February, from the Tres Riches Heures of the Duc de Berry
Fall is fast approaching and back here in 13th century Europe, the Roman technology of under-floor heating has been forgotten. Having changed your identity again and left the monastery, winter with a peasant family will be a time of bitter cold, damp, and scarce food. Animals will need to be housed in barns wherever possible, or indoors with the family. Folks will snuggle together to sleep, sharing each others warmth (and fleas). Days will be short, nights long, and candles have to be saved for when we need them most.
Even when the ground is covered with snow, somebody will have to go out to forage for firewood. Since there are still dangerous animals out in the forest, not to mention lawless men, you will probably want to take someone with you, and go armed; by now your dagger should be your constant companion - your only table implement, self-defense, and maid-of-all-work tool around the demesne. Menfolk are also required by the Lord of the Manor to practise regularly with the English longbow, so have someone who knows how to shoot go with you when you have to leave the demesne and no matter how hungry you are, don't shoot any deer, deer are property of the crown, and there's a fearful penalty for poaching them.
X:52 % number
T:Mery yt ys
C:Anon
O:English
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q: % tempo
K:F
A A D | E F G E/C/ | G F<D C-|C A A D |
w:Mery yt ys whil sumer y-last_ with fughe-les song;_ Oc! Now negh-
E F G E/C/ | G F<D C-|C z A B | (3A/G/F/ G/A/ F D |
w:eth wind-ès blast_ and we-der strong!_ Ey! Ey! What__ this_ night ys
C2 A B | (3A/G/F/ G/A/ F D | C2 F E/G/ | F<D D<C-| C2 F E/G/ |
w:long and I wit__ wel_ much-el wrong. Sor-we and mur-ne and fast.* Sor-we and
F<D D<C-|C3 z|]
w:mur-ne and fast.
In modern English:
Life is good while summer lasts with birds (fugheles) singing,
But now the wind wails and the weather turns nasty!
The night is so long and everything is so miserable!
My wretched stomach won't stop rumbling!
Even when the ground is covered with snow, somebody will have to go out to forage for firewood. Since there are still dangerous animals out in the forest, not to mention lawless men, you will probably want to take someone with you, and go armed; by now your dagger should be your constant companion - your only table implement, self-defense, and maid-of-all-work tool around the demesne. Menfolk are also required by the Lord of the Manor to practise regularly with the English longbow, so have someone who knows how to shoot go with you when you have to leave the demesne and no matter how hungry you are, don't shoot any deer, deer are property of the crown, and there's a fearful penalty for poaching them.
X:52 % number
T:Mery yt ys
C:Anon
O:English
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q: % tempo
K:F
A A D | E F G E/C/ | G F<D C-|C A A D |
w:Mery yt ys whil sumer y-last_ with fughe-les song;_ Oc! Now negh-
E F G E/C/ | G F<D C-|C z A B | (3A/G/F/ G/A/ F D |
w:eth wind-ès blast_ and we-der strong!_ Ey! Ey! What__ this_ night ys
C2 A B | (3A/G/F/ G/A/ F D | C2 F E/G/ | F<D D<C-| C2 F E/G/ |
w:long and I wit__ wel_ much-el wrong. Sor-we and mur-ne and fast.* Sor-we and
F<D D<C-|C3 z|]
w:mur-ne and fast.
In modern English:
Life is good while summer lasts with birds (fugheles) singing,
But now the wind wails and the weather turns nasty!
The night is so long and everything is so miserable!
My wretched stomach won't stop rumbling!
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