All under the leaves, the leaves of life
I met with virgins seven,
And one of them was Mary mild
our Lord’s mother from heaven

O what are you seeking, you seven fair maids
All under the leaves of life?
Come tell, come tell me what seek you
All under the leaves of life

We’re seeking for no leaves, Thomas,
but for a friend of thine
We’re seeking for sweet Jesus Christ,
to be our friend and thine.

Go you down, go you down, to yonder town,
and sit in the gallery
And there you’ll find sweet Jesus Christ,
nailed to a big yew tree

So down they went to yonder town
as fast as feet could fall
And many a grievous bitter tear
from the virgins’ eyes did fall

O peace, Mother, O peace, Mother
your weeping doth me grieve
O I must suffer this, he said,
for Adam and for Eve

O how can I my weeping leave,
or my sorrows undergo
whilst I do see my own son die,
when sons I have no more

Dear Mother, Dear Mother, you must take John,
all for to be your son
And he will comfort you some times
Mother as I have done

O come thou, John, Evangelist,
thou’rt welcome unto me,
But more welcome my own dear son,
that I nursed upon my knee

Then he laid his head on his right shoulder
seeing death it struck him nigh
The Holy Ghost be with your soul,
I die, dear mother, I die

Then he laid his head on his right shoulder
seeing death it struck him nigh
The Holy Ghost be with your soul,
I die, dear mother, I die

O the rose, the rose, the gentle rose,
and the fennel that grows so green
God give us grace in every place
to pray for king and queen

Furthermore for our enemies all,
our prayers they should be strong,
Amen Good Lord! your Charitie
is the ending of my song

Amen


Traditional English carol