Reinhard Zierke took over Garry Gillard's Waterson-Carthy site a while back, and has been expanding the information. You'll find his piece on the song here (click). I'll post Garry's transcription of Carthy's version below.
-Joe Offer-

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Martin Carthy's version	Steeleye Span's version
There lived a wife in Usher's Well And a wealthy wife was she She'd three fine and stalwart sons And sent them o'er the sea	There lived a wife in Ushers Well A wealthy wife was she She had three stout and stalwart sons And sent them o'er the sea
They'd not been gone a week And a week but barely one When death sweeping over the land Took 'em one by one	They had not been from Ushers Well A week but barely one When word came to this carlin wife That her three sons were gone
And they'd not been gone a week A week but barely three When word come to that young girl Her babes she'd never see
I wish the wind would never blow No fish swim in the flood Till my darling babes are home They're home in flesh and blood	I wish the wind may never cease Nor flashes in the flood Till my three sons return to me In earthly flesh and blood
And there about the Martinmas Nights are long and dark Her three kids come to her door Their hats were made of bark	It fell about the Martinmas The nights were long and dark Three sons came home to Ushers Well Their hats were made of bark
And the tree never grew in any ditch Nor down by any wall But at the gates of Paradise Grew strong grew tall	That neither grew in forest green Nor on any wooded rise But from the north side of the tree That grows in Paradise
Blow up the fire my maidens all Bring water from the well Since my darling babes are home They've come home safe and well	Blow up the fire my merry merry maidens Bring water from the well For all my house shall feed this night Since my three sons are well
So she has laid the table With bread and with wine Come eat and drink my darling babes Eat and drink of mine
We may not eat your bread mother Nor may we drink your wine For cold death is lord of all To him we must resign
The green grass is at our head And the clay is at our feet And your tears come tumbling down And wet our winding sheet
So she has made the bed for them Spread the milk-white sheet She's laid it all with cloth of gold To see if they could sleep
And up and crew the red cock Up and crew the grey And the youngest to the eldest says Brother we must away	Then up and crowed the blood red cock And up and crowed the grey The oldest to the youngest said It's time we were away
And the cock had not crowed once And clapped his wings for day When the eldest to the youngest says Brother we must away
For the cock crow the day dawn The chunnering worm chide And if we're missed out of our place Then pain we must bide	For the cock does crow and the day doth show And the channerin worm doth chide And we must go from Ushers Well To the gates of Paradise
Farewell farewell my mother dear Farewell to barn and byre And farewell the sweet young girl Kindling my mother's fire
	I wish the wind may never cease Nor flashes in the flood Till my three sons return to me In earthly flesh and blood