safe to come there!

[_Here the women come in with their children, singing them, and Mary and
Joseph goeth clean away._

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

O sisters too! how may we do,
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling, for whom we do sing
By, by, lully, lullay.

Herod, the king, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight,
All young children to slay.

That woe is me, poor child for thee!
And ever morn and day,
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
By, by, lully, lallay.

_1st Woman._ I lull my child wondrously sweet,
And in my arms I do it keep,
Because that it should not cry.

_2nd Woman._ That Babe that is born, in Bethlehem so meek,
He save my child and me from villainy!

_3rd Woman._ Be still! be still! my little child!
That Lord of lords save both thee and me;
For Herod hath sworn with words wild
That all young children slain they shall be.

_1st Soldier._ Say ye whither, ye wives, whither are ye away?
What bear you in your arms needs must we see;
If they be men children, die they must this day,
For at Herod's will all things must be.

_2nd Soldier._ And I in hands once them hent,[265]
Them for to slay nought will I spare;
We must fulfil Herod's commandment;
Else be we as traitors, and cast all in care.

_1st Woman._ Sir knights! of your courtesy
This day shame not your chivalry,
But on my child have pity,
For my sake in this stead;
For a simple slaughter it were to sloo[266]
Or to work such a child woe
That can neither speak nor go,
Nor never harm did.

_2nd Woman._ He that slays my child in sight,
If that my strokes on him may light,
Be he squire or knight,
I hold him but lost.
See thou false losyngere[267]
A stroke shalt thou bear me here
And spare you no cost.

_3rd Woman._ Sit he never so high in saddle,
But I shall make his brain addle,
And here with my pot ladle,
With him will I fight.
I shall lay on him as though I wode[268] were,
With this same womanly gear;
There shall no man stir,
Whether that he be king or knight.

[_The innocents are massacred._

_1st Soldier._ Who heard ever such a cry
Of women, that their children have lost
And greatly rebuking chivalry
Throughout this realm in every coast
Which many a man's life is like to cost;
For this great revenge that here is done,
I fear much vengeance thereof will come.

_