Lady Marget- Gilbert (Ark.) 1965 Max Hunter
[From the Max Hunter Folk Song Collection; online.
R. Matteson 2014]
Lady Marget- As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on June 25, 1969;
http://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=0771
VERSE 1
"What are you gonna do, Lady Marget's love
An' what are you gonna do with me?"
"Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock
Lady Marget, my bride shall see."
VERSE 2
She was standing in her hall room door
Combing back her hair
She saw young Willie an' his bride
To the church house they drew nigh
VERSE 3
She threw down her ivory comb
And soft done up her hair
And the very next moment Lady Marget was gone
To never return anymore.
VERSE 4
He went to bed very early that night
He had an awful dream
He dreamed he saw Lady Marget's ghost
Standin' at the fo-ot of his bed
VERSE 5
How do you like your bed, said she
An' how do you like your sheet?
How do you like, that pretty little girl
That's in your arms asleep?
VERSE 6
Very well, I like my bed, said he,
Much better I like my sheet.
But the best of all, that pretty little girl
That stands at my bed feet
VERSE 7
He rose next morning, very soon
He dressed himself in blue
They'll go an' see Lady Marget, once more
An' then return to you.
VERSE 8
He rode till he came to Lady Marget's hall
He rung just one, two, three
No one willing than her kind parents
To rise an' let him in.
VERSE 9
Is she in her large cook-room
Or is she in her hall?
Or is she there, oh there, upstairs
With another merry maiden all?
VERSE 10
She's neither in her large cook-room
She's neither in her hall.
She's lying there, oh there, oh there
With th pale cold face to the wall.
VERSE 11
Roll down, roll down, that sheet, said he,
That's made of linen so fine.
And let me kiss her cold, cold lips
Which oft times has kissed mine
VERSE 12
Roll down, roll down, that sheet said he
That's made of linen so fine.
Today lays over Lady Marget's corpse
Tomorrow lays over mine.