[Gutenberg 47765] • A Profitable Instruction of the Perfite Ordering of Bees / With the Maruellous Nature, Propertie, and Gouernemente of Them: and the Necessarie Vses Both of Their Honie and Waxe, Seruing Diuersly, as Well in Inward as Outward Causes: Gathered Out of the Best Writers

Although (gentle Reader) I haue not given thee anye labour of mine owne, but rather haue collected the sayings and writings of manye aunciente authours, yet I trust they shall be well accepted of thee without offence. For as he that setteth forth vnto the view & reading of all men such knowledge, as by his long study & experience he hath gotten, is worthy to haue his due reward of commendation: euen so he is not to be discommended, who painfully reuoluing the bookes and volumes of many and diuers ancient writers, reduceth them into one little Treatise, for the commoditie and profyte of the simple and vnlearned sorte, for whose onely sakes I haue trauelled in the translation of this worthy matter, touching the right vsage and handling of Bees: a thing very rare, and seldome seene in the Englishe tongue, and yet verie profitable for a common wealth, and commonlye vsed among the poore husbandmen, though not in euery poynt as they ought to be, yet according to theyr knowledge and experience. But I, to the intente that a further learning mighte be added to their skill, haue so trauelled therein, that I trust their knowledge shal be increased, & such as haue no knowledge at all, may be instructed without any other teaching