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

Awake Awake /The Split Ash Tree/ May Carol /Southover

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