-- | | 1900 | -- | | -- | _1000_| | -- | [Scale 1 inch to 500 years] THE TWELVE MONTHS In the following pages twelve pictures are reproduced from a _Book of Hours_ of the 15th century. All except "Feeding pigs in November" were painted by Pol de Limbourg for the Duke of Berri. Each of them shows a typical occupation of the season and most of them have a famous castle in the background. A FEAST IN JANUARY A FARM IN FEBRUARY PLOUGHING AND VINE-LOPPING IN MARCH A BETROTHAL IN APRIL THE FIRST OF MAY HAYMAKING IN JUNE HARVESTING AND SHEEP-SHEARING IN JULY HAWKING AND SWIMMING IN AUGUST THE VINTAGE IN SEPTEMBER SOWING SEEDS IN OCTOBER FEEDING PIGS IN NOVEMBER HUNTING BOAR IN DECEMBER [Illustration: A FEAST IN JANUARY Showing the Duke of Berri seated at table, with a tapestry in the background] [Illustration: A FARM IN FEBRUARY] [Illustration: PLOUGHING AND VINE-LOPPING IN MARCH In the background, the castle of Lusignan on the Vienne, the favourite residence of the Duke of Berri] [Illustration: A BETROTHAL IN APRIL In the background, the Castle of Dourdan, belonging to the Duke of Berri] [Illustration: THE FIRST OF MAY In the background, the Towers of Riom, the capital of the Duchy of Auvergne, belonging to the Duke of Berri] [Illustration: HAYMAKING IN JUNE In the background, the Towers of Paris, showing the Sainte Chapelle, the Conciergerie and the postern gate on the Seine] [Illustration: HARVESTING AND SHEEP-SHEARING IN JULY In the background, the Castle of Poitiers, rebuilt by the Duke of Berri] [Illustration: HAWKING AND SWIMMING IN AUGUST In the background, the Castle of Étampes, acquired by the Duke of Berri] [Illustration: THE VINTAGE IN SEPTEMBER In the background, the Castle of Saumur, in a district noted for its vineyards] [Illustration: SOWING SEEDS IN OCTOBER In the background, the River Seine and the old Louvre Note the scarecrow with a bow in his hands] [Illustration: FEEDING PIGS IN NOVEMBER This picture is by another artist at the end of the 15th century] [Illustration: HUNTING BOARS IN DECEMBER In the background, the Castle of Vincennes This picture was borrowed from an Italian artist] CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY J.B. PEACE, M.A., AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS End of Project Gutenberg's Britain in the Middle Ages, by Florence L. Bowman