It is found in a manuscript from the thirteenth century (Douce 139) containing mostly legal writings, and is accompanied by a musical score for two voices.
[4] Reiss's religious interpretation was convincing to James I. Wimsatt,[5] but not to John Huber[6] or to R. T. Davies, who found it unbelievable.
A New Testament reading can take the imagery of spring, a frequent occurrence in Middle English religious poetry, as a reference to Easter.
In that reading, which has plenty of complications, the "foweles" might be a reference to Christ's words in the "Foxes have holes" passage of Matthew 8:18–20.
[11] In the end, however, Moser contends that nothing should stand in the way of a purely secular reading: the "nature opening" is conventional for love poems, as is the reference to "blood and bone" in love poetry, which Moser points out occurs also in "The Fair Maid of Ribblesdale" and in "Blow Northern Wind" (both in the Harley Lyrics).