The Coventry Carol)
(Lullay)
The Coventry Carol, with its well-known 'Lully, lullay' refrain,
correctly speaking, is not a Christmas carol because the words refer to Jesus
as an infant, and are not concerned with the birth itself. However, in practice
it has been sung at christmas through several centurys, so we present it on the CVC
Christmas pages. This Renaissance carol is named after the city of Coventry,
England. The 15th Century Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors, which was
performed in Coventry, depicted Herod's slaughter of the innocent children.
It was told in lyrics.
The author of this old 16th Century English carol is unknown.
The carol was one of the main forms of popular music in medieval Europe.
In both words and melodies carols always retained an unsophisticated manner.
In early medieval days this tradition was largely oral, only being committed
to manuscript in the 15th century. Therefore, an old carol like "Lullay" offers
us a rare opportunity to understand what most weighed on the minds of
the less educated people in the past...since they did not write their feelings down.
It seems that for everyone, both high and low, most concerns were religious.
There are some carols about drinking and fighting, but the majority are
associated with the leading religious feasts of the year, and most of those
refer to Christmas. The Coventry Carol certainly falls into that category.
These older carols all contain a refrain. Presumably this would have been
sung by everybody, while the verses were sung by the person who had thought
them up in the first place. The refrain would have been repeated after each verse as you see in
this carol. Lullay: I saw - one of the very earliest extant polyphonic carols - describes in old English what Mary sang to her child.
"Lully, lullay, lully, lullay," are not common words in the English language today. In the 1400's and into the 1500's, however,
lully and lullay were common slang words meaning " I saw, I saw!". If they seem strange to you, think of some of the strange slang
words that we have today. Though the words are no longer used, the hymn endures. ....Bill Drennon
See the lyrics:
The Covenant Carol 16th Century English |
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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 young children 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. |