This endris[9] night
I saw a sight,
A star as bright as day;
And ever among[10]
A maiden sung
Lullay, byby, lullay.
This lovely lady sat and sang, and to her child gan say,
‘My son, my brother, my father dear, why liest thou thus in hay?
My sweetë brid,[11]
Thus it is betid
Though thou be King veray;
But, nevertheless,
I will not cease
To sing byby, lullay.’
The child then spake in his talking; and to his mother said—
‘I am beknown for heaven’s king, in crib though I be laid;
For angels bright
Down to me light,
Thou knowest it is no nay.
And of that sight
Thou mayest be light,
To sing byby, lullay.’
‘Now sweetë son, since thou art king, why art thou laid in stall?
Why ne thou ordainèd thy bedding in some great kingës hall?
Methinketh it right
That king or knight
Should lie in good array;
And then among
It were no wrong
To sing byby, lullay.’
‘Mary, mother, I am thy child, though I be laid in stall,
Lords and dukes shall worship me, and so shall kingës all.
Ye shall well see,
The kingës three
Shall come the twelfthë day;
For this behest
Give me thy breast,
And sing byby, lullay.’
‘Now tell me, sweet son, I thee pray, thou art me lief and dear,
How should I keep thee to thy pay,[12] and make thee glad of cheer?
For all thy will
I would fulfil,
Thou weet’st full well in fay.[13]
And for all this
I will thee kiss,
And sing byby, lullay.’
‘My dear mother, when time it be, thou take me up aloft,
And settë me upon thy knee, and handle me full soft.
And in thy arm
Thou hile[14] me warm,
And keepë night and day;
If I weep
And may not sleep,
Thou sing byby, lullay.’
‘Now, sweet son, since it is so, that all is at thy will,
I pray thee grant to me a boon if it be right and skill,[15]
That child or man
That will or can
Be merry upon my day;
To bliss them bring,
And I shall sing
Lullay, byby, lullay.’
[9] Last.
[10] Anon.
[11] Bird.
[12] Content.
[13] Faith.
[14] Cover.
[15] Reasonable.