Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
You are listening to the earliest known secular song in the English language! “Mirie it is while sumer ilast” was written down sometime in the first half of the 13th century, and was found miraculously on a flyleaf added to a Book of Psalms created in the late 12th century. In this song, of which we only have one verse, the narrator praises the pleasantness of summer and mourns the harshness of winter, with its long nights and threat of starvation. The song is originally in Middle English, which evolved from Anglo-Saxon, and is generally described as being spoken from ca 1100-1500 CE.
If you like folk songs like this one- you should sing with me sometime! Right now I’m offering “Badass Women in Folk Song!” In this 6-week winter experience, we’ll gather round the hearth and learn ballads and folk songs of powerful, witty and magic-wielding women (and femmes, and non-binary and transfolks!) from Scottish, English and Appalachian tradition. You can attend online or in person, starting in mid-January!
I’m currently offering Badass Women at special early bird prices- an over 45% discount!! Holy moly! Go to the linktr.ee link on my creator page to learn more!
Mirie it is while sumer ilast
With fugheles song
Oc nu necheth windes blast
And weder strong
Ei ei what this nicht is long
And ich with wel michel wrong
Soregh and murne and fast
Translation:
Merry it is while summer lasts
With bird song
But now, close by, the winds blast
And the weather is strong
Oh, oh! This night is long
And I also am done much wrong
Sorrow and mourn and go without food
You are listening to the earliest known secular song in the English language! “Mirie it is while sumer ilast” was written down sometime in the first half of the 13th century, and was found miraculously on a flyleaf added to a Book of Psalms created in the late 12th century. In this song, of which we only have one verse, the narrator praises the pleasantness of summer and mourns the harshness of winter, with its long nights and threat of starvation. The song is originally in Middle English, which evolved from Anglo-Saxon, and is generally described as being spoken from ca 1100-1500 CE.
If you like folk songs like this one- you should sing with me sometime! Right now I’m offering “Badass Women in Folk Song!” In this 6-week winter experience, we’ll gather round the hearth and learn ballads and folk songs of powerful, witty and magic-wielding women (and femmes, and non-binary and transfolks!) from Scottish, English and Appalachian tradition. You can attend online or in person, starting in mid-January!
I’m currently offering Badass Women at special early bird prices- an over 45% discount!! Holy moly! Go to the linktr.ee link on my creator page to learn more!
Mirie it is while sumer ilast
With fugheles song
Oc nu necheth windes blast
And weder strong
Ei ei what this nicht is long
And ich with wel michel wrong
Soregh and murne and fast
Translation:
Merry it is while summer lasts
With bird song
But now, close by, the winds blast
And the weather is strong
Oh, oh! This night is long
And I also am done much wrong
Sorrow and mourn and go without food
