11. Fair Margaret and Sweet William (Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)
[Many of the West Virginia versions have "Lady Margaret my bride shall be" which should be, "Lady Margaret my bride shall see" or more correctly, "Lady Maraget shall see my bride," which doesn't rhyme. Sweet William is not marrying Lady Margaret. It's Lady Margaret's viewing of the other woman that causes her death, either from a broken-heart or a presumed suicide (the dream with blood).
Cox I- A stanza from a different informant appears with music in the music section on p. 522.
Bronson 10. "Lady Margaret" Cox, 1925, p. 522. Sung by Mrs. Estelle Lowe, Harrison County, W.Va. Noted by Miss Lydia I. Hinkel.
Sweet William rose one morning bright,
And dressed himself in blue:
Come tell to me the long lost love,
'Tween Lady Margaret and You.
R. Matteson 2014]
11. FAIR MARGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM (Child, No. 74)
Seven variants have been recovered in West Virginia under the titles: "Sweet William," "Lady Margaret," and "Lady Margaret's Ghost." A glance at these ballads shows that they are largely identical; a comparison with the Child versions indicates that they are to be classed with group A, B, as witnessed by the blue suit, the dream of white swine, and the seven brethren.
For American texts see Child, v, 293 (Massachusetts); Journal, xix, 281 (Belden; Missouri); xxin, 381 (Combs; Kentucky); xxvni, 154 (Perrow; North Carolina) ; xxx, 303 (Kittredge; Missouri); xxxi, 74 (Waugh; Ontario); xxxv, 340 (Tolman and Eddy; Ohio); Wyman and Brockway, p. 94 (Kentucky); McGill, p. 69 (Kentucky; reprinted by Pound, No. 16); Campbell and
Sharp, No. 17 (Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia); Focus, iv, 426 (Virginia); Ralph, Harper's Monthly Magazine, July, 1903, cvn, 272 (Kentucky); Mackenzie, p. 124 (Nova Scotia); Smith, p. 18 (two tunes); Minish MS. (North Carolina). Cf. Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Belden, No. 5; F. C. Brown, p. 9; Bulletin, Nos. 2-6, 8-10; Cox, xlv, 159; Reed Smith, Journal,
xxvni, 200.
A. "Sweet William." Communicated by Mr. G. T. Federer, Morgantown, Monongalia County, January, 1917; taken from a manuscript song book belonging to Lizzie Kelley, Independence, Preston County, who obtained it from Mintie Herskille.
1 Sweet William arose one merry May morning
And dressed himself in blue:
"Come and tell of the long, long love
Between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know nothing of Lady Margaret,
Lady Margaret knows nothing of me;
And before eight o'clock on to-morrow, morrow morn
Lady Margaret my bride shall be." [1]
3 As Lady Margaret was sitting in her bedroom door,
A-combing her long yellow hair;
And who should she spy but Sweet William and his bride,
As the churchyard they passed by?
4 'T was down she threw her ivory comb
And back she threw her hair;
There was a fair maid went out of the room
That was nevermore seen there.
5 When the day was gone and the night come on,
When most of the men were asleep,
Sweet William he dreamed he saw Lady Margaret,
Standing at his bed's feet.
6 When the night was gone and the day come on,
And most of the men were awake,
Sweet William he told of a dream
That made his heart to ache.
7 Sweet William he called the merry maids all,
They came by one, two, three;
He asked liberty of his newly-married bride
Lady Margaret to go and see.
8 He rode until he came to Margaret's gate,
He rattled on the ring;
Then was none so ready as Lady Margaret's brother
To arise and let him in.
9 "Is Lady Margaret in the dining room?
Or is she in the hall?
Or is she in her high chamber,
Among the merry maids all?"
10 "She is not in the dining room,
Nor is she in the hall;
She is in her lead coffee, [2]
With her pale face turned to the wall."
11. "Roll down, roll down those snow-white sheets
That are of Holland so fine;
Let me kiss those pale cold lips
That so ofttimes have kissed mine."
12 'T was once he kissed her snow-white brow,
And twice he kissed her chin;
Three times he kissed her pale cold lips:
That pierced his heart within,
13 Lady Margaret was buried on Wismer day, [3]
Sweet William was buried to-morrow;
Lady Margaret was buried under a weeping willow,
Sweet William was buried under another.
14 And out of her grave there sprang a red rose,
And out of his a brier;
They grew and they tied in a true lover's knot,
The red rose around the brier.
