Les: The OBC has "... And Mary bore Jesus who was wrapped up in silk."

Malcolm : I can't see the imprecision in the OBC note. Mr Beard sang three verses in English. Later a four-verse version was published in Cornish. The fourth verse was translated into English and added to the form in which the carol appears in the OBC.

You're saying that someone called Tyrvab translated the fourth verse (of the standard Holly and the Ivy carol? i.e. the one with different colours for different parts of the tree) from English to Cornish, which was then re-translated back into English?

However, it matters little. I for one would not argue with an English source for it. The earliest date, according to the OBC note to "The Holly and the Ivy", is an 18th C broadside.