Lulay, Lulay

A Restful Christmastide Pageant, Scene 12

…And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, (the magi) left for their own country by another road….

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the magi. Then what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice was heard in Ramah,
    wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
    she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

—Matthew 2:3-7, 12, 16-18 (NRSVue)

Massacre of the Innocents, Chartes Cathedral

Coventry Carol

Robert Croo

Lully, lulla,
thou little tiny child,
by by, lully lullay.

1 O sisters too,
how may we do
for to preserve this day
this poor youngling,
for whom we do sing
by by, lully lullay?

2 Herod the king,
in his raging,
charged he hath this day
his men of might,
in his own sight,
all young children to slay.

3 That woe is me,
poor child for thee!
and ever morn a…