Synopsis

The following attempts to use historical evidence to uncover the origins, and development of the limerick throughout history. If you would like a breif example of what a limerick is you can view some I have wrote here. Regarding the history of limericks it appears to be a highly debated topic. If you are not interested in a more thorough analysis of a limerick you can view my On Limerick Composition, for a practical guide to the composition of limericks.

Early Precursors & Medieval influences

It would seem that some "Proto-Limericks" can be indentified within early medieval European verse. Specifically the identification of a 11-century French manuscript of which contained a five-line poem with similar rhythmic patterns, though its rhyme scheme differed from the modern AABBA structure. Similar examples can be drawn from Latin prayers such as a hymn attributed to Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), which scholars cite as an early limerick-like composition despite its clear lack of humurous intent.