Barbary Allen -- 1666

Speranza 1666 arr. Quilter in Scarlet town where I was born there was a fair maid dwellin’ made ev'ry youth cry well-a-day her name was Barb'ra Allen. all in the merry month of May when green buds they were swellin', young Jemmy Grove on his death-bed lay for love of Barb'ra Allen. then slowly, slowly she came up, and slowly she came nigh him, and all she said when there she came "young man, I think you're dying". as she was walking o'er the fields she heard the dead-bell knellin', and ev'ry stroke the dead-bell gave cried "Woe to Barb'ra Allen!" when he was dead and laid in grave her heart was struck with sorrow. "O mother, mother, make my bed, for I shall die tomorrow." "farewell," she said, "ye virgins all, and shun the fault I fell in; henceforth take warning by the fall of cruel Barb'ra Allen." The earliest known mention of "Barbara Allen" is in Samuel Pepys' diary for January 2. 1666 where he refers to the “little Scotch song of 'Barbary Allen'”. Arranged by Roger Quilter in 1921.