Louely Maya Hermes mother
Of faire Flora much befrended
(To whom this sweet month is commended
This month more sweet then any other)
By thy sweet souerantie defended.

Dazes, Couslippes , and Primroses
Fragrant Violettes , and sweet Mynthe
Match'te with purple Hyacynthe ,
Of these each where Nymphes make trimme poses
Praysing their mother Bericynthe .

Behold an heard of Iollie swaines
Go flocking vp and downe the meade,
A troupe of louely Nymphes do treade:
And dearnely dauncing on yon plaines
Each doth in course her hornepype lead.

Before the groomes playes Peers the pyper,
They bring in Hauthorne and sweet brere ,
And damaske-roses they would beare
(But them they leaue till they be riper)
The rest, round morisses daunce there.

With frisking gamboldes, and such glee,
Vnto the louely Nymphes they hast:
Who there in decent order plac'de
Expect who shall Queene Flora bee,
And with the may crowne cheefly grac'de.

The shepheardes poopen in their pype
One leades his wenche a country rounde:
Another sittes vpon the grounde
And doth his beard from driuell wipe,
Because he would be handsome found.

To see the frisking, and scouping
To heare the herdgroomes wowing speeches,
Whiles one to daunce his gyrle beseeches,
The lead-heeld lazie luskines louping
Fling out in their new mottley breeches.

This done, with iollye cheare, and game
The batchler swaines, and yong Nymphes mett
Where in an arbour they were sett
Thether (to chuse a Queene) they came
And soone concluded her to fette.

There with a garland they did crowne
Parthenophe my sweet true-loue,
Whose bewtie all the Nymphes aboue
Did put the louely graces downe:
The swaines with shoutes rockes Ecchoes moue.

To see the roundes, and morisse daunces,
The leaden galliard's for her sake,
To heare those songes the shepheardes make:
One with his hobbie-horse still praunces,
Whiles some with flowers an high way make.

There in a mantle of light greene,
Reseru'd by custome for that day
Parthenophe they did aray
And did create her sommers Queene,
And ruler of their merrie may.