Sweet William's Bride- Rodes (VA) 1917 Davis N
[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.
N. "Sweet William's Bride." Contributed by Misses Ethel and Hallie Rodes, of Bryant, Va. Nelson County. March 26, 1917.
1 Sweet William's bride rose one merry morning
And dressed herself in blue.
"Pray tell to me the long, long love,
Betwixt Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know nothing of Lady Margaret
Nor neither does she of me;
But before tomorrow eight o'clock
Lady Margaret my bride shall be."[1]
3 As Lady Margaret was sitting in her low window,
Combing her yellow gold hair,
She saw Sweet William and his bonnie bride
Come riding close by there.
4 Down fell her ivory white comb,
Back flew her Yellow gold hair,
And she fell back with a dying groan;
Never more was she seen there.
5 Sweet William came to the low window,
Saying, "Where is Lady Margaret to-day?
I want to see her one more time
Before I go away."
6 "She is neither in her bed chamber,
Nor is she in the hall,
But she is in her lead coffin
That sits against the wall."
7 "Oh, hold me back the lid,
And fold me back the sheet,
And let me kiss those clay-cold lips,
Where once so soft and sweet."
8 First he kissed her snowy white hands,
And then he kissed her chin,
And then he kissed those clay-cold lips,
Where there was no breath in.
9 Lady Margaret died like it might be today,
Sweet William died like tomorrow;
Lady Margaret died from pure true love,
Sweet William died from sorrow.
10 Lady Margaret was buried in the green- churchyard,
Sweet William was buried there by her;
From Lady Margaret's breast there grew a red rose
And from Sweet William's a briar.
11 They grew and they grew to the-top of the church
Until they could grow no higher;
And there they met in a true lovers' knot,
For all young people to admire.
1 A slip in sense from the usual see.