This Endris Night

Info

This Christmas carol is from the 15th century. “Endris” is a Middle English word meaning “the other night” or “a few nights ago.” (source)

(Folk song)

This endris night I saw a sight,
A star as bright as day,
And ev’r among, a maiden sung,
“Lully, bye bye, lullay.”

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

“My sweetest bird, ’tis thus required,
Though I be king veray,
But nevertheless I will not cease
To sing ‘Bye bye, lullay.’”

The child then spake in his talking,
And to his mother did say,
“Yea, I am known as heaven-king
In crib though I be laid.

“For angels bright down on me light;
Thou knowest ’tis no nay.
And for that sight thou may delight
To sing, ‘Bye bye, lullay.’”

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

“Methinks ’tis right that king or knight
Should lie in good array.
And then among, it were no wrong
To sing ‘Bye bye, lullay.’”