Coventry Carol

lyrics: Robert Croo in 1534
music: believed to date back to the 1500's

Lully, lulli,
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 do 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 young children to slay.

That woe is me,
poor Child, for Thee,
And ever mourn and aye;
For Thy parting,
neither say nor sing,
By, by, lully, lullay.

Lully, lulli,
Thou little tiny Child.
By, by, lully, lullay.

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The words and lyrics of the 'Coventry Carol' were written by Robert Croo in 1534
for the traditional Coventry Plays
and included in the Pageant of the Shearman and Tailors Guild
which depicted Herod's slaughter of the innocents.
The composer of the music is unknown but is also believed to date back to the 1500's.
Henry Ramsden Bramley (1833-1917) and John Stainer (1840-1901)
were the first to attribute the Coventry Carol
which they included in 'Christmas Carols New and Old' in 1878.