The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #71906   Message #2826983
Posted By: GUEST,leeneia
01-Feb-10 - 02:28 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Oh Where Is King George-Padstow May Song
Subject: RE: Origins: Oh where is king george/john?
The version upthread has:

I warn you young men everyone
   For summer is acome unto day,
To go to the green-wood and fetch your May home
   In the merry morning of May.

'Fetch your May home' should be 'Fetch your may." 'May' is an old form of 'maiden.'

That is, unless May was a wildly popular given name at the time, which seems unlikely.