Lydia Marget- Dove (VA) 1914 Davis B
[From Traditional Ballads of Virginia; Kyle Davis Jr. editor; 1929. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
FAIR MARGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM
(Child, No. 74)
For a general introduction to Nos. 18, 19, and 20, see the head-note to No. 18. The twenty-nine items collected for this ballad indicate that it is fairly widespread in the state, though it is somewhat less popular than either of its immediate neighbors, which boast thirty-seven items each. The ballad is known not only as"Fair Margaret and Sweet William," but also as "Lady Marget," "Lydia Marget," "Sweet William," "Sweet William's Bride," and "Sweet William and Lady Margaret." As in the case of Eleanor in the preceding ballad, the name Margaret is variously spelled and pronounced. Eight melodies have been recovered.
The normal Virginia text shows no very exact similarity to any one of the Child versions, A, B, or C, though it has some likenesses to each. It is like A in that the dream is William's and in the "such dreams" stanza, which is common to both. It is like B verbally, in the conversation that takes place between William and Margaret's ghost, and in the direct rose-and-briar-ending, without aftermath. It is like C in that no hint is given that the bride is brown. This touch, characteristic of "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet," has slipped into Child A and B but does not appear in any Virginia text. All told, a general likeness to Child B is most apparent, but the Virginia text would surely have to be printed as a version separate from the Child versions.
The story of the Virginia text is this: Sweet William arises one morning end dresses himself in blue. He denies that there is anything of moment between Lady Margaret and himself, and says that on the following day Lady Margaret will see his bride. Lady Margaret stands at her window as he and his bride pass by; she throws down her ivory comb in her emotion, and is
never more seen there. That night Lady Margaret's ghost appears at the foot of Sweet William's bridal bed and inquires how he likes his bride. He replies that best of all he likes the lady that stands at his bed's feet. He wakes, hints to his wife of his ominous dream, and gets her permission to go and see Lady Margaret. Her brother lets him in and informs him that Lady Margaret is in her coffin. After taking farewell kisses of her, he dies of sorrow. The two lovers are buried nearby, and sympathetic plants grow from their graves and entwine to symbolize their love transcending death.
For American texts, see Belden, No. J (fragment); Brown, p. 9 (North Carolina); Bulletin, Nos. 2-6, 8-10; Campbell and Sharp, No. 17 (Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia); Child, v, 293 (Massachusetts); Cox, No. 11 and p. 522 (seven texts, two melodies); Hudson, No. 11 (Mississippi); Journal, XIX, 281 (Belden, Missouri); XXIII, 381 (Combs, Kentucky); III, 154 (Perrow, North Carolina); XXX, 303 (Kittredge, Missouri); XXXI, (Waugh, Ontario, text and melody); xxxv, 340 (Tolman and Eddy, Ohio, text and melody); McGill, p.71; Mackenzie, p. 124, Mackenzie, Ballads; Pound, Ballads, No. 16; Shearin, p.3; Shearin and Combs, p.8; C. Smith.(Virginia, two melodies only); Wyman and Brockway, p.94. For additional references, see Cox, p.65; Journal, XXIX, 160; XXX, 302.
B. "Lydia Marget." Sent in by Miss Martha M. Davis. Contributed by Mr. Wilmer P. Dove. Sung by his mother, at Dovesville, Va., Rockingham County. January 20, 12914. After my little talk to the Rockingham Teachers Association on the subject of ballads last November, Mr. Dove, who is one of the teachers of the County, told me his mother knew 'Lady Marget.' I suppose this is his mother's version" (Miss Davis).
1. Sweet William he rose one May morning
And dressed himself in blue.
"Come tell unto me that long, long love
That's betwixt Lydia Marget and you."
2 "I know nothing of Lydia Marget,
Lydia Marget knows nothing of me;
But tomorrow morn by eight o'clock
Lydia Marget my bride shall be.
3. Lydia Marget was sitting at her by-window,[1]
Combing back her golden hair;
And who did she spy but Willie and his bride
At the churchyard as they passed by.
4. Down she threw her ivory comb,
And back she threw her hair,
And down she fell from her by-window,
Never to see there any more.
5. The day passed and the night came on
When most men were asleep;
And who did appear but Lydia Marget's ghost
A-standing at Wittie's bed feet?
6. "Oh, how do you like your bed?" said she,
"And how do you like your sheep?[2]
And how do you like that new married lady
That is lying in your arms asleep?"
7. "Very well, very well, do I like my bed,
And better do I like my sheep;
But the best of all is that young lady
That is standing at my bed foot."
8. The night being gone, and the day came on,
When most men were at work;
Sweet William said he was troubled in his mind
Of a dream that he dreamed last night.
9. "Such a dream, such a dream, it can't be true,
Such a dream, it can't be true;
I dreamed my room was full of white swine
And my bride's bed a-flowing in tears."
10. He ask a leave of his many maids all,
By one, by two, by three;
He ask a leave of his new married lady,
Lydia Marget he might go to see.
11. He came and he knocked so loud,
He called till he almost screamed;
And who was so early but Lydia Marget's brother
To arise and let him in.
12 "Oh, is she in the kitchen?" says he,
"Or is she in the hall?
Or is she in her highest chamber
Among her many maids all?"
13. "She's neither in the kitchen," says he,
"Nor is she in the hall;
She's lying under her cold coffin lid
With her pale face turned to the wall."
14 "Tears down, tears down those silk white robes,
Tears down those reannents[3] so fine,
And let me kiss those clay-cold lips
That ofttimes have kissed mine.
15. It was once I kissed her rosy cheeks,
It was twice I kissed her chin,
Three times I kissed her ruby lips,
But never will again."
16. Sweet William he died on eventide,
Lydia Marget she died on the morn;
Lydia Marget she died of pure, pure love,
And Sweet William he died from sorrow.
17. Ever in the churchyard green
Together they were laid,
And out of her grave grew a red rose,
And out of his a briar.
They wrapped themselves in a true lover's knot,
The red rose 'round the briar.
1. [bower] The manuscript has bi- window. Bi-window does no violence to the original sound, and adds the sense of side-window. Only a trace of bower-window is left.
2 [sheet] Nonsense, of course. The singer has sacrificed sense for a more perfect rhyme than the merely assonantal sheet.
3. Raiments is probably the word, but the manuscript spelling is unmistakable, and it is more than a misspelling. The manuscript does bear some resemblance to an "s" which might suggest cerements.