Lyr. Add: THE MOTHER'S LULLABY
MS., Reign of Henry VI (1422-1461)

My little sweet derlinge, my comfort and joye
Sing *Lully by Lully,
In bewtie excellinge the princes of Troye,
Singe Lulla by Lully,
Now sucke child, and sleepe child, thy mother's sweete boye,
Singe Lulla by Lully,
The gods blesse and keepe thee from cruel annoy,
Singe Lully Lully Lully,
Sweete baby, Lully Lully, sweete baby, Lully Lully.

Thy father sweete Infant, from mother is gone,
Singe Lully Lully Lully,
And shee in the woodes here with thee left alone,
Singe Lully by Lully,
To thee, little Infant, why do I make *mone?
Singe Lully Lully,
Sith* thou canst not helpe mee to sigh or to grone,
Singe Lully Lully Lully,
Sweete Baby, Lully by, Sweete Baby, Lully Lully.

P. 198.
(I have slightly modified a word here and there for clarity.)

*Lully, lully by- the word comes from the soothing sounds made to calm an infant; lu, la, lully, lulla-by, etc. Various authors have attributed several different imaginary origins to the word.
*Mone- do what ought to be done; to talk with you; other related meanings to this Middle English word.
*Sith- since.

Joseph Ritson, 1790, "Ancient Songs: From the Time of King Henry the Third to the Revolution."
Reproduced online by Google.