Sweet William- Bucher (VA) 1914 Davis D
[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.
D. "Sweet William." Reported by Professor James M Grainger. Contributed by Miss Mary Clay Hiner. Sung by her aunt, Mrs. Bucher. Augusta County. December 19, 1924. Mrs. Bucher learned it from her grandmother, a native of Wales.
1 It was early one morning Sweet William arose,
He dressed himself in blue.
"Now tell unto me that long, long love
That lies between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "Oh, I know nothing of Lady Margaret,
And Lady Margaret knows nothing of me.
But tomorrow morning before 't is eight o'clock,
Lady Margaret my bride shall see."
3 Lady Margaret was standing in her bowing door,
A-combing back her hair,
When who should she see but Sweet William and his bride
A-going to the infair.[1]
4 Down she dashed her ivory comb,
And back she threw her hair,
And down she fell in her bowing door;
Never more was she seen there.
5 But they rode on till they came there,
This couple went to bed;
And about midnight when they two awoke,
A ghost stood at their feet,
6 Saying, "How, kind sir, do you like your bed,
And how do you like your sheet,
And how do you like that gay lady
That lies in your arms and sleeps?"
7 "Oh, very well do I like my bed,
Much better I like my sheet;
But the best of all is that lady
That stands at my bed's feet."
8 It was early next morning Sweet William arose,
He arose to tell his dream.
He dreamed that his courts were all filled with wine,[2]
And his garments stained with blood.
9. Sweet William asked his gay lady
If Lady Margaret he might go and see;
"Oh, yes," said he, "These twenty-four hours
Lady Margaret you may go and see."
10 He mounted on his milk-white steed,
So gaily he rode away;
Gold rings bursted off his fingers,
And his nose began to bleed.[3]
11. But he rode on till he came there;
So loudly he rattled the ring.
But no one was so ready to rise and let him in
As her own servant brother.
12. "Is Lady Margaret in her bowing door?
Or is she in the hall?
Or is she in her very fine room
Among her merry maids all?"
13. "Lady Margaret is not in her bowing door,
Nor is she in her hall;
But she is in her own coffin cold,
A corpse against the wall."
14. "Unfold those winding sheets," said he,
"Unfold from head to feet,
That I may kiss those cold, cold cheeks
That look so cold and sweet."
15. First he kissed her cold, cold cheeks
And then he kissed her chin
And then he kissed her cold ruby lips
That filled his heart within.
16 Lady Margaret was buried in the churchyard,
Sweet William by her side;
And out of her grave grew a red rose
And out of his a briar.
17 They grew as high as the church top,
Till they could grow no higher;
And than they grew into a true lover's knot,
And the rose wound round the briar.
1 This word, also and preferably spelled infare, from Anglo-Saxon infear, is still in use in the mountain districts for the reception of the bride into the home of the groom, following the wedding at the bride's home. Sweet William was already married; hence Lady Margaret's tragic behavior when she saw him "a-going to the infair."
2. usually "swine."
3. A nose bleed is found in other ballads but not usually this one