15 They grew and they tied in a true lover's knot,
And they lived and died together;
Lady Margaret she died of pure, pure love,
Sweet William died of sorrow.
1. [my footnote] Lady Margaret my bride shall see." Sweet William is not marrying Lady Margaret.
2. For coffin.
3. A mistake for as it were to-day.
B. "Lady Margaret." Communicated by Mr. J. R. Waters, Morgantown, Monongalia County; obtained from Mrs. W. F. Brown, Belington, Barbour County, who learned it more than fifty years ago in Delaware County, Ohio. Printed by Cox, xlv, 378, 388.
1. Sweet William rose one morning bright,
And dressed himself in blue :
"Come tell to me the long lost love,
Between Lady Margaret and you."
2. "I know no harm of Lady Margaret," said he,
"And I hope she knows none of me;
But to-morrow morning before eight o'clock,
Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3. As Lady Margaret was in her chamber high,
A-combing up her hair,
She spied Sweet William and his bride,
As they to the church drew near.
4. She threw down her ivory comb
And tossed back her hair;
And from the room a fair lady came
That was seen in there no more.
5. The day being gone and the night being come,
When most men were asleep,
Sweet William spied Lady Margaret's ghost,
A-standing at his bed feet.
6. "How do you like your bed?" said she,
"And how do you like your sheet?
And how do you like the fair lady,
That lies in your arms asleep?"
7. "Very well do I like my bed," said he,
"Very well do I like my sheet;
But better do I like the fair lady,
That is standing at my bed feet."
8 The night being gone and the day being come,
When most men were awake,
Sweet William said he was troubled, in his head
From a dream he had last night.
9 He called his weary waiting maids,
By one, by two, by three;
And last of all, with his bride's consent,
Lady Margaret he went to see.
10 He went unto the parlor door,
He knocked until he made things ring;
But none was so ready as her own dear brother
To arise and let him in.
11 "Is Lady Margaret in the parlor?" said he,
"Or is she in the hall?
Or is she in her chamber high
Among the gay ladies all?"
12 "Lady Margaret is not in the parlor," said he,
"She is neither in the hall;
But she is in her coffin
And a-lying by the wall."
13 "Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,
They are made of silk so fine;
That I may kiss Lady Margaret's cheek,
For ofttimes she has kissed mine."
14 The first that he kissed was her rosy cheek,
The next was her dimpled chin;
The last of all was her clay-cold lips:
That pierced his heart within.
15 "Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,
They are made of silk so fine;
To-day they hang around Lady Margaret's corpse,
And to-morrow they will hang around mine."
16 Lady Margaret died of pure, pure love,
Sweet William died of sorrow;
They are buried in one burying ground,
Both side and side together.
17 Out of her grave grew a red rose,
And out of his a briar;
They grew in a twining true-lover's knot,
The rose and the green briar.
C. "Sweet William." Contributed by Miss Sallie D. Jones, Hillsboro, Pocahontas County, January, 1917; learned about forty-six years ago from Miss M. E. Harper, Pendleton County; assisted in remembering by Mrs. Dickenson and Mrs. Forest Hammer, Franklin, Pendleton County.
1 Sweet William arose one May misty morning,
And dressed himself in blue:
"Come tell unto me the long, long love
Between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know nothing about Lady Margaret," he said,
"Lady Margaret knows nothing about me;
But to-morrow morning about eight o'clock,
Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 Lady Margaret was sitting in her high dawning window,
Combing her long, yellow hair;
When whom should she spy but Sweet William and his bride,
As they drew nigh to the church.
4 She dashed down her ivory comb
And tossed back her long, yellow hair,
And departed from the high dawning window,
And was never more seen there.
5 The day being past and night coming on,
When most of the men were asleep,
Lady Margaret's ghost it did appear
At Sweet William's own bed feet.
6 "How do you like your bed?" said she,
And how do you like your sheet?
And how do you like your newly-wedded^bride,
Who lies in your arms asleep?"
7 "Very well do I like my bed," said he,
"Very well do I like my sheet;
But the dearest of all is the dear little girl,
Who stands at my bed feet."
8 The night being past and the day coming on,
When most of the men were awake,
Sweet William he said, "I am troubled in my mind,
By the dream that I dreamed last night."
9. . . . .
. . . . .
"I dreamed that my hall was haunted by white swine,
And my bed was floating away."
10 He called up his merry maids all
And dressed six of them in green,
Saying, "Take up my newly wedded bride,
For Lady Margaret I'll go see."
11. . . . . .
. . . . . .
