Sweet William- Martin (VA) 1917 Davis A
[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.
"Sweet William." Collected by Miss Roxie Martin and Mr. J. M. McManaway. Sung by a school girl. Albemarle Couty. June 1, 1917. " A schoolgirl sings. Sweet william and Lady Margaret as she heard the people in the mountains sing it" (Miss Martin and Mr. McManaway).
1 Sweet William rose one early May morning
And dressed himself in blue:
"And it's come tell me of the long, long love
Between Lady Marget and you."
2 "I know nothing of Lady Margaret,
Lady Margaret knows nothing of me;
Before tomorrow morning night
Lady Margaret my bride shall see."
3 Lady Margaret was sitting in her dining room door,
Combing back her long yellow hair;
But who did she spy but Sweet William and his bride,
In the churchyard as they passed by?
4 And down she threw her ivory comb
And back she drew her hair;
And down she fell from her dining room door,
She was never more seen there.
5. The day's spent, the night's coming on
Most of the men are asleep,
And who did he spy but Lady Margaret's ghost
A-standing at his bed's feet.
6 "It's how do You like your bed?
How do you like Your sheet?
And how do you like your new wedded wife
Who is is now in your arms asleep?"
7 "And I do like my bed," says he,
"And better do I like my sheet;
But best of all is the pale-faced ghost
Who stands at my bed's feet."
8 The night's been spent, the day's coming on,
Most of the men are awake,
Sweet William says, "I'm troubled in my head
With a dream I dreamed last night."
9 "Such dreams! such dreams! they can't be good.
Such dreams, they may come true.
I dreamed my hall was full of white swine
And my loved bride was flown in tears."
10 He called and he called to his merry men,
He called them one by one,
And he got release from his new wedded wife
Lady Margaret to go to see.
11 He rode and he rode till he came to the door;
Loud did he knock and call.
And who was more ready than Lady Margaret's brother
To come down and let him in?
12 "Where is Lady Margaret? " says he,
"Is she in her kitchen? Is she in her hall?
Or is she in her highmost chamber
Among her merry maids all?"
13 "She's neither in her kitchen hall,
She's neither in her kitchen hall;
She's in that coffin, made of white lead,
With her pale face to the wall."
14 "Fold down, fold down, that lily-white sheet
That's made of hollens[1] so fine,
And let me kiss the clay cold lips
That oftentimes kissed mine."
15 And it's once he kissed her lily-white breast,
And twice he kissed her chin,
And it's three times he kissed her cold clay lips;
Then perished her heart within.
16 Lady Margaret died like today,
Sweet William died like tomorrow.
Lady Margaret was buried 'neath one willow tree,
Sweet William was buried 'neath the other.
17 Out of Lady Margaret's grave grew a red rose,
And out of Sweet William's grew a brier.
They grew and they grew to the church steeple top
Until they could grow no higher,
And there they entwined in a true lover's knot
For all true loves to admire.
1. For Holland (linen).