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XXXIII.

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 dight1
Of all the fairest flowres and freshest buds

Which th' earth brings forth; and wet he seem'd in sight With waves, through which he waded for his Loves delight.

XXXIV.

Then came faire May, the fayrest Mayd on ground,
Deckt all with dainties of her seasons 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 iolly 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 pase,
And backward yode,2 as bargemen wont to fare
Bending their force contrary to their face;

Like that ungracious crew which faines demurest grace.

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XXXVI.

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 whylome1 did forray
The Némæan 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,

She left th' unrighteous world, and was to heaven extold.

XXXVIII.

Next him September marched eeke on foote;
Yet was he heavy laden with the spoyle
Of harvests riches, which he made his boot,2
And him enricht with bounty of the soyle:
In his one hand, as fit for harvests toyle,
He held a knife-hook; and in th' other hand

1 Whylome, formerly.

2 Boot, booty, gain.

ntended a satirical stroke against the Puritans, who were a prevailing Iarty in the age of Queen Elizabeth."- WARTON.

XXXVII. 6. — Righteous Virgin.] Astræa.

1

A Paire of Waights, with which he did assoyle 1 Both more and lesse, where it in doubt did stand, And equall gave to each as Iustice duly scann'd.

XXXIX.

2

Then came October full of merry glee;
For yet his noule was totty of the must,
Which he was treading in the wine-fats see,
And of the ioyous oyle, whose gentle gust
Made him so frollick and so full of lust:
Upon a dreadfull Scorpion he did ride,
The same which by Dianaes doom uniust
Slew great Orion; and eeke 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 3 ;
In planting eeke he took no small delight:
Whereon he rode, not easie was to deeme;
For it a dreadfull Centaure was in sight,

The seed of Saturne and faire Nais, Chiron hight.*

1 Assoyle, determine.

2 Gust, flavor.

XXXVIII. 7.-A Paire of Waights.]

3 Breem, piercing.

4 Hight, called.

Alluding to the sign of Libra,

or the Balance, which the sun enters in September.

XXXIX. 2.- His noule was totty of the must.] His head was dizzy with new wine.

XXXIX. 3.- Wine-fals see.] The liquor in the wine-vats.

XXXIX. 7.- Dianaes doom uniust.] "Orion was a famous hunter, in love with Aurora, or the Morning, as hunters generally are. Diana, out of a fit of womanish jealousy, because she was not the sole object of his care and love, sent a scorpion that killed him. Her doom, therefore, was unjust." — UPTON.

XLI.

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 Saviours birth his mind so much did glad:
Upon a shaggy-bearded Goat he rode,
The same wherewith Dan love in tender yeares,
They say, was nourisht by th' Iæan Mayd;

And in his hand a broad deepe bowle he beares,
Of which he freely drinks an health to all his peeres.

XLII.

Then came old Ianuary, wrapped well
In many weeds to keep the cold away;
Yet did he quake and quiver like to quell,2
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 3:
Upon an huge great Earth-pot Steane 4 he stood,

From whose wide mouth there flowed forth the Romane

Flood.

XLIII.

And lastly came cold 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

1 Weeds, garments.

3 Spray, branches.

2 Quell, perish.

4 Steane, stone.

XLII. 3. Like to quell.] Like to perish.

XLII. 8.-Earth-pot Steane.] This was the vessel of earth or stone with which Aquarius was represented, and from which flowed the constellation Eridanus, the Italian or "Romane Flood."

His plough and harnesse fit to till the ground,

And tooles to prune the trees, before the pride

Of hasting Prime1 did make them burgein 2 round. So past the Twelve Months forth, and their dew places found.

XLIV.

And after these there came the Day and Night,

Riding together both with equall pase;

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,3
And Sleep and Darknesse round about did trace:
But Day did beare upon his scepters hight

The goodly sun encompast all with beamës bright.

XLV.

Then came the Howres, faire daughters of high Iove
And timely Night; the which were all endewed
With wondrous beauty fit to kindle love;
But they were virgins all, and love eschewed

That might forslack the charge to them foreshewed 5
By mighty love; who did them porters make
Of heavens gate (whence all the gods issued)
Which they did dayly watch, and nightly wake
By even turnes, ne ever did their charge forsake.

XLVI.

And after all came Life; and lastly Death:
Death with most grim and griesly visage seene,
Yet is he nought but parting of the breath;
Ne ought to see, but like a shade to weene,
Unbodied, unsoul'd, unheard, unseene:

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