BARTHOLOMEW ON SPRING 39 



into the army or civil service according to modern 

 requirements : 



" Spryngynge tyme is betwene hotte and colde, 

 most temperat betwene winter and somer, meane in 

 qualyte and partyneth with eyther of them. For 

 then blode begynneth to multiply in bodyes of 

 beastes, and humours that were bounde and made 

 thicke in wynter begynne to be dissolved by heate 

 of Spryngynge tyme. For heate is cause effective, 

 werkynge, nouryshyng, and encreasyng, and the 

 moysture is cause materyall. Spryngynge tyme 

 openeth the erthe that hath bene longe closed and 

 bounde with colde, and bryngeth forth rotes and 

 bushes that were hydde in therthe, and exciteth 

 birdes and foules to cherterynge, and clotheth and 

 hyghteth all the over partye of the erthe with a 

 wonder fairnesse. In Spryngynge tyme all thynge 

 semeth gladde, for the erth wexeth grene, trees 

 burgynne and spred, medowes bryng forth flowers, 

 heven shyneth, and all thynge that semed deed in 

 wynter and widdered ben renewed." The reader, 

 however, is cautioned that in this " Spryngynge 

 tyme water is unwholesome to drynke, for it is made 

 thycke with vapours that ben resolued, also it is 

 infect with frogges and other wormes that than 

 brede, and therfore if it be nedefull to drynke water 

 that tyme it conseyleth to seeth it fyrst, that it may 

 be clensed and purged by boyllynge." 



While Spring is yet little more than a pleasant 



