Not sure if this is the one: Different Title but the "Life of a young man seen through the eyes of his wife/widow" rang a bell - as did the line "The trees they do grow tall" which is found in the fourth verse

The version I have posted is that done by Steeleye Span (which from all accounts Carthy helped found along with Prior and Hart)

Because I can no longer 'finger-pick' thanks to motorcycle accident induced head injuries / brain damage, I tend to 'slow strum'.

Hope it helps

Muttley



LONG A-GROWING (?The Trees They Do Grow High)

                                                                

As [D]I was a-[Bm]walking by [Em]yonder church [G]wall
               
I saw [D]four-and-twenty [Bm]young men, a-[Em]playing at
    their [G]ball.   
   
I   [D]ask-ed for my own true love, but [Bm]they wouldn't
    [Em]let him [G]come
                                                               
For they [A]said the [Bm]boy was [Em]young - but
    a-[Bm]grow---[G]ing.


                                                                     
[D]"Father, dear [Bm]father, you've [G]done to me much
    [Em]wrong.

Ye have [D]tied me to a [Bm]boy when you [Em]know he is
    too [G]young."
                                                               
"But [D]he will make a [Bm]Lo---rd for [Em]you to wait
    u[G]pon,
                                                         
And a [A]Lady [Bm]you will [Em]be while he's
    [Bm]grow---[G]ing."


                                                               
"We'll [D]send him to [Bm]College for [Em]one year or
    [G]two,
                                                                  
And [D]maybe then in [Bm]time the [Em]boy will do for
    [G]you.
                                                               
I'll [D]buy you white [Bm]ribbons to [Em]tie about his
    [G]waist
                                                         
For to [A]let the [Bm]ladies [Em]know that he's
    [Bm]mar--[G]ried."



The [D]trees they do grow [Bm]high and the [Em]leaves
    they do grow [G]green.
                                                                     The [D]day is past and [Bm]gone, my love, that [Em]you
    and I have [G]seen.
                                                         
It's [D]on a cold [Bm]winter's night that [Em]I must lie
    a[G]lone
                                       
For the [A]bonny [Bm]boy is [Em]young, but [Bm]grow--[G]ing.



[D]At the age of [Bm]sixteen [Em]he was a married [G]man,
                                                               
And [D]at the age of [Bm]seventeen a [Em]father to a
    [G]son,
         
And [D]at the age of [Bm]eighteen   his [Em]grave it did
    grow [G]green:
                                                         
Cruel [A]death had [Bm]put an [Em]end to his
    [Bm]grow---[G]ing.



And [D]now my love is [Bm]dead and [Em]in his grave doth
    [G]lie.
                                                            
The   [D]green grass grows [Bm]o'er him so [Em]very, very
    [G]high.
                                                               
I'll [D]sit and I will [Bm]mourn his fate un[Em]til the
    day I [G]die,
   
And I'll [A]watch all [Bm]o'er his [Em]child, while he's
    [Bm]grow---[G]ing.