June Tabor - Fair Margaret and Sweet William lyrics

Sweet William arose on a May morning And he dressed himself in blue; We want you to tell of that long love that's been Between Lady Marget and you. "Oh, I know nothing of Lady Marget's love, And I know she don't love me. Before tomorrow morning at eight of the clock Lady Marget a bride shall see." Lady Marget was a-sitting in her own bower room, Combing back her yellow hair, And she saw Sweet William and his new wedded bride And the lawyers a-riding by. It's down she stood her ivory comb And back she threw her hair, And it's you may suppose and be very well a**ured, Lady Marget was heard no more. The day being past and the night coming on, When most all men were asleep, Something appeared to Sweet William and his bride And stood at their bed feet. Saying, "How do you like your bed making And how do you like your sheets? And how do you like that new wedded bride That lies in your arms and sleeps?" "Very well do I like my bed making Much better do I like my sheets, But best of all is that gay lady That stands at my bed feet." The night being past and the day coming on, When most all men were awake, Sweet William he said he was troubled in his head By the dreams that he dreamed last night. "Such dreams, such dreams cannot be true, I'm afraid they're of no good. I dreamed that my chamber was full of wild swine And my bride's bed floating in blood." He's called down his waiting men One by two by three, Saying, "Go and ask leave of my new wedded bride If Lady Marget I mayn't go and see." He's rode up to Lady Marget's own bower room And tingled all on the ring, And who was so ready as her own born brother To rise and let him in. "Is Lady Marget in her own bower room Or is she in her hall? Or is she high in her chambery Amongst the ladies all?" "Lady Marget's not in her own bower room Nor neither is she in her hall, But she is in her long cold coffin Lies pale against yon wall." "Unroll, unroll those winding sheets Although they're very fine, And let me kiss them cold pale lips Just as often as they've kissed mine." It's first he's kissed her ivory cheeks And then he's kissed her chin, And when he kissed them cold pale lips There was no breath within. Three times he's kissed her ivory cheeks, Three times he's kissed her chin, And the last time he kissed them cold pale lips It crushed his heart within. Lady Marget died like it might be today, Sweet William he died on tomorrow, Lady Marget she died for pure true love, Sweet William he died for sorrow. Lady Marget was buried in yons churchyard, Sweet William was buried by her, And out of her grave sprung a red, red rose, Out of his a green, green briar. And they both growed up the old church wall Till they could not grow any higher And they met and they tied in a true love's knot, Red rose around green briar.