This song occurs in part in King Henry V111's music-book "Deuteromelia," published in 1609. It was set by Mr Freeman as a glee in "The Essex Harmony," vol i 1767, p8.
In Beaumont and Fletcher's play, "The Knight of the Burning Pestle,"1635, Old Merrythought trolls out snatches of songs, and amongst others-

"Nose, nose, jolly red nose,
And who gave thee this jolly red nose?
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmegs and cloves,
And they gave me this jolly red nose."

Mr Bussell noted down the melody from James Olver, tanner of Launceston, in 1889. Of the words, Olver could not recall the line that follows

"And all the day long the Owl is asleep,"
and I have had to supply what is lacked.

I gave this song because it is interesting to note the changes that the air has undergone since it was performed as a Three Man's song before King Henry V111. It will be noticed that Olver has not got all the portion of the song beginning "To whom drink'st thou," Chapell has given "Of all the birds," in i p75. On the other hand in "Deuteromelia," only the first verse is given; Olver had three. A re-writing of the song "Of all the Birds on Bush or Tree," in "The Thrush," London 1830, has two stanzas. The second concerns the lark.