While I was looking for something else, I accidentally stumbled on this version of The Fall of The Leaf (aka Life of A Man) in the Bodleian collection. There didn't seem to be a previous thread discussing this song, so I've started this one.

THE FALL OF THE LEAF

As I was a walking one morning in the breeze,
I observed the leaves as they fell from the trees;
They were nip'd by the frost, and withered withall,
As the cold came upon them, it caused them to fall.

By further observation at last I did perceive,
That man he has his seasons as well as the trees;
For a while in this world he may appear both fresh and gay,
But like the leaf he will wither and at last fall away.

Those leaves in some places lay thick on the ground,
Yet while looking on the trees there's more to be found;
And all in a motion they seem for to be,
While those that are withered are still falling from the tree.

To look at those leaves but a little while ago,
How beautiful and green on the trees they did grow,
But now their short season, it's come on a pace,
They are falling from the trees every day more or less.

To view the Church Yard what dead bodies may be seen,
That have fallen from the world like the leaves from the trees,
And now with old age and infirmities withall,
Like the leaves they are withering continually to fall.

Now the season is over and the leaves are all gone,
Back again to trees never more to return;
But it is not so with man for the Scriptures tell us plain,
Out of the bed of dust we must all rise again.

The scriptures plainly tell us of something more beside,
We must stand in judgement there to be tried,
Before our Blessed Saviour both rich and poor must stand,
And happy will they be who go to his right hand.

The entry says Harkness J., Printer, 121, Church Street, Preston. (between 1840 and 1866) though I'd think that the song may well be a good deal earlier than this, both because of some of the words used and because it has the "feel" of one of the puritan songs like "The Truth From Above".

The text is often said to come from The Epistle of James, but this is not quite accurate as the verse in James is itself a quotation from a verse in Isaiah 40.

BTW, the song doesn't seem to appear in the Traditional Ballad Index, though there is some information about it here and, of course, it's in the DT. There's also some information in this article on George Townshend, which gives it as Roud 848 (Roud apparently has 26 versions, though non from broadsides(!)). The folk music index has one version listed, by Joe Hickerson.

I'm particularly interested in this one, as I've been singing a version similar to the one in DT almost since I can remember.

Cheers!
Ian