Peg, If you're going to be doing this with a group, I recommend the 3 part online version. But if you're looking for some alternatives, I have the Southern Harmony original with an alto part added & the Dorain notes added. It's written by an alto who's really faithful to the traditional sound. I've also found the Powell version rich r referred to above. It was included in a collection Powell put together called Twelve Folk Hymns from the old shape note hymnbooks and from oral tradition. c1934.

Here are the notes he provided:
This carol is obviously of great antiquity. The words are as characteristic of the folk as is the melody and might well have been sung in one of the Mediaeval Miracle Plays. The tune is widespread in the oral tradition, where it is associated with other hymns and with several secular balads. The present version is based upont the that in the Southern Harmony, although a few tones are introduced from a traditional version. The melody is hexatonic, as the third does not occus. The setting may, therefore, be in either the Dorian or Mixolydian mode, according as the minor or major third is used in the harmonization. In the oral tradition the tune is usually Dorian, and certainly its structure conforms to the Dorian type.

Me again. The Southern Harmony generally used Aeolian minor even when Dorian was actually sung. In simple terms, if you use the Southern Harmony version just add a sharp to the key signature. That will change it to A dorian with the F sharp. If your bass can go lower you'll probably want to lower the whole song least 1 step.

PM me if you want some copies.

rich r thanks for the information. I have a library copy of Jackson's book so I was able to read up on the rest of what he said. I must admit I have a hard time hearing this tune as related to Sweet Prospect and Help me to Sing, but maybe it's a distant cousins where if you know the family well you can see the resemblance.