I can't wait to tell my children's choir at the Christmas program!This song was sung by the Earl of Essex, awaiting his execution.(by getting his head chopped off). That will take a little glee out of their voices. We had been singing this kind of upbeat because it was such a catchy melody, but not now. This is going down to the dirge category.

Thank-you for all the insight and particularly the references. I am fortunate in that I can actually follow up on most of them..