He rode all day and he rode all night,
He rode till he came to her hall.
12 Sweet William tingled at the bell,
As there was no other;
Who was so ready as to rise and let him in
As Lady Margaret's own brother?
13 "O is she in her chamber high?
Or is she in the hall?
Or is she in her kitchen room,
Among her maidens all?"
14 "She is neither in her chamber high,
She is neither in her hall;
But yonder she lies on her cold cofiin lid,
With her pale face turned to the wall."
15 "Fall down, fall down, ye milk-white sheets,
White hollands ye are so fine,
That I may kiss the clay-cold lips
That ofttimes have kissed mine."
16 Three times he kissed her on the cheek,
Three times he kissed her chin;
Three times he kissed her clay-cold lips,
And it pierced his heart within.
D. "Lady Margaret's Ghost." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County, April 15, 1916; obtained from Mrs. Martha Johnson, Hendricks, Tucker County, who learned it when a girl.
1 Sweet William arose one May morning,
And dressed himself in blue:
"Come tell unto me this long, long love
That's between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know nothing of Lady Margaret,
And Lady Margaret knows nothing of me;
But to-morrow morning at eight o'clock
Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 Lady Margaret was sitting in her bow [1] door
Combing her yellow hair,
And who should she spy but Sweet William and his bride,
In the church yard they passed by.
4 Down she threw her ivory comb,
Back she flung her hair,
Down she fell from her bowing l door,
And never again seen there.
5 As the day being done and the night drawing on,
And most of the men were asleep ;
Who should appear at Sweet William's bed,
But gay Lady Margaret's ghost?
6 "How do you like your bed?" said she,
"And how do you like your sheet?
And how do you like this new wedded wife
That lies in your arms asleep?"
7 "Very well, very well do I like my bed,
Better do I like my sheet;
And best of all is that gay lady
That stands at my bed feet."
8 As the night being gone and the day drawing on,
And most of the men were awake,
Sweet William said he was troubled in his head
Of the dream he had last night.
9 "O is she in her dining room?
Or is she in the hall?
Or is she in her bed chamber
Among her maidens all?"
10 " She is not in her dining room,
Or is she in her hall;
But she is laying in her lead coffin,
With her pale face turned to the wall."
11 "Turn down, turn down those lily- white sheets,
Lay back those laces fine;
And let me kiss those cold, cold lips
That oft times have kissed mine."
12 Up spoke her brothers, all but one,
"Go home, go home, go home!
Go home to your wedded wife,
And let our dead sister alone."
13 Sweet William he died of pure love,
Lady Margaret died of sorrow;
Lady Margaret was buried in the church yard,
And Sweet William buried by her.
14 Out of her grave grew a red, red rose,
And out of his grew a brier;
They grew up to the church steeple top,
Till they could grow no higher;
And there they tied in a true lover's knot,
The red rose and the brier.
1. Mistake for bower.
E. "Lady Margaret." Communicated by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County, 191 7; obtained from Mrs. Nancy McDonald McAtee.
1 Her father says to Sweet William :
"Come tell to me this long, long love
Betwixt Lady Margaret and thee."
2. " I know nothing of Lady Margaret,
Nor Lady Margaret knows nothing of me;
But to-morrow, agin eight o'clock,
Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3. Lady Margaret up in her high story,
A-combin' her long yellow hair;
And who should she see but Love William with his bride,
As they went ridin' by?
4. Down she throwed her ivory comb,
And tore down her long yellow hair,
And throwed herself from the top of the high hall,
Where she never was no more seen.
5. The very next morning Love William arose,
And he dressed in the best of his clothes,
And he said, "I am troubled in my mind
With a dream I dremp last night.
6. "For I dremp that my household
Was all covered with a white shroud,
And my merry maids all in tears."
7. And he never rested till he got relief,
From his nuby [1] wedded wife,
. . . . .
Lady Margaret he might see.
8 He put his foot in his right stirrup
And merrily rode away;
He rode till he came to Lady Molly's hall,
And tingered low at the ring. [2]
9 There was none so ready as the seventh brother
To git up and let him in:
"Where is Lady Molly? Is she in her chamber hall,
Or is she in her chamber so high?"
10 "Lady Molly she's not in her chamber hall,
Lady Molly's in her lead coffin,
And her face cold against the wall."
11 "Tear down those milk-white sheets,
And let me git a kiss from her cold dyin' lips,
For ofttimes she's kissed mine."
