I heard a (highly suspicious) tale of origins that it was about the War of the Roses, and that it was originally: Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose Shall I ever see the red? I will, merry, at thy will, sire, at thy will. (Supposedly being the words of a knight simultaneously contemplating a rose in his garden and his desire for Lancaster to win as he's being called to war.) The follow up verse was SUPPOSEDLY originally: Ding dong, ding dong Wedding bells on a September morn Carve thy name on a moss cover stone, A moss covered stone. (This being the wedding to end the war over the bodies of the losers.) We atually sang the second vers in this manner, but the first was: Rose, rose, rose, rose Shall I ever see thee wed? I will marry at thy will, sire, At thy will. Cute story. Probably nonsense.
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