In a manuscript dated 1395–1401 is a most unusual two part polyphonic song in Middle English, which begins: “Me lykyþ ever þe lenger þe bet by Wyngestyr þat joly syte”. It is a song in praise of Winchester, a city in Hampshire, 60 miles southwest of London. In modern English, the words are: “I am always pleased, better as time passes, by Winchester, that jolly city. The town is good and in a fine location. The people are beautiful to look upon. The air is good, both inside and outside. The city stands beneath a hill, the rivers run all around. The town is ruled over with reason.”
The verse reads like a jingle for the Winchester tourist board. Who would write or sing such a song? This article investigates, starting with a video performance on voices and symphonie.