Then came the Autumne, all in yellow clad,
As though he ioyed in his plentious store,
Laden with fruits that made him laugh, full glad
That he had banisht Hunger, which to-fore
Had by the belly oft him pinched sore ;
Upon his head a wreath, that was enrold
With ears of corne of every sort, he bore,
And in his hand a sickle he did holde,
To reape the ripened fruits the which the earth had
Lastly came Winter, cloathed all in frize,
Chattering his teeth for cold that did him chill,
Whilst on his hoary beard his breath did freese,
And the dull drops that from his purpled bill
As from a limbeck did adown distill;
In his right hand a tipped staffe he held,
With which his feeble steps he stayed still,
For he was faint with cold and weak with eld,
That scarse his loosed limbes he hable was to weld.
These, marching softly, thus in order went,
And after them the Monthes all riding came;
First sturdy March, with brows full sternly bent,
And armed strongly, rode upon a ram,
The same which over Hellespontus swam ;
Yet in his hand a spade he also hent,
And in a bag all sorts of seeds ysame,
Which on the earth he strowed as he went, [ment.
And fild her womb with fruitfull hope of nourish
Next came fresh Aprill, full of lustyhed,
And wanton as a kid whose horne new buds
Upon a Bull he rode, the same which led
Europa floting through th' Argolick fluds;
His hornes were gilden all with, golden studs,
And garnished with garlonds goodly dight
Of all the fairest flowres and freshest buds [sight
Which th' earth, brings forth, and wet he seem'd in
With waves, through which he waded for his love's
[delight.
Then came faire May, the fayrest mayd on ground,
Deckt all with dainties of her season's pryde,
And throwing flowres out of her lap around;
Upon two brethrens shoulders, she did ride,
The Twinnes of Leda, which on eyther side
Supported her like to their soveraine queene :
Lord! how all creatures laught when her they spide
And leapt and daunc't as they had ravisht beene !
And Cupid selfe about her fluttred all in greene.
XXXV.
And after her came jolly Iune, arrayd
All in greene leaves, as he a player were,
Yet in his time he wrought as well as playd,
That by his plough-yrons, mote right well appeare
Upon a Crab he rode, that him did beare
With crooked crawling steps an uncouth pace,
And backward yode, as, bargemen wont to fare,
Bending their force contrary to their face; [grace.
Like that ungracious crew which faines demurest
Then came hot Iuly, boyling like to fire,
That all his garments he had cast away;
Upon a Lyon raging yet with ire
He boldly rode, and made him to obay;
It was the beast that whylome did forray
The Nemean forrest, till th' Amphytrionide
Him slew, and with his hide did him array;
Behinde his backe a sithe, and by his side,
Under his belt, he bore a sickle circling wide.
XXXVII.
The sixt was August, being rich arrayd
In garment all of gold downe to the ground;
Yet rode he not, but led a lovely Mayd
Forth by the lilly hand, the which was cround
With eares of corne, and full her hand was found;
That was the righteous Virgin, which of old
Liv'd here on earth, and plenty made abound,
But after wrong was lov'd, and iustice solde, [told.
She left th' unrighteous world, and was to heaven ex-
XXXVIII.
Next him September marched eeke on foote;
Yet was he heavy laden with the spoyle
Of harvest's riches, which he made his boot,
And him enricht with bounty of the soyle;
In his one hand, as fit for harvest's toyle,
He held a knife-hook, and in th' other hand
A paire of waights, with which he did assoyle
Both more and lesse, where it in doubt did stand,
And equall gave to each, as iustice duly scann'd.
Then came October, full of merry glee,
For yet his noule was totty of the must,
Which he was treading in the wine-fat's see,
And of the ioyous oyl, whose gentle gust
Made him so frolick and so full of lust;
Upon a dreadful Scorpion he did ride,
The same which by Dianaes doom uniust
Slew great Orion; and ecke by his side.
He had his ploughing-share and coulter ready tyde.
XL.
Next was November; he full grosse and fat,
As fed with lard, and that right well might seeme,
For he had been a fatting hogs of late,
That yet his browes with sweat did reek and steem,
And yet the season was full sharp and breem ;
In planting eeke he took no small delight :
Whereon he rode, not easy was to deeme,
For it a dreadful Centaure was in sight,
The seed of Saturne and faire Nais, Chiron hight.
And after him, came next the chill December,
Yet he, through merry feasting which he made,
And great bonfires, did not the cold remember,
His Saviour's birth his mind so much, did glad;
Upon a shaggy, bearded Goat he rode,
The same wherewith Dan Iove in tender yeares,
They say, was nourisht by th' Iæan mayd;
And in his hand a broad deepe boawle he beares,
Of which he freely drinks an health to all his peeres.
Then came old Ianuary, wrapped well
In many weeds, to keep the cold away,
Yet did he quake and quiver like to quell,
And blowe his nayles to warme them if he may,
For they were numbd with holding all the day
An hatchet keene, with which he felled wood,
And from the trees did lop the needlesse spray ;
Upon an huge great Earth-pot steane he stood,
From whose wide mouth there flowed forth the Ro-
XLIII.
[mane flood.
And lastly came old February, sitting
In an old Wagon, for he could not ride,
Drawne of two Fishes for the season fitting,
Which through the flood before did softly slyde
And swim away; yet had he by his side
His plough and harnesse fit to till the ground,
And tooles to prune the trees, before the pride
Of hasting prime did make them burgein round;
So past the Twelve Months forth, and their dew places
XLIV.
[found.
And after these there came the Day and Night,
Riding together both with equall pace;
Th' one on a palfrey blacke, the other white;
But Night had covered her uncomely face
With a blacke veile, and held in hand a mace,
On top whereof the moon and stars were pight,
And sleep and darknesse round about did trace;
But Day did beare upon his scepter's hight
The goodly sun, encompast all with beames bright.
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