Lady Margaret was sitting in her own lone home built of lime and stone
Lady Margaret was sitting in her own lone home when she heard a dead man's moan
"Is it my father, Lord Thomas?" she said.
"Is it my brother, John?
Or is it my true love, Sweet William from Scotland home has come?"
"It is not your father Lord Thomas", he said
"Not your brother John,
But it is your true love Sweet William from Scotland home has come."
"Have you brought me any diamonds or pearls?
Brought to me any ring?
Have you brought to me anything at all that a true love ought to bring?"
"I have brought to you no diamonds, no pearls.
Brought to you no rings.
I have brought to you my winding sheet that my body is buried in."
He took her by the lilly-white hand, and bid him company
He took her by the middle so small saying, "Follow, follow me."
She lifted her petticoats one by one, a little above her knee
And she's gone o'er the hills on a cold winter's night in a dead man's company.
They walked and they talked alone together til the cocks began to crow
"O it's time that the dead must part from the living;
Lady Margaret, I must go."
"Is there any room at your head?" she said,
"Any room at your feet?
Is there any room all about your sides that I might lie down and sleep?"
"Father is at my head," he said, mother's at my feet,
And there's three hell hounds all about my sides, awaiting my soul to keep."
"One is for my drunkeness, one is for my pride
And one is for promising a fair pretty maid that she would be my bride."
She took her handkerchief from her side, and placed it on his breast
Saying, "Here is your faith and your troth, sweet William,
Pray God your soul might rest."
"I am grateful to you, Lady Margaret," he said,
"Grateful unto you,
If ever the dead might pray for the living,
Lady Margaret, I will pray for you."
No more the ghost to Margaret did say,
But with a grievous groan, he's vanished in a cloud of mist
And he left her there - alone.
