Christmas-Songs.Org: Coventry Carol
Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child
By, by, lully, lullay
Lullay, Thou little tiny Child
By, by, lully, lullay.
O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we sing
By, by, lully, lullay.
Herod the king, in his raging
Charged he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight
All children young to slay.
That woe is me, poor Child for Thee!
And ever morn and day
For thy parting neither say nor sing
By, by, lully, lullay.
About this song Coventry Carol
"Coventry Carol" is one of the oldest known Christmas songs. This carol was performed in the English town of Coventry as a part of the play, "The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors".
In the play, the Coventry Carol was sung by the mothers of Bethlehem to their children, just before the entry of Herod's soldiers, who were under orders to kill all the children of Bethlehem aged less than 2 years.