June Tabor - Barbry Ellen lyrics

In Scarlet Town where I was born There was a fair maid dwelling Made every youth cry well-a-day And her name was Barbry Ellen All in the merry month of May When the green buds they were swelling Young William Green on his d**h bed lay For the love of Barbry Ellen He sent his servant to the town To her own father's dwelling Saying "master's sick and he bids you to come If your name be Barbry Ellen" Then slowly, slowly she got up So slowly she came nigh him And all she said when she got there "Young man I believe you're dying" "O yes I'm sick and I'm very sick And I never will be any better Until I gain the love of one The love of Barbry Ellen" "O yes you're sick and you're very sick And you never will be any better For you never will gain the love of one The love of Barbry Ellen O don't you remember in yonders town In yonders town a-drinking You gave the health to the ladies all around And slighted Barbry Ellen" "O yes, I remember in yonders town In yonders town a-drinking I give the health to the ladies all around But my heart to Barbry Ellen" He's turned his pale face to the wall And d**h was with him dwelling "Farewell, farewell my good neighbours all Be kind to Barbry Ellen" As she was a-walking through the fields She heard the d**h bell knelling And every stroke that d**h bell gave Cried woe to Barbry Ellen As she was a-walking through the woods She saw his pale corpse a-coming "Set down set down that corpse of clay That I might look upon him" The more she looked, the more she grieved Until she burst out crying "O take him away o take him away For I myself am dying O mother, mother, make my bed And make it both long and narrow Sweet William has died for love of me And I shall die of sorrow O father, father, go dig my grave And dig it both long and narrow Sweet William has died for me today And I'll die for him tomorrow" She was buried in the old churchyard Sweet William was buried a-nigh her And out of his grave grew a red red rose Out of Barbry's grew a green briar And they grew and grew up the old church Tower till they couldn't grow any higher And there they tied in a true lover's knot Red rose around green briar