affirmeth) that the Champain Hony, is ac­counted much better than the Heath Hony, although they be ordered both alike.

Good Hony, when well wrought and fermented hath these properties and ex­cellent Qualities, whereby it is known and distinguished; viz. It is clear, odo­riferous, yellow like pale Gold: but right Virgin Honey is more Crystaline at the first, viz. sharp, sweet, and pleasant to the Tast, of a mean consistence be­tween thick and thin, so clammy that being taken up upon your Fingers end, in falling it will not part, but hang together like a long string) as that useth to do, which is clarified. Plant. in Fern. Lib. 7. de Oxymelite. viz.

This good Hony (especially that part which is in the bottom) will in time grow hard, (like unto Corny-Hony, which is in the uppermost part of the Combs) such as is the Hony of Spain, and Narbona in France.

Soe having given you, and Account of the best Hony, I shall likewise shew its singular Vertues, viz.

CHAP. III. MEAD HYDROMEL and METHEGLIN, With their Ʋses and singular VERTƲES.

THERE are two sorts of Hydromel, viz. Mead and Metheglin.

For the making of Mead, I shall only give you a hint or two (though not my Design here to insert)

If the Must, when it is altogether be not strong enough, to bear an Egg, the breadth of two pence above it: then put so much of your choisest white Hony into it, as will give it that strength; then give it its fit boyling, &c. After this, put in the Herbs and Spices, and so let it boyl a quarter of an hour longer.

The end of boyling is throughly to incorporate the Mead and the Hony (pre­pared and ordered for that purpose) and to purge out the dross and all other impurities.

Which being once done, any longer boyling is unproffitable, as diminishing more the quantity then increasing the strength and goodness of the Mead.

As soon as it is boyled enough, take it from the Fire, and set it a cooling: the next day separate the pure from the impure, still reserving the best for Use: and then ordering it as the Artist pleaseth, in his best discretion: For the right ma­king of which, I much approve of Mr. Combs his way, at the Bee-House and Colo­ny, in St. Bartholomew Lane; In whose Habitation I have seen considerable quan­tities of the best English Hony and Mead.

Metheglin is only a Stronger Hydromel: being unto Mead (as Vinum to Lora) for it beareth an Egg the breadth of six pence, and is usually made with more Hony and less Water, receiving into its Composition, as well wholesom and sweet Herbs, as also a large quantity of proper and fit Spices, &c.