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This endris night[I]
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 sang, and to her child she said,–
“My son, my brother, my father dear, why liest thou thus in hayd?[J]
My sweet bird,
Thus it is betide
Though thou be king veray;
But, nevertheless,
I will not cease
To sing, by by, lullay.”

The child then spake; in his talking he to his mother said,–
“I bekid[K] am 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, by by, lullay.”

“Now, sweet Son, since thou art king, why art thou laid in stall?
Why not thou ordain thy bedding in some great kinges hall?
Methinketh it is right
That king or knight
Should be in good array;
And them among
It were no wrong
To sing, by by, lullay.”

“Mary, mother, I am thy child, though I be laid in stall,
Lords and dukes shall worship me and so shall kinges all.
Ye shall well see
That kinges three
Shall come on the twelfth day;
For this behest
Give me thy breast
And sing, by by, lullay.”

“Now tell me, sweet Son, I thee pray, thou art my love and dear,
How should I keep thee to thy pay[L] and make thee glad of cheer?
For all thy will
I would fulfil
Thou weet’st full well in fay,
And for all this
I will thee kiss,
And sing, by by, lullay.”

“My dear mother, when time it be, take thou me up aloft,
And set me upon thy knee and handle me full soft.
And in thy arm
Thou wilt me warm,
And keep me night and day;
If I weep
And may not sleep
Thou sing, by by, lullay.”

“Now, sweet Son, since it is so, all things are at thy will,
I pray thee grant to me a boon if it be right and skill,
That child or man,
That will or can,
Be merry upon my day;
To bliss them bring,
And I shall sing,
Lullay, by by, lullay.”

FOOTNOTES:

[I] Endris night: last night.

[J] Hay.

[K] Nevertheless.

[L] Peace.