Jesus's Words

Coventry Carol

back  |  next

Contents

About the Carol

This hymn originates from the 1500s and was part of a play performed in Coventry, England. Hence its name, "Coventry Carol."

Since before the 1200s plays called "Mystery Plays" became popular in England. Despite the name, "mystery" is not a reference to an actual "mystery," but to the "mysterious" nature of miracles.

In many towns, there would be plays of various Biblical stories throughout the year, from the creation of the world to the coming judgment. Coventry was one of the bigger towns having these plays, however many of the plays were lost because of the nature of history and persecutions in later centuries, particularly when England changed from Catholic to Protestant.

"Coventry Carol" was one play that survived, due to a manuscript dating back to 1591. Originally, this was part of a play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Taylors, which speaks about the nativity, the announcement of Christ, and finally to the massacre of the innocents, the subject of this carol.

Lyrics Back to Top ↑

Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
Lullay, thou little tiny child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

O sisters too, how may we do,
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we do sing,
Bye, bye, 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 mourn and sigh,
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

Analysis of Carol Back to Top ↑

Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

'Lully' and 'lullay' both share the same root as the word 'lull,' which means to put to sleep or rest by soothing. It's the same root as in the word 'lullaby,' which is what this song really is: a lullaby about the circumstances of Jesus's birth.

Lullay, thou little tiny child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

This stanza merely tells us the subject of the carol, that little tiny child. Despite this carol being in a book about Christmas Carols, this child is not Jesus.

O sisters too, how may we do,
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we do sing,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

The singer of this song is a poor mother, who has a child. She is asking her sisters how to "preserve" this day - how to keep or save from injury, this day. Then she explains why she wants to preserve the day for her poor youngling.

Herod, the king, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight,
All children young to slay.

Now we come to the Biblical crux of the story, Herod's mad slaying of children: Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.Matthew 2:16

The poor mother singing this song is sad that her child is destined to die. She knows nothing of Jesus, only the harsh reality that her child will die. Jesus's birth did not bring peace to Bethlehem. Wise was Jesus to say, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.Matthew 10:34

That woe is me, poor Child for Thee!
And ever mourn and sigh,
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
back  |  next