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LADY MARGARET 2 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 filename[ LADYMARG SOF |
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