All in the m erry m onth of M ay
When green buds a ll were s welling
Sweet W illiam on his d eathbed lay
For love of B arbara A llen
He sent his s ervant t o the t own
The place where s he did d well in
Saying "M aster dear has s ent me here
If your name be B arbara A llen."
Then slowly s lowly s he got u p
And slowly s he went t o him
And a ll she said when t here she came
Was "Young man I t hink you're d ying .?
"Don't you rem ember the o ther n ight
When we were i n the t avern?
You dr ank a toast to the l adies there
And slighted B arbara A llen."
He turned his f ace unt o the w all
He turned his b ack up on her
"Ad ieu adieu to a ll my friends
And be k ind be k ind to Barbara A llen."
(Instrumental)
A s she was w andering o 'er the f ields
She heard the d eath bell k nelling
And e very note it s eemed to say
"Hard-hearted B arbara A llen!"
The more it t olled the m ore she g rieved
She bursted o ut a-c rying
"Oh p ick me up and c arry me home
I fear that I am d ying."
They buried W illy in the o ld church y ard
And Barbara i n the n ew one
And from W illiam's grave there g rew a rose
From Barbara's a green b riar
They grew and g rew in the o ld church y ard
'Til they could g row no h igher
And t here they tied in a t rue lover's knot
The red rose a nd the b riar.