When therefore first fit plow time doth disclose; Put on with spirit; All, as one, dispose Thy Servants and thy selfe: plow wet and drie; And when _Aurora_ first affords her eye In Spring-time turn the earth vp; which see done Againe, past all faile, by the Summers Sunne. Hasten thy labours, that thy crowned fields May load themselues to thee, and [284]rack their yeelds. The Tilth-field sowe, on Earth’s most light foundations; The Tilth-field, banisher of execrations, Pleaser of Sonnes and Daughters: which t’ improve With all wisht profits, pray to earthly _Ioue_, And vertuous _Ceres_; that on all such suits Her sacred gift bestowes, in blessing fruits. When first thou enterst foot to plow thy land, And on thy plow-staffe’s top hast laid thy hand; Thy Oxens backs that next thee by a Chaine Thy Oken draught-Tree drawe, put to the paine Thy Goad imposes. And thy Boy behinde, That with his Iron Rake thou hast design’d, To hide thy seed, Let from his labour drive The Birds, that offer on thy sweat to liue. The best thing, that in humane Needs doth fall, Is _Industry_; and _Sloath_ the worst of all. With one thy Corne ears shall with fruit abound; And bow their thankfull forheads to the ground; With th’ other, scarce thy seed again redound. III. But if thou shouldst sow late, this well may be In all thy Slacknesse an excuse for thee: When, in the Oakes greene arms the Cuckoe sings, And first delights Men in the louely springs; If much raine fall, ’tis fit then to defer Thy sowing worke. But how much raine to beare, And [285]let no labour, to that Much give eare: Past intermission let _Ioue_ steepe the grasse Three daies together, so he do not passe An Oxes hoofe in depth; and neuer [286]stay To strowe thy seed in: (but if deeper way _Ioue_ with his raine makes; then forbeare the field;) For late sowne then will [287]past the formost yield. Minde well all this, nor let it fly thy powrs To knowe what fits the white spring’s early flowrs; Nor when raines timely fall: Nor when sharp colde, In winter’s wrath, doth men from worke withholde, Sit by Smiths forges, nor warme tauernes hant; Nor let the bitterest of the season dant Thy thrift-arm’d [288]paines, [289]like idle Pouertie; For then the time is when th’ industrious [290]Thie Vpholdes, with all increase, his Familie: With whose [291]rich hardness spirited, do thou [292]Poor Delicacie flie; lest frost and snowe [293]Fled for her loue, Hunger [294]sit both them out, And make thee, with the beggar’s lazie gout Sit stooping to the paine, still pointing too’t, And with a leane hand stroke a [295]foggie foot. IV.