Trad. arr. Ray Cooper / Dilwyn Davies / John Jones / Alan Prosser / June Tabor / Ian Telfer
Topic Records Ltd 2011
First released on: Ragged Kingdom, 2011
all under the leaves and the leaves of life I met with virgins seven and one of them was Mary mild our Lord's best mother in heaven. o what are you seeking, you seven pretty maids all under the leaves of life? we are seeking for no leaves Thomas but for a friend of thine go down go down into yonder town and sit in the gallery and there you'll see sweet Jesus Christ nailed to a big yew tree so down they went into yonder town as fast as foot could fall and many a bitter and a grievous tear from them virgins' eyes did fall o peace mother, o peace mother your weeping does me grieve I will suffer this he said for Adam and for Eve how can I my weeping leave my sorrows undergo when I see my own true son to die? and sons I have no more he laid his head on his right shoulder death has struck him nigh the Holy Ghost be with your soul sweet mother now I die o the rose the gentle rose the fennel it grows so strong amen dear Lord your charity is the ending of my song Collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams and E M Leather from Mrs Whatton and Mrs Loveridge at the Homme, Dilwyn, Herefordshire