Sweet William & Lady Margaret- Ritchie (KY) 1961
[From: Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians as Sung by Jean Ritchie. New York: Oak Publications, 1965. Also on Jean Ritchie: Ballads from her Appalachian Family Tradition 1961; Jean Ritchie SFW40145.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
According to Ritchie: Ballad # 11 on CD, "Jean Ritchie, Ballads from her Appalachian Family Tradition." Smithsonian Folkways, a new release (combining the two original ballad albums, Folkways. This version was sung to us by our neighbor, Justice Begley of Hazard, KY. He was High Sheriff of Perry Co. for awhile, and used to electioneer by playing his banjo and singing, after his political speech at gatherings.
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua0QuXO4wgE
Sweet William & Lady Margaret- Ritchie (KY) 1961
1. Sweet William arose one May morning,
And dressed himself in blue.
We want you to tell us something about
That long love between Lady Marg'ret and you.
2. Well I know nothin' about Miss Lady Marg'ret's love,
I know that she don't love me,
But tomorrow mornin' at eight o' clock
Lady Marget my bridc shall see.
But tomorrow morning at eight o'clock
Lady Marget my bride shall see.
3. Lady Marget was standin' in her own hall door,
A-combin' down her hair;
O who could she spy but Sweet William and his bride
And the lawyers a-riding by.
4. O she threw down her iv'ry comb
'N bound her hair in silk,
And she stepped out of her own hall door
To never return any more.
O she stepped out of her own hall door
To never return any more.
5. Well the day being past and the night coming on,
When most all men was asleep,
Sweet William espied Miss Lady Marget's ghost
A-standin' at his own bed feet.
6. "O how do you like the bed?" she asked him,
"Or how do you like your sheet?
Or how -do you like that pretty, fair miss
That's a-lyin' in your arms-asleep?"
7. "Very well, very well do I like the bed,
Much better do I like the sheer,
But the best one of all is the pretty, fair maid
That's a-standin' at my own bed feet.
But the best of all is the prctty, fair maid
That's a-standin' at my own bed feet."
8. The night bein' past and day comin' on,
When most all men was at work
Sweet William he said he was troubled in his head
From a dream that he dreamed last night.
9. Such dreams, such dreams they are no good,
Such dreams they are no good.
I dreamed my hall was filled with wild swine,
And my true love was swimming in blood.
I dreamed my hall was filled with wild swine,
And my true love was swimming in blood."
10. He called his comrades to his side;
He counted one, two, three.
And the last one of them he asked of his bride
Lady Marget he might go and see.
11. He rode till he come to Miss Lady Marget's hall,
Tingled all on the ring.
So one so ready as Lady Marget's brother
To rise and welcome him in.
No one so ready as Lady Marget's brother
To rise and welcome him in.
12. "O is she in her garden," he asked him,
"Or is she in her hall,
Or is she in the upper parlor
Amongst those ladies all?"
13. "She neither is in her garden," he answered,
"She neither is in the hall,
But yonder she lies in her cold coffin
That's a-sitting by the side of the wall.
But yonder she lies in her cold coffin
That's a-sitting by the side of the wall."
14. "Hang up, hang up them milk-white sheets
That's made of linen so fine,
Today they shall hang o'er my Lady Marget's corpse
And tomorrow they shall hang over mine.
15. "Yes, hold up, hold up those milk-white sheets
Made of linen so fine.
May I go and kiss them cold clay lips,
For they oft-times have kissed mine I
May I go and kiss them cold clay lips,
For they oft-times have kissed mine?"
16. Well first he kissed her on the cheek,
And then he kissed her chin,
And then he kissed them cold clay lips
Which crushed his heart within.
17. Lay Marget was buried in the new church yard,
Sweet William was buried near by her,
And out of her grave there sprung a red rose,
And out of his a brier.
And out of her grave there sprung a red rose,
And out of his a brier.
18. Well they grew and grew to the new church top,
'N they could not grow no higher,
And they wound and they tied in a true lover's knot
For all young people to admire.
Yes- they wound and they tied in a true lover's knot
For all young people to admire.