Rather a ditch in Egypt / Be gentle grave unto me! rather on Nilus' mud / Lay me stark-nak'd, and let the water-flies / Blow me into abhorring!

[European honey bees] raise large colonies, hoard large quantities of honey, are more gentle than other species and almost never abscond.

At the well head the purest streames arise: / But mucky filth his braunching armes annoyes, / And with vncomely weedes the gentle waue accloyes.