Fair Margaret and Sweet William

Sweet William arose one May morning
And dressed himself in blue;
We want you to tell of something about
The long love between Lady Margaret and you.

Sweet William arose on a May morning
And he dressed himself in blue;
We want you to tell of that long love that's been
Between Lady Marget and you.

“I know nothing of Lady Margaret's love,
I'm sure she don't love me.
But tomorrow morning at eight o'clock
Lady Margaret my bride shall see.”

“Oh, I know nothing of Lady Marget's love,
And I know she don't love me.
Before tomorrow morning at eight of the clock
Lady Marget a bride shall see.”

Lady Margaret sat in her own hall door,
A-combing down her hair,
When she saw Sweet William come a-riding by,
Bringing his new bride home.

Lady Marget was a-sitting in her own bower room,
Combing back her yellow hair,
And she saw Sweet William and his new wedded bride
And the lawyers a-riding by.

She first threw down her ivory comb,
Tied up her long yellow hair,
And out of the door went this lady gay,
To never return any more.

It's down she stood her ivory comb
And back she threw her hair,
And it's you may suppose and be very well assured,
Lady Marget was heard no more.

Now late that night when William was in bed,
And most all men was asleep,
lady Margaret's ghost came to Sweet William's side
And stood at his own bed feet.

The day being past and the night coming on,
When most all men were asleep,
Something appeared to Sweet William and his bride
And stood at their bed feet.

Saying, “How do you like your snow-white pillow?
How do you like your sheet?
And how do you like the new found bride
That's a-lying in your arms asleep?”

Saying, “How do you like your bed making
And how do you like your sheets?
And how do you like that new wedded bride
That lies in your arms and sleeps?”

“Very well, very well do I like my pillow,
Better do I like the sheet,
But the best one of all is that pretty little girl
That's a-standing at my own bed feet.”

“Very well do I like my bed making
Much better do I like my sheets,
But best of all is that gay lady
That stands at my bed feet.”

So early next morning when William awoke,
And most all men was at work,
Sweet William said he was troubled in his head
By the dreams that he dreamed last night.

The night being past and the day coming on,
When most all men were awake,
Sweet William he said he was troubled in his head
By the dreams that he dreamed last night.

“Such dreams, such dreams I do not like,
Such dreams they are no good.
I dreamed that my hall was filled with wild swine,
Lady Margaret was drowning in blood.”

“Such dreams, such dreams cannot be true,
I'm afraid they're of no good.
I dreamed that my chamber was full of wild swine
And my bride's bed floating in blood.”

So he called his comrades to his side
And numbered them one, two, three,
And the last one of them, “Go tell my bride
Lady Margaret I've gone to see.”

He's called down his waiting men
One by two by three,
Saying, “Go and ask leave of my new wedded bride
If Lady Marget I mayn't go and see.”

He rode till he came to Lady Margaret's hall,
Pulled all on the ring.
There's none so ready as Lady Margaret's brother
For to rise and let him in.

He's rode up to Lady Marget's own bower room
And tingled all on the ring,
And who was so ready as her own born brother
To rise and let him in.

“Now, is she in the garden?,” he said,
“Or is she in the hall?
Or is she in the upper parlour
Among them ladies all?”

“Is Lady Marget in her own bower room
Or is she in her hall?
Or is she high in her chambery
Amongst the ladies all?”

“She neither is in the garden,” he said,
“Nor yet into the hall,
But yonder she lies in her cold coffin
With her pale face turned to the wall.”

“Lady Marget's not in her own bower room
Nor neither is she in her hall,
But she is in her long cold coffin
Lies pale against yon wall.”

“Unroll, unroll those winding sheets
Although they're very fine,
And let me kiss them cold pale lips
Just as often as they've kissed mine.”

It's first he's kissed her ivory cheeks
And then he's kissed her chin,
And when he kissed them cold pale lips
There was no breath within.

Three times he's kissed her ivory cheeks,
Three times he's kissed her chin,
And the last time he kissed them cold pale lips
It crushed his heart within.

Lady Marget died like it might be today,
Sweet William he died on tomorrow,
Lady Marget she died for pure true love,
Sweet William he died for sorrow.

Lady Margaret was buried in the old churchyard,
William lay anigh her,
And out of her grave grew a red, red rose
And out of his a briar.

Lady Marget was buried in yons churchyard,
Sweet William was buried by her,
And out of her grave sprung a red, red rose,
Out of his a green, green briar.

They grew and they grew on the old church tower
Till they could grow not higher
They met and they twined in a true lover's knot,
The red rose around the briar.

And they both growed up the old church wall
Till they could not grow any higher
And they met and they tied in a true love's knot,
Red rose around green briar.