Fair Margaret And Sweet William chords by June Tabor

Intro]
D     A D A

Verse:
   D
Sweet William arose on a May morning
             G
And he dressed himself in blue
  D      Bm      G
We want you to tell of that long love that's been
 D            G
Between Lady Margaret and you

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

Verse:
   D
Lady Margaret was a-sitting in her own bower room
            G
Combing back her yellow hair
    D     Bm       G
And she saw Sweet William and his new wedded bride
    D        G
And the lawyers a-riding by

Verse:
   D
It's down she stood her ivory comb
            G
And back she threw her hair
     D     Bm     G
And it's you may suppose and be very well assured
   D           G
Lady Margaret was heard no more

Verse:
  D
The day being past and the night coming on
            G
When most all men were asleep
D      Bm       G
Something appeared to Sweet William and his bride
  D         G
And stood at their bed feet

Verse:
     D
Saying, "How do you like your bed making
             G
And how do you like your sheets?
  D     Bm    G
And how do you like that new wedded bride
   D           G
That lies in your arms and sleeps?"

Verse:
   D
"Very well do I like my bed making
             G
Much better do I like my sheets
  D    Bm     G
But best of all is that gay lady
   D        G
That stands at my bed feet"

Verse:
  D
The night being past and the day coming on
            G
When most all men were awake
   D     Bm     G
Sweet William he said he was troubled in his head
    D              G
By the dreams that he dreamed last night

Verse:
   D
"Such dreams, such dreams cannot be true
             G
I'm afraid they're of no good
 D        Bm     G
I dreamed that my chamber was full of wild swine
    D            G
And my bride's bed floating in blood"

Verse:
D
He's called down his waiting men
       G
One by two by three
     D     Bm     G
Saying, "Go and ask leave of my new wedded bride
    D            G
If Lady Margaret I mayn't go and see"

Verse:
   D
He's rode up to Lady Margaret's own bower room
            G
And tingled all on the ring
  D     Bm      G
And who was so ready as her own born brother
  D        G
To rise and let him in

Verse:
  D
"Is Lady Margaret in her own bower room
         G
Or is she in her hall?
  D   Bm   G
Or is she high in her chambery
 D         G
Amongst the ladies all?"

Verse:
   D
"Lady Margaret's not in her own bower room
             G
Nor neither is she in her hall
D      Bm      G
She is in her long cold coffin
   D        G
Lies pale against yon wall"

Verse:
  D
"Unroll, unroll those winding sheets
           G
Although they're very fine
  D   Bm    G
And let me kiss them cold pale lips
    D            G
Just as often as they've kissed mine"

Verse:
   D
It's first he's kissed her ivory cheeks
             G
And then he's kissed her chin
  D    Bm     G
And when he kissed them cold pale lips
D            G
There was no breath within

Verse:
   D
Three times he's kissed her ivory cheeks
              G
Three times he's kissed her chin
    D      Bm     G
And the last time he kissed them cold pale lips
  D           G
It crushed his heart within

Verse:
   D
Lady Margaret died like it might be today
              G
Sweet William he died on tomorrow
   D      Bm    G
Lady Margaret she died for pure true love
   D          G
Sweet William he died for sorrow

Verse:
   D
Lady Margaret was buried in yon churchyard
             G
Sweet William was buried by her
  D     Bm       G
And out of her grave sprung a red, red rose
    D         G
Out of his a green, green briar

Verse:
  D
And they both growed up the old church wall
               G
Till they could not grow any higher
     D      Bm    G
And they met and they tied in a true love's knot
  D         G
Red rose around green briar