This Endris Night

Overview
This Endris Night (also spelled Thys Endris Night, Thys Ender Night, or referred to as The Virgin and Child) is a 15th‑century English Christmas carol. The piece survives in two Middle‑English manuscript versions and is among the earliest known English carols celebrating the Nativity [1].

Historical Origin
The carol dates from the late medieval period, with the earliest manuscript evidence placed before 1537. The surviving sources are housed in the Hill Manuscript (Balliol College, Oxford, MS. 354) and another 15th‑century collection. Both versions were first published in the 19th century by Thomas Wright in Songs and Carols Now First Printed, From a Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century (London: The Percy Society, 1847) [1].

Etymology and Title
The word endris is Middle English for “other” or “the other night,” and the title is commonly interpreted as “the other night” or “the recent night” [3]. This linguistic nuance explains the opening line of the carol: “This endris night I saw a sight…”.

Textual Content
The lyrics present a dialogue between the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus, set against a celestial motif of a bright star. The opening stanza reads:

This endris night I saw a sight,
A star as bright as day;
And ev’er among a maiden sung,
“Lullay, by by, lullay.”

Subsequent verses continue the conversation, with the child asking why he lies in the hay, and Mary responding with prophetic assurances of his future greatness [2][5].

Musical Characteristics
The melody associated with the carol is modal and reflects the melodic style of medieval English song. Modern editors and arrangers, including William Henry Husk (1868) and later 20th‑century editors such as Martin Shaw and Percy Dearmer, have provided transcriptions and harmonizations for contemporary performance [6][7].

Modern Reception
This Endris Night is performed regularly in Christmas concerts and choral festivals. Notable recordings include performances by The Sixteen (2016) and various early‑music ensembles. The carol appears in hymnals and collections of traditional Christmas music, often under the heading “Traditional English Carol” [8][9].

Scholarly Significance
The carol is valuable for scholars of medieval music and literature as it offers insight into early English vernacular religious poetry, the development of the Christmas carol genre, and the transmission of liturgical and folk traditions in late medieval England [1][6].

References

1. Wikipedia, “This Endris Night,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Endris_Night.
2. Hymnary.org, “This Endris Night (The Other Night),” https://hymnary.org/text/this_endris_night_i_saw_a_sight.
3. Hymn All Library, “This Endris Night,” https://www.hymnallibrary.org/hymns/this-endris-night/.
4. Ballad Index, “This Endris Night,” https://balladindex.org/Ballads/OBC039.html.
5. LyricsOnDemand, “This Endris Night Lyrics,” https://www.lyricsondemand.com/christmascarols/t/thisendrisnightlyrics.html.
6. Feenotes.com, “This Endris Night,” https://www.feenotes.com/database/music/this-endris-night/.
7. Hymns and Carols of Christmas, “This Endris Night – Version 2,” https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/this_endris_night.htm.
8. Beth’s Notes, “This Endris Night,” https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2018/08/this-endris-night.html.
9. YouTube, “The Sixteen – This Endris Night,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiK-5y0wFWA.