Fred Hamer's collection Garners Gay gave us John Barleycorn, a death-resurrection saga which seems to have first appeared on a broadside during the reign of James I. From the singing of William Bartle.

There were three men come out of the west
Their fortunes for to try
And they have made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn should die (2x):
     Fol, lol, lol, lol, is a lovely day
     Fol, lol, lol, lol, lay-o
     Fol, lol, lol, lol, is a lovely day
     Singing fol, lol, lol, lol, lay.

They plowed him in three furrows deep
Laid clods all on his head
And they have made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead:

Well, then there came a shower of rain
Which from the clouds did fall
John Barleycorn sprang up again
And he did amaze them all:

Well, then came men with great sharp scythes
To cut him off at the knee
They bashed his head against a stone
And they used him barbarously:

Well, then came men with great long flails
To cut him skin from bone
And they have used him worse than that
They ground him between two stones:

They wheeled him here, they wheeled him there
Wheeled him into the barn
And they have used him worse than that
They bunged him in a vat:

Well, they worked their will upon John Barleycorn
But he lives to tell the tale
We pour him into an old brown jug
And we call him home-brewed ale:

© Golden Hind Music