This Winter's Night, I Saw A Sight Lyrics

This winter's night
I saw a sight,
A star as bright as day,
And ever among
A maiden sung,
Lullay, by by, lullay.

This lovely lady sang and sang and to her child she said:
"My son, my brother, my father dear, why lyest thou thus in hayd --
My sweet bird,
Though it betide
Thou be not 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:
"It happeneth, mother, I am King, in crib though I be laid,
For angels bright
Did down alight,
Thou knowest it is no nay,
And of that sight
Thou mayst 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 king's hall?
Me thinketh 'tis right
That king or knight
'Should be in good array
And then 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 kings all;
Yet shall we see
That kings 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, and make thee glad of cheer;
For all thy will
I would fulfil
Thou knowest full well in fay,
And for all this
I will thee kiss
And 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."