There does seem to be something a little odd about it. This may perhaps be due to changes made by Dyer-Bennett; I'm none too sure. Since changes have been made, though, and since the original song is considerably longer, I'll quote the whole thing as Chappell published it. You'll notice a slightly different repeat pattern from the text given above:ALL IN A GARDEN GREEN
All in a garden green
Two lovers sat at ease,
As they could scarce be seen among,
Among the leafy trees.
They long had loved y-fere,
And no longer than truly,
In that time of the year,
In that time of the year
Cometh 'twixt May and July.
Subsequent verses follow the same pattern.
Quoth he, "Most lovely maid,
My troth shall aye endure;
And be not thou afraid,
But rest thee still secure,
That I will love thee long
As life in me shall last;
Now I am strong and young,
And when my youth is past.
When I am gray and old,
And then must stoop to age,
I'll love thee twenty-fold,
My troth I here engage."
She heard with joy the youth,
When he thus far had gone;
She trusted in his truth,
And, loving, he went on:
"Yonder thou seest the sun
Shine in the sky so bright,
And when this day is done,
And cometh the dark night,
No sooner night is not,
But he returns alway,
And shines as bright and hot
As on this gladsome day.
He is no older now
Than when he first was born;
Age cannot make him bow,
He laughs old Time to scorn.
My love shall be the same,
It never shall decay,
But shine without all blame,
Though body turn to clay."
She listed to his song,
And heard it with a smile,
And, innocent as young,
She dreamèd not of guile.
No guile he meant, I ween,
For he was true as steel,
As was thereafter seen
When she made him her weal.
Full soon both two were wed,
And these most faithful lovers
May serve at board at bed,
Example to all others.
As given in William Chappell's Ballad Literature and Popular Music of the Olden Time, 1859. Chappell glosses y-fere as together. The text, as Bruce pointed out back when this thread was young, is by John Payne Collier; the music quoted by Chappell was from William Ballet's Lute Book, and also appears in the Dancing Master of 1651 and later editions. This, too, differs in some respects from the transcription already at the Midi Pages, so I'll add a midi of it:Lyrics are embedded in the midi file. In case you aren't able to read those, I'll try to indicate scansion for the first verse. Dashes after words indicate additional notes to be sung; so that year,- - for example, is to be slurred over three notes.
All in a gar-den greenIn the last line, Chappell appears to indicate two syllables for and and one for July; it sings more comfortably the other way about, of course.
Two lov-ers sat at ease,
As they could scarce- be seen a-mong,-
A-mong the leaf- -y trees.
They- long had loved y-fere,
And no long-er than tru-ly,
In- that- time of the year,- -
In- that- time of the year
Com-eth 'twixt May and Ju-ly.