Lady Margaret & Sweet William- Roberts (NC) 1943 Moser Recording
[From North Carolina Mountain Folksongs and Ballads; Artus Moser FW05331; 1974; Folkways Records.
R. Matteson 2014]
Lady Margaret and Sweet William- Taken from Mrs. Claudia Roberts (Hot Springs, NC) 1943; 1974 Moser Recording
Lady Marget was sitting in her high bower window,
A-combing back her long yellow hair,
Oh, whom did she see by [but] William and his bride,
Riding by the churchyard there.
'Twas back she threw her long flowing hair,
Threw down her ivory comb,
Oh let me bid sweet Willie adieu,
For no more will I go there.
It was late that night when they all were asleep,
And his bride lay in his arms,
Lady Margaret appeared all dressed in white,
A-standing at his bed feet.
Oh, how do you like your fine feather bed,
Oh, how do you like your sheet?
Oh, how do you like that gay young lady,
Who is standing at your bed feet?
Very well I do like my fine feather bed,
Very well I do like my sheet,
Much better do I like that gay young lady,
That is standing at my bed feet.
He rose early the next morning,
Went and saddled his milk-white steed,
Oh, let me ride to Lady Marget's door,
For no more will I go there.
Is Lady Marget a-sitting in her own bower room,
Or is she in the hall?
Lady Marget is laying in her own black coffin,
With her face turned to the wall.
Unscrew the coffin, take off the lid,
Unfold the linen so fine,
And let me kiss those cold pale lips,
For often they've kissed mine.
Oh when you see some lonesome doves,[1]
A-flying from pine to pine,
A-weeping for their lost true loves,
Like I shall weep for mine.
1. This is a floating verse and is not part of this ballad.