Pretty Polly & Sweet William- Topper (OH) pre1939 Eddy B
[Ballads and Songs from Ohio; Eddy, 1939. Her notes follow.
R. Matteson 2014]
B. Pretty Polly & Sweet William- Mrs. S. T. Topper (Ashland, OH) pre1939 Eddy B
1. Pretty Polly was standing in her bowery door,
A-combing back her hair,
When she spied sweet William and his bride,
Unto the churchyard draw near.
2. She flung back her long yellow hair,
And dressed herself in green;
She shut down her windows all,
And no more of her was to be seen.
3. The day being spent and the night come on,
And the most of them were asleep,
When in comes Polly's gay, guilty ghost,
And stands at Sweet William's feet.
4. How do you like your blankets all,
And how do you like your sheet,
And how do you like your new wedded wife
That lies close in your arms asleep?"
5. "Very well I like my blankets all,
Much better do I like my sheet,
But the worst of it all is Polly
Standing at my bed's feet."
6. Sweet William arose and was troubled in his mind
About the dream he dreampt last night;
He dreampt his room was full of wild swine,
And his true love was swimming in blood.
7. Sweet William arose, called his merrimen all,
He called them by one, two and three,
And asked lief of his new wedded wife
If pretty Polly he might go and see.
8. They rode all day till they came to the gate,
Then loudly tinged the rings;
No one stood so readily as the seventh youngest son
To let Sweet William in.
9. "Oh, where is pretty Polly, is she in her bowery[1] door
Amongst her merry maids all?
Oh, is she in her bowery door,
Or is she in her hall?"
10. "Neither is she in her bowery door,
Nor is she in her hall,
But she is lying with her cold, cold face
Unto the wall."
11. "It's take away those linen sheets,
And take away those fine,
Till I do kiss these cold, cold cheeks
That so often has kissed mine."
12. Ten twice he kissed her cold, cold face,
Ten twice he kissed her chin;
Ten twice he kissed her cold, cold cheeks,
And her heart was with him in.
13 "Pretty Polly died on this good day,
And I must die tomorrow;
Pretty Polly died of pure true love,
And I must die tomorrow of sorrow."
14 Pretty Polly was buried on the churchyard hill,
Sweet William was buried close by her,
And out of her grave grew a red rose,
And out of his grew a brier.
15 They grew all up the church wall together
Until they could grow no higher;
They linked and tied a true lovers' knot
Until the rose bush shunned the brier.
1. bower