"Lullay, mine liking" is a Middle English lyric poem or carol of the 15th century which frames a narrative describing an encounter of the Nativity with a song sung by the Virgin Mary to the infant Christ.Mary Gertrude Segar, A mediæval anthology: being lyrics and other short poems, chiefly religious (London: Longmans, Green and co., 1915), p.66 The refrain is an early example of an English lullaby; the term "lullaby" is thought to originate with the "lu lu" or "la la" sound made by mothers or nurses to calm children, and "by" or "bye bye", another lulling sound (for example in the similarly ancient Coventry Carol).H. Carpenter and M. Prichard, The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature (Oxford University Press, 1984), pp. 326.
There are a number of surviving medieval English verses associated with the birth of Jesus which take the form of a lullaby, of which this is probably the most famous example. Written by an anonymous hand, the text is found uniquely in Sloane MS 2593, a collection of medieval lyrics now held in the British Library.Douglas Gray, Themes and images in the medieval English religious lyric (London: Routledge and K. Paul, 1972) p.111
Originally intended to be sung, no evidence of the work's musical setting survives, and since its rediscovery and the musical possibilities suggested by the text have led to diverse interpretations by numerous composers including Philip Stopford, Edgar Pettman, Peter Warlock, R. R. Terry, Gustav Holst, Ronald Corp, David Willcocks, Philip Lawson, Thomas Hewitt Jones,Jones, Thomas Hewitt, "Lullay My Liking", published 2014 by Boosey & Hawkes and Richard Rodney Bennett.
These are sometimes titled "I saw a fair maiden" whereas "Myn Lyking" is used in the versions by R.R. Terry and Ronald Corp (as the first of the latter's Three Medieval Carols).Three Medieval Carols by Ronald Corp, published 1975 by Stainer and Bell
Text Middle English original spellingThomas Wright, Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century, (London: T. Richards, 1856), pp.94-95Middle English convertedEdmund K. Chambers, F. Sidgwick, Early English Lyrics - Poetry Amorous, Divine, Moral and Trivial, (Manchester: Ayer Publishing, 1973) p.131English modernisationEdith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700, (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), p. 66.Refrain Lullay, myn lykyng, my dere sone, myn swetyng, Lullay, my dere herte, myn owyn dere derlyng.Refrain Lullay, mine Liking, my dere sone, mine sweting, Lullay, my dere herte, mine own dere derling.Refrain Lullay, mine Liking, my dear Son, mine Sweeting, Lullay, my dear heart, mine own dear darling.I saw a fayr maydyn syttyn and synge, Sche lullyd a lytyl chyld, a swete lordyng, RefrainI saw a fair maiden, sitten and singe, Sche lulled a litel child, a swete lording. RefrainI saw a fair maiden, sitting and sing, She lulled a little child a sweet lording: RefrainThat eche lord is that that made alle thinge, Of alle lordis he is lord, of alle kynges kyng. RefrainThat eche lord is that that made alle thinge; Of alle lordes he is Lord, of alle Kinges king. RefrainThat very lord is He that made all things Of all lords He is Lord (and) King of all king. RefrainTher was mekyl melody at that chyldes berthe, Alle tho wern in hevene blys thei made mekyl merthe, RefrainThere was mekel melody at that childes berthe; Alle tho wern in hevene bliss, they made mekel merthe. RefrainThere was mickle (much) melody at that Child's birth, All that were in heaven's bliss, they made mickle mirth. RefrainAungelebryt thei song that nyt and seydyn to that chyld, "Blyssid be thou, and so be sche that is bothe mek and myld". RefrainAungele bright they song that night, and seiden to that child, "Blessed be thou, and so be sche that is bothe meke and mild." RefrainAngels bright they sang that night and saiden to that Child, "Blessed be Thou, and so be she that is both meek and mild." RefrainPrey we now to that chyld, and to his moder dere, Grawnt hem his blyssyng that now makyn chere. RefrainPrey we now to that child, and to his moder dere, Graunt hem his blessing that now maken chere. RefrainPray we now to that Child, and to His mother dear, Grant them His blessing that now maken cheer. Refrain
See also List of Christmas carols
References