Beyond those two fields, an even greater lack of knowledge would seem to be apparent, even, at times, among purported experts. This for the simple reason that, outside of them, very little science or scientific method was practiced by the scientists of the time (such as they were). The most popular books of science were often centuries old, wrong in many matters then, and not corrected since.
As often as not, the science (such as it was) was given a more general audience by the creative works of university authors. Among the most popular topics was that of the Commonwealth of Bees. The subject had been popular since Aristotle's comments on it in 4th century B.C.E. Greece. But, mostly, the information (such as it was) came from Book XI of Pliny the Elder's Natural History and Book IV of Virgil's Georgics. Examples of what creative literature and scientific literature (such as it was) had made of them can be found everywhere at least from the 4th century C.E. onward.
I begin here with England's most popular Tudor novel Euphues, his England (1580)1 by John Lyly, secretary to Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford.
The character Fidus is speaking:
GEntlemen, I have for the space oſ this twenty yeares dwelt in this place, taking no delight in any thing but only in keeping my Bees, and marking them, and this I finde, which had I not seene, I shold hardly have beleeved. That they use as great wit by indu[c]tion, and arte by workmanship, as ever man hath, or can, using be[t]weene themeselves no lesse justice then wisdome, and yet not so much wisdome as majestie: insomuch as thou wouldes thinke, that they were a kinde oſ people, a common wealth for Plato, where they all labour, all gather honny, flye all together in a swarme, eate in a swarm, and sleepe in a swarm, so neate and finely, that they abhorre nothing so much as uncleannes, drinking pure and cleere water, delighting in sweete and sound Musick, which iſ they heare but once out oſ tune, they flye out oſ sight: and thereforc are they called the Muses byrds, bicause they ſolow not the sound so much as the consent. They lyve under a lawe, using great reverence to their elder, as to the wiser. They chuse a King, whose pallace they frame both braver in show, and stronger in substaunce: whome if they finde to fall, they establish again in his thron[e], with no lesse duty then devotion, garding him continually, as it were for ſeare he should miscarry, and for love he should not: whom they tender with such fayth and favour, that wh[i]ther-soever he ſlyeth, they ſollow him, and if hee can-not flye, they carry him: whose lyſe they so love, that they will not ſor his saſety stick to die, such care have they for his health, on whome they build all their hope. If their Prince dye, they know not how to live, they languish, weepe, sigh, neither intending their work, nor keeping their olde societie.
And that which is most mervailous, and almoste incredible: if ther be any that hath disobeyed his commaundements, eyther of purpose, or unwittingly, hee kylleth him-ſelfe with his owne sting, as executioner oſ his own subbornesse. The King him-selfe hath his sting, which hee useth rather for honour then punishment: And yet Euphues, al-beit they lyve under a Prince, they have their priveledge, and as great liberties as straight lawes.
They call a Parliament, wher-in they consult, for lawes, satutes, penalties, chusing officers, and creating their king, not by affection but reason, not by the greater part, but ye better. And if such a one by chaunce be chosen (for among men som-times the wors speede best) as is bad, then is there such civill war and dissention, that untill he be pluckt downe, there can be no friendship, and over-throwne, there is no enmitie, not fighting for quarrelles, but quietnesse.
Every one hath his office, some trimming the honny, some working the wax, one framing hives, an other the combes, and that so artiſicially, that Dedalus could not with greater arte or excellencie, better dispose the orders, measures, proportions, distinctions, joynts and circles. Divers hew, others polish, all are careſull to doe their worke so strongly, as they may resist the craft of such drones, as seek to live by their labours, which maketh them to keepe[, to] watch and warde, as lyving in a campe to others, and as in a court to them-selves. Such a care of chastitie, that they never ingender, such a desire of cleannesse, that there is not so much as meate in all their hives, When they go forth to work, they marke the wind, the clouds, and whatsoever doth threaten either their ruine, or [reigne], and having gathered out of every flower honny they return loden in their mouthes, thighs, wings, and all the bodye, whome they that tarried at home receyue readily, as easing their backes of so great burthens.
The Kyng him-selfe not idle, goeth up and downe, entreating, threatning, commaunding, usmg the counsell of a sequel[l], but not loosing the dignitie of a Prince, preferring those that labour to greater authoritie, and punishing those that loyter, with due severitie. All which thinges being much admirable, yet this is most, that they are so profitable, bringing unto man both honnye and wax, each so wholsome that wee all desire it, both so necessary that we cannot misse them. Here Euphues is a common wealth, which oftentimes calling to my minde, I cannot chuse but commend above any that either I have heard or read of. Where the king is not for every one to talke of, where there is such homage, such love, such labour, that I have wished oftentimes, rather be a Bee, then not be as I should be.
ln this little garden with these hives, in this house have I spent the better parte of my lyfe, yea and the best: I was never busie in matters of state, but referring al my cares unto the wisdom of grave Counsellors, and my confidence in the noble minde of my dread Sovereigne and Queene, never asking what she did, but alwayes praying she may do well, not enquiring whether she might do what she would, but thinking she would do nothing but what she might.
1 Lyly, John. English Reprints. Euphues. The Anatomy of Wit. Editio princeps. 1579. Euphues And His England. Editio princeps. 1580. Arber ed., 1869. 262-4.
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
Paul Hentzner in the Presence of Queen Elizabeth I: September 1598. January 3, 2024. “ Hentzner kept a now famous dairy...”
- Rocco Bonetti's Blackfriars Fencing School and Lord Hunsdon's Water Pipe. August 12, 2023. “... the tenement late in the tenure of John Lyllie gentleman & nowe in the tenure of the said Rocho Bonetti...”
On Shakespeare's lameness and historical-fiction biography, etc. August 5, 2023. “Those who support Sogliardo of Stratford and other authorship candidates generally stop by from time to time to remark...”
- Shakespeare CSI: Sir Thomas More, Hand-D. April 22, 2023. “What a glory to have an actual hand-written manuscript from the greatest English writer of all time!”
- Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
- Check out the Queen Elizabeth I Biography Page for many other articles.
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