Sweet William - Bruce (VA) 1935 Wilkinson A
[My title. From Wilkinson MSS., 1935-36, p. 53(A). Bronson TTCB No. 22. This is from the fertile ballad region of Virginia described in Barry Foss's short book (found online) From White Hall To Bacon Hollow. Wilkinson transcribed tunes for Kyle Davis Jr. in the early 1930s.
R. Matteson 2014]
[Sweet William] - Sung by Miss Alice Bruce, Harriston, Va., October 9, 1935. Variant (a) is from Mrs. Jane Morris, October 16, 1935.
1. Sweet William he rose one May morning
And dressed himself in blue.
Come tell unto me this long lost love
That's between Lady Margret and you.
2. I know nothing of Lady Margret,
Lady Margret she knows nothing of me;
But tomorrow by eight o'clock
Lady Margret my bride shall see.
3. Lady Margret was sitting,in her high stone window,
A-combing back her long yellow
And who did she spy but Sweet William and his bride
In the church-yard is they rode by.
4. Down she tossed her ivory comb.
And back she tossed her hair;
And down from the window, Lady Margret she came,
And she never was more seen there.
5. The day being. gone and the night coming on,
And most of the people are asleep.
Lady Margret's ghost appeared that night
At Sweet William's bed-feet.
6. How do you like your bed? said she.
And how do you like your sheet?
And how do you like your new wedded bride (or: lady)
That lies in your arms asleep?
7. It's very well I like my bed,
And very well I like my sheet;
But best of all the charming little miss
That's standing at my bed-feet.
8. The night being gone and the day coming on,
The sun s just giving light;
Sweet William he said he was troubled in his mind
From the dream he had last night.
9. Such dreams, such dreams, I do despise,
Such dreams I do despise.
I dreamt that my half was filled with white swine,
And my bride's bed a-flowing in tears.
10. He called on his merry maids all,
By one, by two, by three.
He asked leave of his new wedded wife
Lady Margret he might go and see.
11. He rode, he rode to Lady Margret's hall,
He knocked so loud at the ring;
And who should be so ready as Lady Margret's brother
For to rise and let him in.
12. Is she in her kitchen? says he,
Or is she in her hall?
Or is she in her high bowed room
Amongst the merry (or: gentle) men all?
13. She's neither in her kitchen.
Nor neither in her hall;
Bur she's lying in her cold coffin
With her pale face turned to the wall.
14. Turn down, turn down those milk-white sheets, (or: Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,)
Lady Margret that I may see,
That I may kiss her cold clay lips
Oft-times has kissed mine.
15. Lady Margret, she died like it was today,
Sweet William, he died like tomorrow.
Lady Margret, she died for pure, pure love,
Sweet William, he died for sorrow.