Awake Awake /The Split Ash Tree/ May Carol /Southover - Shirley Collins

Awake, awake sweet England

Sweet England now awake

And to you prayers obediently

And do your souls partake

For our Lord our God is calling

All in the skies so clear

So repent, repent sweet England

For dreadful days draw near

Let us pray

And to the living Lord

Let us play

It’s woe unto the women

Who with childhood go

Likewise their silly nurses

As they gave suckle sow

For there’s never any man so stout

Nor man nor woman goes gay

But death will rot your bones

And your flesh will melt away

Let us pray

And to the living Lour

Let us pray

Today you may be here dear man

With many a thousand pounds

Tomorrow you’ll be dead and gone

And buried underground

Oh with one stone at your head dear man

Another at your feet

Your good deeds and your bad deeds

Will all together meet

Let us pray

And to the living Lord

Let us pray

God bless the master of this house

And send him long to reign

Likewise his loving mistress

Kind to maintain

But we’ll shake all care and sorrow

Put on our best array

For wish you all good morrow

God send us a joyful may

Let us pray

And it’s to the living Lord

Let us pray

We have been a’wondering all this night

And the better part of the day

And 'er return back home again

We’ll bring you back a branch of May

A branch of May we do bring you

And at your door we stand

It is but a sprig but it’s well butted out

By the work of God’s own hand

The hedges and the fields are growing so green

As green as grass can be

Our heavenly father watereth them

With his heavenly dew so sweet

Arise, arise you pretty fair maids

And take our

For if it is gone before tomorrow morn

You would say we have brought you none

I’ve got a little purse in my back pocket

Tied up with a silken string

And all that it lacks is a few small pence

But I line it well within

Our song is done we must be gone

No longer can we stay

God bless you all both great and small

And we wish you a joyful May