This Endernight I Saw A Sight

For Christmas Eve, For Christmas

Compare: This Endres Nyght
This Endris Night

Words and Music: English Traditional, Fifteenth Century

Source: Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), p. 62.

"Ah, my dear Son," said Mary, "ah, my dear,
Kiss Thy mother, Jesu, with a laughing cheer."

1. This endernight I saw a sight,
    All in my sleep:
Mary, that may, she sang lullay
    And sore did weep;
To keep she sought full fast about
    Her Son from cold.
Joseph said, "Wife, my joy, my life,
    Say what ye would."
"Nothing, my spouse, is in this house
    Unto my pay;
My Son a king, that made all thing,
    Lieth in hay.
        "Ah, my dear Son," said Mary, "ah, my dear,
        Kiss Thy mother, Jesu, with a laughing cheer."

2. "My mother dear, amend your cheer
    And now be still;
Thus for to lie it is soothly
    My Father's will;
Derision, great passion,
    Infinitely,
As it is found, many a wound
    Suffer shall I;
On Calvary that is so high
    There shall I be,
Man to restore, nailed full sore
    Upon a tree."
        "Ah, my dear Son," said Mary, "ah, my dear,
        Kiss Thy mother, Jesu, with a laughing cheer."

Also found in A. H. Bullen, A Christmas Garland (London: John C. Nimmo, 1885), p. 21, also with modernized spelling. He notes that this carol was printed in Sandys' Christmas Carols, from Add. Ms. 5165 (ancient songs temp Henry VII and VIII). He also notes, at page 252, "The MS. from which this piece is taken contains a large collection of church-services, hymns, carols, and songs, — with music. It formerly belonged to Joseph Ritson, who presented it to the British Museum. The collection deserves to be printed in full."

Editor's Note:

This text was compared, side-by-side, with the texts from Sandys and Bullen. This text was identical to that given by Bullen, and, although modernized, was also identical to that given by Sandys. That being the case, it is impossible to identify the source used by Dr. Rickert. It would be interesting to compare the appropriate folios from the Fairfax and Ritson manuscripts.

Editor's Note:

There are numerous carols with a very similar title, and at least five manuscript sources for versions of these two songs, including, but not limited to:

1. Versions from Addit. Ms. 5465, British Library:

• This Endnes Nyght - William Sandys, 1833, in Middle English; Burden: A, My Dere Son, from Sandys, 1833

2. Versions from Ms. Eng. Poet. e. 1.:

• Thys endris nyghth - Thomas Wright (1847); First verse: This lovely lady sat and song

• This Endris Night I Saw A Sight - Chambers & Sidgwick; First verse: This lovely lady sat and song

• This Winter's Night, I Saw A Sight - Joshua Sylvester, 1861; First verse: This lovely lady sang and sang.

• This Endris Night - Version 1, with notes; Source lost; First verse: This lovely lady sat and sang

• The Virgin and Child - Bramley and Stainer, Second Series, Carol #25, ca. 1871, with sheet music; First Verse: A lovely lady sat and sang

3. Versions from the Advocates Library, Edinburgh:

• This endurs ny3t I see a syght - Wright, 1845; First Line: This lovely lady sete and song

• This Endris Night - Version 2 - William Henry Husk, 1868, with sheet music and note; First verse: This lovely lady sat and sang. Sheet Music is from Martin Shaw and Percy Dearmer, The English Carol Book, Second Series (London: A. R. Mowbray & Co., Ltd., 1913), Carol #51.

4. A Version from the Ms. Royal Appx. 58:

• Thys Ender Nyzth

5. A Version from the Balliol MS. 354, the Richard Hill Commonplace Book:

• This Enders Nyght - Balliol 354

6. A Version from Ritson's Manuscript, Add. MS 5665

• This Endes Night I Saw A Sight - Bullen

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