12 Three times he kissed her cold dyin' lips,
Three times he kissed her chin;
And when he kissed her cold dyin' lips,
He pierced his heart with tears. [3]
13 Lady Molly died this one glad day,
Sweet William died to-morrow;
Lady Molly died for the loss of her dear,
Sweet William died for sorrow.
14 Lady Molly was buried in the green churchyard,
Sweet William was buried close by her;
And out of her breast grew a red rose bush,
And from his'n there grew a brier;
And there they tied in a true-lover's knot,
The red rose and the brier.
1. Mistake for newly.
2. With this stanza compare G3 of "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet," p. 59.
3. That pierced his heart within. (see Daw Henson's version)
F. "Lady Margaret." Contributed by Miss Polly McKinney, Sophia, Raleigh County, 1919.
1 Sweet William arose one May, May morning,
He dressed himself in blue:
"Pray tell to me a long, long life
Between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know no harm of sweet Lady Margaret,
And she knows none of me;
By eight o'clock to-morrow morning
Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 Lady Margaret was sitting in her own dining room,
Combing back her yellow hair,
When who should she see but Sweet William and his bride,
Both down to the church did go?
4 "Is Lady Margaret in her dining room?
Or among those ladies all?
Or is she dead and in her coffin,
A-leaning against the wall?"
5 "Lady Margaret is neither in her own dining room,
Nor among those ladies all;
But she is dead and in her coffin,
A-leaning against the wall."
6 "Raise up, raise up those winding sheets
That look so neat and fine,
And let me kiss Lady Margaret's lips,
As often as she's kissed mine."
7 The first he kissed was on her cheek,
The next was on her chin;
The next he kissed was her cold clay lips,
And he wished that life was in.
8 Lady Margaret was buried in the old churchyard,
Sweet William by her side;
Out of her grave there sprang a red rose,
And out of his grave a green brier.
9 They grew to the top of the old church wall,
They could not grow any higher;
They twittered and they twined in a true lover's knot,
The red rose and the green brier.
G. "Sweet William." Communicated by Mr. C. Woofter, Glenville, Gilmer County, December 1923; obtained from Mr. Charles L. Ayers, Revere, who was killed in France, 1918. He got it on Standing Stone, Wirt County.
1 Sweet William rode one morning bright,
And dressed himself in blue:
"Come tell me the long lost love
Between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know no harm of Lady Margaret," said he,
"And I hope she knows none of me,
But to-morrow morning before eight o'clock
Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 As Lady Margaret was in her chamber high,
A-combing up her hair,
She spied Sweet William and his bride,
As they to the church drew near.
4 She threw down her ivory comb
And tossed back her hair;
And from the room a fair lady came,
That was seen in there no more.
5 The day being gone and the night being come,
When most men are asleep,
Sweet William spied Lady Margaret's ghost,
A-standing at his bed feet.
6 "How do you like your bed?" said she,
"And how do you like your sheet?
And how do you like the fair lady
That lies in your arms asleep?"
7 "Very well I like my bed," said he,
"Very well I like my sheet,
But better do I like the fair lady
That is standing at my bed feet."
8 The night being gone and the day being come,
When most men are awake,
Sweet William said he was troubled in his head
From a dream he had last night.
9 He called his weary waiting maids,
By one, by two, by three;
And the last of all, with his bride's consent,
Lady Margaret he went to see.
10 He went unto the parlor door,
He knocked till he made things ring:
But none was so ready as his own dear brother
To rise and let him in.
11 "Is Lady Margaret in the parlor?" said he,
"Or is she in the hall?
Or is she in her chamber high
Among the gay ladies all?"
12 "Lady Margaret is not in the parlor," said he,
"She is neither in the hall;
But she is in her coffin,
A-lying by the wall."
13 "Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,
They are made of silk so fine,
That I may kiss Lady Margaret's cheek,
For ofttimes she has kissed mine."
14 The first that he kissed was her rosy cheek,
The next was her dimpled chin;
The last of all was her clay-cold lips:
That pierced his heart within.
15 "Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,
They are made of silk so fine;
To-day they hang around Lady Margaret's corpse,
And to-morrow they will hang around mine."
16 Lady Margaret died of pure, pure love,
Sweet William died of sorrow;
They are buried in one burying ground,
Both side and side together.
17 Out of her grave grew a red, red rose,
And out of his a green briar;
They grew and they grew to the church-steeple top,
And they could not grow any higher.
18 They grew into a twining true-lover's knot,
The rose and the green briar;
They grew into a twining true-lover's knot,
For all true lovers to admire.