Lullay, My Child, And Weep No More

Lullay, My Child, And Weep No More

Words and Music: English Traditional, Fifteenth Century

Source: Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), p. 69.

1. "Lullay, my child, and weep no more,
Sleep and be now still;
The King of bliss thy Father is,
As it was His will."

2. This endernight I saw a sight,¹
A maid a cradle keep,
And ever she sang and said among,
"Lullay, my child and sleep."

3. "I may not sleep, but I may weep,
I am wo woebegone;
Sleep I would, but I am cold,
And clothes I have none."

4. Methought I heard, the Child answered,
And to His mother He said,
"My mother, what do I here?
In crib why am I laid?

5. "I was born and laid beforn,
Beastes, both ox and ass;
My mother mild, I am thy child,
But He my father was.

6. "Adam's gilt this man had spilt,²
That sin grieveth me sore;
Man, for thee here shall I be
Thirty winter and more.

7. "Dole it is to see, here shall I be
Hanged upon the Rood,
By bailiffs beaten, my wounds a-sweating,³
And give my flesh for good.⁴

8. "Here shall I be hanged on a tree,
And die as it is skill;⁵
That I have bought, less will I nought;
It is my Father's will.

9. "A spear so sharp shall pierce my heart,
For deeds that I have done.
Father of grace, whether Thou hast
Forgotten Thy little son?

10. "Without pity here shall aby,⁶
And make my flesh all blue.
Adam, ywis,⁷ this death it is,
For thee and many mo."

Notes:

1. Compare: This Endris Night. Return

2. Destroyed. Return

3. Text: baleis, to-bete . . . to-wete. Return

4. Text: to bote = to help. Return

5. Necessary. Return

6. Suffer. Return

7. Certainly. Return

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