(Verse 1)

Lady Margaret sitting in her high chair, combing down her long yellow hair

She saw sweet William and his new-made bride riding o' so near

She first threw down her ivory comb, tossed back her long yellow hair,

Saying I'll go bid him my farewell and never more go there



(Verse 2)

Now it was lately in the night, when they were fast asleep

Lady Margaret appeared all dressed in white, standing at their bed feet

“Tell me, how do you like your pillow?” said she, “And how do you like your sheet?”

“And how do you like that fair young thing, lying in your arms asleep.”



(Verse 3)

“Very well, very well do I like my pillow,” said he, “Very well do I like my sheet.”

“But best do I like the fair young maid, standing at my bed feet!”

Well, the night passed by and the day came on into the morning light

Sweet William said, “I am troubled by the dreams I dreamt last night.”



(Verse 4)

He called his comrades to his side; they numbered one, two, three

And said, “Can you please tell my bride Lady Margaret I've gone to see.”

Was Lady Margaret in her room, or was she in the hall?

No, she lay in a cold, black coffin, with her face turned towards the wall.



(Verse 5)

At first, he's kissed her ivory cheeks and then he's kissed her chin,

And when he kissed her cold pale lips, it crushed his heart within.

Lady Margret had died the night before, Sweet William died on the morrow,

Lady Margret died for pure true love; Sweet William died for sorrow.



(Verse 6)

She was buried in the old churchyard and William lay beside her,

And out of her grave sprung a red, red rose, and out of his, a briar.

The rose and briar grew on the church wall till they could not grow higher,

And they met, and they twined in a true love knot - the red rose around the briar.

The red rose around the briar