Thomas Hill.
The Preface into the instruction
of Bees.
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. I haue ioyned this little Treatise vnto my booke of Gardening, for that most men do ioyne them both togither, as when they place their Bees in their Gardens, whereas they may with lesse paine and easilier, gather of the sweete smelling flowers, their Honie, and Waxe. And for all these my paynes gentle Reader, I craue nought else of thee, but to giue me that which of dutie in a maner I ought to haue, for if thou doest receyue any commoditie or fruite eyther by this, or by my other Treatise hereto annexed, whiche hathe to name the Husbandly coniectures, with sundry rules of Phisicke, then giue me the reward of thy good report, and friendly accepting of these two Treatises, and if not, yet accept mine endeuours in good part, which be meant to do thee good. And thus leauing (gentle reader) to trouble thee farther, I commit thee to God, who giue thee the furtherance of knowledge, both in these and all other needefull artes.
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