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FOOTSTEPS OF THE SEASONS. 



** So forth issued the Seasons of the year. 



First lusty Spring, all dight in leaves of flowers, 



That freshly budded and new blooms did bear, 



In which a thousand birds had built their bowers, 



That sweetly sung to call forth paramours ; 



And in his hand a javelin he did bear, 



And on his head (as fit for warlike stoures) 



A gilt engraven morion he did wear ; 

 That as some did him love, so others did him fear. 



*• Then comes the jolly Summer, being dight 



In a thin silken cassock coloured green, 



That was unlined all, to be more light ; 



And on his head a girlond well beseene 



He wore, from which, as he had chauflfed beene 



The sweat did drop ; and in his hand he bore 



A bowe and shaftes, as he in forest greene 



Had hunted late the libbard or the boare. 

 And now would bathe his limbes, with labor heated sore. 



" Then came the Autumn, all in yellow clad. 



As though he joyed in his plenteous store, 



Laden with fruits that made him laugh full glad 



That he had banished hunger, which to fore 



Had by the belly oft him pinched sore : 



Upon his head a wreath, that was enrolled 



With ears of corn of every sort, he bore ; 



And in his hand a sickle he did hold 

 To reap the ripened fruits the which the earth had yold. 



-" Lastly came Winter, clothed all in frieze, 



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 distil ; 

 In his right hand a tipped staflf he held, 

 With which his feeble steps he stayed still ; 

 For he was faint with cold, and weak with eld ; 

 That scarce his loosed limbes he able was to weld." 



Sfekseb. 



