Lyrics Fair Margaret and Sweet William - June Tabor

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 Margaret and you

"Oh, I know nothing of Lady Margaret's love
And I know she don't love me
Before tomorrow morning at eight of the clock
Lady Margaret a bride shall see."

Lady Margaret 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 assured
Lady Margaret 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 Margaret I mayn't go and see."

He's rode up to Lady Margaret'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 Margaret in her own bower room
Or is she in her hall?
Or is she high in her chambery
Amongst the ladies all?"

"Lady Margaret's not in her own bower room
Nor neither is she in her hall
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 Margaret died like it might be today
Sweet William he died on tomorrow
Lady Margaret she died for pure true love
Sweet William he died for sorrow

Lady Margaret was buried in yon 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