On page 101 is given a reduced _fac simile_. It is written on a staff of six lines, in the square notes of the Franconian period. The clef is that of C. The asterisk at the end of the first phrase marks the proper place of entrance for the successive voices, each in turn commencing at the beginning when the previous one has arrived, at this point. Below is the _pes_, or burden, which is to be repeated over and over until the piece is finished. The complete solution is reproduced in miniature from Grove's Dictionary, on pages 102 and 103. The elaborateness of this piece of music led the original discoverers to place it much later than the date above given, but more careful examination of the manuscript justifies the conclusion that it was written some time before 1240. It is by far the most elaborate piece of ancient part music which has come down to us from times so remote. It indicates conclusively that early in the thirteenth century, when the composers of the old French school were struggling with the beginnings of canonic imitation, confining their work to ecclesiastical tonality, English musicians had arrived at a better art and a true feeling for the major scale and key. Following is the manuscript, the original size of the page being seven and seven-twelfths inches by five and five-twelfths inches. The reduced page before the reader represents the original upon a scale of about two-thirds. The Latin directions below the fourth staff indicate the manner of singing it. [Illustration: FAC SIMILE OF MSS. OF "SUMER IS ICUMEN IN."] [Music illustration: "SUMER IS ICUMEN IN." Sum-er is i-cu-men in, Lhud-e sing cuc-cu. Grow-eth sed and blow-eth med and springth the wod-e nu. Sing cuc-cu. Awe blet-eth af-ter lomb, lhouth af-ter calv-e cu. Bul-luc stert-eth, buck-e vert-eth, mu-rie sing cuc-cu. Cuc-cu, cuc-cu.[3] Wel sing-es thu cuc-cu, ne swik thu nau-er nu. Sum-er is i-cum-en in, Lhud-e sing cuc-cu. Grow-eth sed and blow-eth med, and springth the wod-e nu. Sing cuc-cu.[4] Per-spi-ce X[=p]-i-co-la[5] que dig-na-ci-o. Ce-li-cus a-gri-co-la Pro vi-tis vi-ci-o. Fi-li-o, Non par-cens ex-pos-u-it, Mor-tis ex-i-ci-o, Qui cap-ti-vos se-mi-vi-vos A sup-pli-ci-o. Vi-ta do-nat, et se-cum co-ro-nat in ce-li so-li-o. Per-spi-ce X[=p]-i-co-la que dig-na-ci-o. Ce-li-cus a-gri-co-la Pro vi-tis vi-ci-o. Fi-li-o.] [Footnote 3: Burner and Hawkins have both mistaken this note (Transcriber's Note: referring to an A) for G. It is quite certainly A in the original MS. In the four bars which follow, the words and music are incorrectly fitted together in all previous editions.] [Footnote 4: Antiently, each voice ceased at the end of the _Guida_, which is here denoted by the sign *. The present custom is for all the voices to continue until they reach a point at which they may all conveniently close together, as indicated by the pause.]