This endris night I saw a sight,
A star as bright as day,
And ever among, a maiden sung,
“Lullay, by, by, lullay.”

This lovely lady sat and sung
And to her child did say:
“My son, my brother, father dear
Why liest thou thus in hay?”

“Yet, sweet son, since thou art a king
Why are thou laid in stall?
Why dost not order thy bedding
In some great kingès hall?

“Methinks ’tis right that king or knight
Should lie in good array;
And them among it be not wrong
To sing ‘By by lullay’.”

“O mother mine, I am child
Though I be laid in stall;
And lords and dukes shall worship me
And so shall kingès all

“Yet in they arm thou hold me warm
And keep me night and day;
And if I weep and may not sleep
Sing thou ‘By by lullay’.”

 

Words and Music: Trad. English. The earliest manuscript containing the song comes from c. 1475