Lady Margaret

Sweet William rose one morning bright

And dressed himself in blue

"Come tell to me the long lost love

Between Lady Margaret and you"

"I know no harm of Lady Margaret," said he

"And I hope she knows none of me

But tomorrow morning before eight o'clock

Lady Margaret my bride shall be"

As Lady Margaret was in her chamber high

A-combing up her hair

She spied sweet William and his bride

As they to the church drew near

She threw down her ivory comb

And tossed back her hair

And from the room a fair lady came

That was seen in there no more

The day being gone and the night being come

When most men were asleep

Sweet William spied Lady Margaret's ghost

A-standing at his bed feet

"How do you like your bed?" she said

"And how do you like your sheet?

And how do you like the fair lady

That lies in your arms asleep?"

"Very well do I like my bed," said he

"Very well do I like my sheet

But better do I like the fair lady

That is standing at my bed feet"

The night being gone and the day being come

When most men were awake

Sweet William said he was troubled in his head

From a dream he had last night

He called his weary waiting maids

By one, by two, by three

And last of all, with his bride's consent

Lady Margaret he went to see

He went unto the parlor door

He knocked until he made things ring

But none was so ready as her own dear brother

To arise and let him in

"Is Lady Margaret in the parlor?" said he

"Or is she in the hall

Or is she in her chamber high

Among the gay ladies all?"

"Lady Margaret is not in the parlor," said he

"She is neither in the hall

She is in her coffin

And a-lying by the wall"

"Tear down, tear down, those milk white sheets

They are made of silk so fine

That I may kiss Lady Margaret's cheek

For ofttimes she has kissed mine"

The first that he kissed was her rosy cheek

The next was her dimpled chin

The last of all was her clay-cold lips

That pierced his heart within

"Tear down, tear down those milk white sheets

They are made of silk so fine

Today they hang around Lady Margaret's corpse

And tomorrow they will hang around mine"

Lady Margaret died of pure, pure love

Sweet William died of sorrow

They are buried in one burying ground

Both side and side together

Out of her grave grew a red rose

And out of his a briar

They grew in a twining true lover's knot

The rose and the green briar

Child #74

Printed in Folksongs of the South by Cox

versions recorded by Hedy West, Buffy Ste. Marie, Sally Rogers