King William & Lady Margaret.- Erskine (CT) 1939; Flanders G
[Margaret as sung= Marg'ret. From Ancient Ballads; Flanders, 1966.
R. Mattteson 2014]
G. King William and Lady Margaret. Mrs. G. C. Erskine of Cheshire, Connecticut, sang this song as learned, from her neighbor, Mrs. Harriman of Norway, Maine. H. H. F., collector October 1, 1939; Structure: A B C; Scale: major; t.c. C. Note the triadic movement. For mel. rel. see RO I, 109 (distant); EO, 34.
King William and Lady Margaret
King William he was a hunting man:
He hunted for his deer.
He courted such a lady as Lady Margaret was
All on one summer's year.[1]
Lady Margaret she sat at her chamber window
A-combing down her hair
When who should she see but King William and his own true love
A-walking to the church together.
She threw down her ivory comb,
And putting back her hair
She threw herself out of the chamber window
Where never saw light any more.
King William he died as it were today;
Lady Margaret she died on the morrow;
Lady Margaret she died of pure, pure love.
King William he died of sorrow.
And out of her grave there grew a red rose;
And out of his grave, a briar.
They twined themselves in a true lover's knot
And together they did wither.
1 Mrs. Erskine sang "A long, long summer's year" when she repeated the song for Miss Olney on May 9, 1945. The rest of her wording was almost identical.