1 On yester night I saw a sight,
A star as bright as day;
And all along, I heard a song,
Lullay, by by, lullay, lullay, lullay.
2 A lovely lady sat and sang,
And to her child she spake:
My Son, my Brother, Father dear,
It makes my heart to ache,
To sweet Thee there, so cold and bare,
A King upon this hay;
But hush Thy wail, I will not fail
To sing by by, lullay, lullay,
to sing by by, lullay, lullay;
To sing by by lullay, lullay,
Lullay, lullay, lullay, lullay, lullay.
3 The Child then spake whilst she did sing,
And to the maiden said:
"Right sure I am a mighty King,
Though in a crib My bed:
For angels bright,
Down to Me light;
Thou canst not say Me nay:
Then why so sad ?
Thou mayest be glad
To sing by by, lullay."
4 "Now, sweetest Lord, since Thou art King.
Why liest Thou in a stall ?
Why didst Thou not Thy cradle bring
To some great royal hall ?
Methinks 'tis right,
That king or knight
Should lie in good array;
And them among,
It were no wrong
To sing by by, lullay."
5 "My Mother Mary, thine I be,
Though I be laid in stall,
Both lords and dukes shall worship Me,
And so shall monarchs all:
Ye shall well see
That princes three,
Shall come on the twelfth day:
Then let Me rest
Upon thy breast,
And sing by by, lullay."
6 "Now tell me, sweetest Lord, I pray,
Thou art my love and dear,
How shall I nurse Thee to Thy mind,
And make Thee glad of cheer ?
For all Thy will
I would fulfil,
I need no more to say;
And for all this
I will Thee kiss,
And sing by by, lullay,"
7 "My Mother dear, when time it be,
Then take Me up aloft,
And set Me up upon thy knee,
And handle Me full soft;
And in thy arm,
Thou wilt Me warm,
And keep Me night and day:
And if I weep,
And may not sleep,
Thou sing by by, lullay."
8 "Now, sweetest Lord, since it is so,
That Thou art most of might,
I pray Thee grant a boon to me,
If it be meet and right;
That child or man
That will or can,
Be merry on this day;
To bliss them bring,
And I shall sing,
Lullay, by by, lullay."
Source: Christmas Carols New and Old: Series 1 and 2 #25
Stubbs, Charles William, D.D., was born at Liverpool, Sept. 3, 1845, educated at the Royal Institution School, Liverpool, and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge; B.A. in honours 1868, M.A. 1876, D.D. 1894. Ordained in 1868, he has held some of the most important positions in the Church, including the Deanery of Ely, and is now (1907) Bishop of Truro. His published works are numerous, but do not come, except in the most remote degree, into the realm of hymnology. In his Brythhoth’s Prayer, and Other Poems, 1899, the hymn "We hail Thee, King of kings! Imperial Christ" appeared (p. 66). In Horder's Worship Song, 1905, it is slightly altered and abbreviated as “We hail Thee, King of kings, Eternal Christ."
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