Thanks, Amergin. What you say ties in pretty well with what I had been told before. There is a guy who sings this song at Seattle Song Circle who has told us the story, and I'll check with him to see if he has any further details I've forgotten. I didn't remember the TB part, though. I had the impression that they actually married the night before the execution and were not allowed to spend any time alone together--that this was his way of expressing the strength of his devotion, that he wanted her to be his wife even if they were not able to comsummate the marriage or have any time really alone together. But my memory of it is foggy, and you seem to know the history.
Genie