Sweet William- (NC) c.1915 Greer Collection
[My date, a guestimate. No informant on MS. Fragment from the I.G. Greer Collection.
R. Matteson 2014]
Sweet William- Greer collection
Sweet William he dressed himself,
He dressed himself in royal blue,
His leave he did ask of his own true love,
Lady Margaret to go and see.[1]
Lady Margaret [was] in her own parlor door,
Combing back her own sweet hair,
Until she saw Sweet William and his bride
Come riding up to the door.
She tossed back her yaller hair,
she threw down her ivory comb,
And into her own chamber she went,
Never to come out anymore.
Lady Margaret died just like today,
Sweet William died tomorrow;
Lady Margaret died with sighs and groans,
Sweet William died with sorrow.
Lady Margaret was buried in the old church year
Sweet William by her side,
And out of her grave sprung a red, red rose,
And out of his-un a briar.
They growed so high, they growed so tall,
They could not grow no higher;
They could not grow no higher,
When they met they tied in a true love knot,
A red rose 'round a briar.