Middle English Lyrics: Merry It Is While Summer Lasts


manuscript illumination of medieval guitar


Merry It Is




5  
 		Mirie it is while sumer y-last
With fugheles son
Oc nu neheth windes blast
And weder strong.
Ei, ei! What this nicht is long
And ich with wel michel wrong
Soregh and murne and fast.

[Beginning of the 13th century]


Mirie - merry
y-last - lasts
fugheles - birds
son - sound, song
Oc - but
nu - now
neheth - neareth, draws closer
weder strong - fierce weather
What... long - Oh but how long
ich - I
wel michel - "well mickle," very much
Soregh - sorrow, grieve
murne - mourn


Audio Excerpt from the CD
The Dufay Collective: Miri It Is




The Oxford Girls' Choir has a .PDF of sheet music.

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Created by Anniina Jokinen on November 26, 2006.