Lyrics (15th Century English)
Translation

In Aprell and in May,
In the months of April and May

When hartes be all mery,
When all hearts are merry,

Besse Bunting, the millaris may,
Bessie Bunting, the miller's girl,

Withe lippes so red as chery,
With lips red as cherries -

She cast in hir remembrance
She recalls to mind

To passe hir time in daliance
She should spend her time in love-making

And to leve hir thought driery.
And leave dreary thoughts behind her.

Right womanly arayd
In her maidenly dress,

In a peticote of whit,
In a petticoat white,

She was nothing dismayd -
Nothing dismayed her:

Hir countenance was full light.
Her countenance was light.