Works and Days: The Medieval Year
Above left to right: Calendar page from The Belles Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry, 1405???1408/1409. Pol, Jean, and Herman de Limbourg (Franco-Netherlandish, active in France, by 1399???1416). French; Made in Paris. The Cloisters Collection, 1954 (54.1.1). Center: Detail of the activity for the month; Right: Detail of the zodiacal symbol Aquarius. See the Collection Database to learn more about this work of art.
Januar By thys fyre I warme my handys; Februar And with my spade I delfe my landys. Marche Here I sette my thynge to sprynge, Aprile And here I here [hear] the fowlis synge. Maij I am as lyght as byrde on bowe, Junij And I wede my corne well I-now [enough] Julij With my sythe [scythe] my meade [meadow] my mead I [mow]; Auguste And here I shere my corne full low. September With my flayll I erne my brede, October And here I sawe [sow] my whete so rede. November At Martynesmasse I kyll my swine; December And at Cristesmasse I drynke redde wyne. (Bridget Henisch, The Medieval Calendar Year, 1999)