Fair Margaret- Child 74C; date 1770
[My title, another title is "As Margaret Stood at her Window." Parsons calls it, Ballad of Sweet William. Child ingores Parsons statement that the first two stanzas are the same as Percy's, renumbers them and separates stanza 6 and 7 as follows:
6 'Oh is Fair Margaret in the kitchen?
Or is she in the hall?
. . . . .
. . . .
7 'No, she is not in the kitchen,' they cryed,
'Nor is she in the hall;
But she is in the long chamber,
Laid up against the wall.'
Parsons writes:
"The Ballad of Sweet William was the same as Yours in the Stanzas I have omitted. In the 8th Stanza and 35th Line Yours runs:
To dream thy Bower was full of ‘red’ Swine, which last words are marked as of uncertain reading. I think I have restored the Original Reading. The Person from whose mouth I took it Sung it thus:
My Chamber was full of wild men’s wine, which is absolute nonsense, but if altered to wild men and Swine, is perfect sense and naturally Expresses a horrid and hurrying Dream."
R. Matteson 2013]
[1. As it fell out on a long summer's day,
Two lovers they sat on a hill;
They sat together that long summer's day,
And could not talk their fill.
2. I see no harm by you, Margaret,
And you see none by mee
Before to-morrow at eight o'clock
A rich wedding you shall see. ]
3. As Margaret Stood at her Window so clear
A combing back her hair
She saw sweet William and his gay Bride
Unto the Church draw near
4. Then down she threw her Ivory comb
She turned back her hair
There was a fair maid at that Window
She’s gone- she’ll come no more there.
5. In the night, in the middle of the Night
When all men were asleep
There walked a Ghost, fair Margaret’s Ghost
And stood at his Bed’s feet
6 Sweet William he dreamed a dream and he said
I wish it prove for good
My chamber was filled with wild men and Swine
And my Bride-bed stood in Blood
7 Then he called up his Stable groom
To Saddle his Nag with speed
This night will I ride to fair Margaret’s Bow’r
With the leave of my Lady
8 Oh is fair Margaret in the Kitchen
Or is she in the Hall
No She is not in the Kitchen they Cried
Nor is she in the Hall
But she is in the Long Chamber
Laid up against the wall
9 Go with your right side to Newcastle
And come with your left side home
There you will see those two Lovers
Lie printed on one Stone