nine of the clocke at night, or in the nexte morrowe. Nowe the Bees when they knowe this, all come to fill the emptie place, ſo that after they haue repaired and filled the ſame, and fulfilled all the reſte aboute it, then flye they to the forepart, and do worke in like order. By whiche we may euidently learne, that they haue filled the ſame empty place alſo, by their abiding ſtil there. Beſides theſe, as the great plentie of honny, doeth cauſe ſluggiſhneſſe in the Bees, euen ſo doeth the much abatement and exceeding taking awaye of their honny, bothe dull the quickeneſſe and diligence of them, and cauſe them alſo to bee ſluggiſhe.
¶What the honny is, and howe from the hiues the ſame maye be prepared to vſe. Cap. xxiiij.
AS we firſte gather the honny from the combes, ſo do we the waxe for the comforte of the light, and other commoditie beſides. Nowe what the honny is, and howe the ſame taken from hiues, maye be prepared to vſe, ſhall hereafter bee taughte.
Firſte the learned Iſidore writeth, the honny to be of the deawe of ſome lyquide matter, and affyrmeth alſo the ſame to be founde ſometimes in the leaues of the greate Canes. To whiche in a manner doth Publius Maro agree in this verſe, writing, that hitherto the heauenlye girtes are of the Aereall honny. Others teach the honny in India and Arabia, to be like to ſalte gathered there on the leaues of trees. Others do doubt whether the honny be a ſweat from heauen, or a certaine ſpittle of the ſtarres, or a iuyce of the aire purging it ſelfe. But whatſoeuer ſubſtance the ſame is, yet is it a moſte ſweete, ſubtill, and healthfull iuyce, as Plinie witneſſeth, which at the firſt gathering of it, is as a cleare water, but after the boyling a while, and purging of it ſelfe, as the newe wine (after the preſſing forth) is wonte to do, doth by the twenty day after come to a perfect thickneſſe of honny, throughe the often repeating
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