Fair Margaret and Sweet William

Child #74

Other titles or closely related songs: Lady Margaret and King [or Prince] William, Lady Margaret, Fair Margaret's Misfortune,

Sweet William arose one May morning and dressed himself in blue

Come and tell to me all about that love between Lady Margaret and you

Oh I know nothing of lady Margaret’s love and she knows nothing of me

Oh it’s in the morning at half-past eight Lady Margaret my bride shall see

Lady Margaret was sitting in her bower room a-combing back her hair

When who should she spy but sweet William and his bride as to church they did repair

And she threw down her ivory comb and tossed back her hair

And out of the room that fair lady ran and was never anymore seen there

 

The day passed away and the night coming on and most of the men asleep

Sweet William spied Lady Margaret’s ghost a-standing at his bed feet

Oh how do you like your bed said she and how do you like your sheet

And how do you like that fair young bride a-laying in your arms at sleep

 

Oh well do I like my bed said he and well I like my sheet

But better do I love that fair young maid a-standing at my bed feet

The night passed away and the day coming on and most of the men awake

Sweet William said I’m troubled in my head by the dreams that I dreamed last night

Such dreams such dreams such dreams as these I know they mean no good

Last night I dreamed that my room was full of swine and my bride was floating in blood

He called his servants unto him by one by two by three

And the last he called was his new maid bride that Lady Margaret he might go see

 

Oh what will you do with Lady Margaret’s love and what will you do with me?

He said I’ll go Lady Margaret to see and then I’ll return to thee

He rode up to Lady Margaret’s door and jingled on the ring

And none so ready as her seventh born brother to rise and let him in

 

Oh is she in her kitchen room or is she in her hall?

Or is she in her bower room among her merry maids all?

She’s neither in her kitchen room she’s neither in her hall

But she is in her cold coffin with her pale face toward the wall

Pull down pull down those winding sheets all made of satin so fine

Ten thousand times you’ve kissed my lips and now love I’ll kiss thyn

Three times he kissed her snow white breast three times he kissed her chin

But when he kissed her cold clay lips his heart it broke within

Lady Margaret was buried in the old church yard sweet William’s buried close by

And out of her grew a red, red rose and out of him a briar

They grew so tall and they grew so high they scarce could grown no higher

And there they twined in a true lover’s knot, the red rose and the briar