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The kalender of shepherdes

the edition of Paris 1503 in photographic facsimile: a faithful reprint of R. Pynson's edition of London 1506. Edited with a critical introduction and glossary by H. Oskar Sommer

[section]

The Kalender of the Shepeherdes.

[The fyrste parte of the kalēder of sheperdis.]

How euery moneth prayseth it selfe of some good propryete.

Here is the seconde parte of the compot and kalender that shewith of the tre of vices and the peynes of hell.

[The tre of vices and the peynes of hell.]

A remembraunce of the vnstabylnes of the worlde.

Here after foloweth the x. comaūdemētes in the table that god gaue vnto Moyses in the moūte of Synay.

[God gyde me ryght/ that I wonse myght]

The balad of the shepherde.

Here foloweth the songe of a woman shepherde that vnderstode well & hir songe profytes.

Here begynneth the songe of dethe.

Hereafter foloweth the x. cōmaūdementys of the deuyll contrary to them of our lorde.

Hereafter Foloweth parte of the paynes/ of Helle/ For the cōmaundementes of the Deuyll As it is aboue sayde.

Howe euery degre of states sholde ordre them.

The gouernaunce of helthe.

The awtor

APPENDIX.

How plowmen sholde do.

Of an assaute agaynst a snayle.

The saynge of a deed man.

How euery man and woman ought to cease of theyr syn̄es at the sownynge of the dredable horne.

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[The fyrste parte of the kalēder of sheperdis.]

How euery moneth prayseth it selfe of some good propryete.

Ianuary.

I make me to be called Ianyuere
In my tyme is grete stormes of coldnes
For vnto me no moneth of the yere
May compayre/ yf I auaunt me doubtles
For in my tyme was as clerkes do expresse
Cyrcumcysed the lorde omnypotent
And adoured by kynges of thoryent.

February.

I am February the moost hardy
In my season the pure moder vyrgynall
Offred her sone in the temple truely
Makynge to god a present specyall
Of Ihesu cryst the kynge of kynges all
Betwene the armes of the bysshop Symon.
To whome praye we to haue remyssyon.

Marche.

Marche am I called/ in noblesse flourysshynge
Whiche amonge moneths am of grete noblesse
For in my tyme all fruytes doth budde and sprynge
To the seruyce of man in grete largesse
And lente is in me the tyme of holynesse
That eche man ought for to haue repentaunce
Of his synnes doone by long contynuaunce.

Apryll.

Amonge all monthes I am lusty Apryll
Fresshe and holsom vnto eche creature
And in my tyme the dulcet droppes dystyll
Called crystall as poetes put in scrypture
Causynge all floures the longer to endure
In my tyme was the resurreccyon
Of god and man/ by dyuyne eleccyon.

Maye.

Of all the monethes in the yere I am kynge
Flourysshynge in beaute excellently

For in my tyme in vertue is all thynge
Feldes and medes spredde moost beauteuously
And byrdes syngeth with ryght swete armony
Reioycynge louers with hote loue all endewed
With flagraunt floures all about renewed.

Iune.

Who of my season taketh ryght good hede
Ought not at all my name to adnull
For in my tyme for all the comyns wede
From shepe is shorne all the flese and wull
And had in marchaundyse by grete shyps full
Ouer the see/ wherfore we ought to praye
Vnto our lorde/ and thanke hym nyght and day.

Iuyll.

Yf that my tyme were praysed all aryght
Amonge all months I am one of the chefe
For I enrype through my grete force and myght
Fruytes of the erthe to man and bestes relefe
Fedynge horses/ kyen/ moton/ and stronge befe
With other propryetees that I coude tell
But I must passe I may no longer dwell.

August.

I am named the hote moneth of August
For redolent heet of Phebus bryghtnesse
In my tyme eche man ought for to haue lust
To laboure in haruest with grete besynes
To repe and shefe eschewynge ydlenesse
And ryse erly with perfyte dylygence
Thankynge our lorde of his good prouydence.

Septembre.

Who can my name perfytely remembre
With the commodytees of my season
Ought of ryght to call me septembre
Plenteous of goodes by all maner reason
As wheet/ rye/ otes/ benes/ fytches/ and peason
Of whiche fruyte eche man ought to haue in store
To lyue dyrectly/ and thanke our lorde therfore.

Octobre.

Amonge the other October I hyght
Frende vnto vynteners naturally
And in my tyme Bachus is redy dyght
All maner wyne to presse and claryfy
Of whiche is sacred as we se dayly
The blyssed body of Cryst in flesshe and blode
Whiche is our hope/ refeccyon/ and fode.

Nouembre.

I Nouembre wyll not abyde behynde
To shewe my kyndly worthynes and vre
For in my tyme the blastes of the wynde
Abareth lenes and shedeth theyr verdure
Wherfore euery prudent creature
Ought for to lyue ryght as they wolde dye
For all thynge taketh ende naturally.

Decembre.

Decembre euery man dooth me call
In whose tyme the moder Inuyolate
Delyuered was in an olde oxe stall
Of Ihesu cryst goddes owne sone Incarnate
Wherfore I thynke me the moost fortunate
Of all the other/ to whome pray we then
That we may come vnto his blysse Amen.

The begynnynges and endes of the foure seasons of the yere.

The fyrst is prymetyme that thus dooth begyn
From myd February/ vnto myd Maye
And fro myd Maye somer is entred in
To myd august/ and than is haruest daye
And fro that tyme wynter entreth alway
On saynt Clements day who so taketh hede
At myd February it fayleth in dede.

Thus endeth the prayse of the .xii. moneths wt the begynnynges & endes of the .iiii. quarters/ And consequently foloweth ye kalender wt the feestes of the yere as shepeherdes specefye.

Here ēdethe the fyrst parte of the kalēder of sheperdis.