Holy Innocents

There is an old English carol (16^th century, or older) that I think is worth mentioning.  Often called “Coventry Carol,” it is listed in our hymnal as song number 247, or “Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child.”  This is not strictly speaking a song for advent, but for the days immediately following Christmas, and more especially December 28, for the remembrance of the Holy Innocents. 

This carol is sung from a first person point of view, that of someone singing a lullabye to his or her child and lamenting the actions taken by King Herod upon the children of Bethlehem.[i] 

Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,
bye-bye, lully lullay.[ii]

When Jesus was born, three wise men travelled from the east to Jerusalem and sought King Herod’s help.  These wise men, bearing gifts for the son of God, the new King of the Jews, saw his star in the night sky and followed it.  When Herod heard the news that there might have been born a new King in his land, he was obviously troubled.  This baby, worshipped by his citizens, would almost certainly undermine his authority.  He consulted with his advisors and decided to use the wise men as a tool to help find this potential usurper.  He directed the wise men to the town of Bethlehem and asked them to report back with the young child’s location so that he too might “worship” him. 

Thankfully, the wise men had been warned that they should not return to Herod.  After presenting their gifts to baby Jesus, they left and avoided King Herod entirely.  Joseph had received his own warning from an angel saying, “Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.[iii]”

Once Herod realized that the wise men were not coming back he had his men descend upon Bethlehem like a plague to kill all the boys under the age of two.  These boys, killed by a King jealous to preserve his title as King of the Jews, are the Innocents. 

Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,
bye-bye, lully lullay.[iv]

I first read that this song was expressing the sorrow Mary had for her child, seeing that he had barely opened his eyes and was already being hunted by ruthless men.  In writing this post I went back to the lyrics and the source scripture and thought about the words a little more.  I now wonder if perhaps the song is not more about the other mothers in Bethlehem and their children. 

Whenever I have had a chance to sing it, we let the higher voices (tenors and altos) take the lead on the first verse which really highlights that the women of Bethlehem are expressing their sorrow.  That, as foretold in Jeremiah 31:15, “[Rachel] weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children because they were not.[v]”

O sisters, too, how may we do
for to preserve this day
this poor youngling for whom we sing,
bye-bye lully lullay?[vi]

On the second verse, we ask the basses and baritones to step up their game and project, really highlighting the rage of King Herod.  I also think the lower voices make the verse and melody that much darker and dramatic. 

Herod the King, in his raging
charged he hath this day
his men of might, in his own sight,
all young children to slay.[vii]

Here is a version of the carol sung by the Westminster Cathedral Choir, recorded in 2009.

- Jeff Schaefer

Member, St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church, Annandale, VA

Note:  This Sunday, December 8, the Adult Forum will feature Stephen Ackert, Director of Music at the National Gallery of Art, on the Music of Yearning and Longing through the Ages.  

If you feel like there is a lot of darkness that needs dispelling this time of year, please consider attending the Adult Forum on December 15 at 9:15 a.m., or the Blue Christmas service on December 19 at 7:30 p.m. 

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[i] Matthew chapter 2

[ii] Verse from the Hymnal 1982, song 247, found online via Hymnary.org, last accessed on Dec 7, 2013.

[iii] Matthew 2:13

[iv] Verse from the Hymnal 1982, song 247, found online via Hymnary.org, last accessed on Dec 7, 2013.

[v] The full text of the verse from Jeremiah 31:15 reads, “Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.”  Matthew 2:17-18 restates this verse as proof that the prophecy was fulfilled, and calls the weeping  mother Rachel. 

[vi] Verse from the Hymnal 1982, song 247, found online via Hymnary.org, last accessed on Dec 7, 2013.

[vii] Ibid.