Lady Margaret & Sweet William- Kennison (VT) 1930
[From Flanders Ancient Ballad; 1966; version F; first published in Vermont Folk-Songs & Ballads, 1933.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
Lady Margaret & Sweet William- Josiah Kennison (VT) 1930 Collected Flanders,
"If you're no woman for me,
And I'm no man for you,
Before three merry, merry months are passed
My wedding you shall see.
"If you're no man for me,
And I'm no woman for you,
Before three merry, merry months are passed
My burial you shall see.
As Lady Margaret was sitting in her high chamber window
Combing back her yellow golden hair,
She saw Sweet William with his new bride
Walking to the church together.
She hove the comb in high vo-ree, [1]
And tossed back her yellow golden hair.
She flung herself out of the high chamber window
Saying, "I will never go there!"
"How do you like Your bed,
And how do you like your sheet,
And how do you like that fair lady
That lies in your arms asleep?"
"Very well do I like my bed,
Very well do I like my sheet,
But the best of it all is that fair lady
That stands at my bed feet."
Lady Margaret died in the dead of night,
Sweet William died on the morrow.
Lady Margaret was buried in the high churchyard,
Sweet William was buried there by her.
There sprang a rose from Lady Margaret's grave
And from Sweet William's a briar;
They grew till they grew to the high tree tall
. . . .
They tied themselves in a true love's knot,
And they both died together.
1. Flanders has "fury"? but it's "comb in ivory" the whole line would be "She hove (put aside) her comb in ivory,"