| |
I
AS it fell out on a long summer’s day, | |
| Two lovers they sat on a hill: | |
| They sat together that long summer’s day, | |
| And could not talk their fill. | |
| |
II
‘I see no harm by you, Margaret, | 5 |
| Nor you see none by me; | |
| Before to-morrow eight o’clock | |
| A rich wedding shall you see.’ | |
| |
III
Fair Margaret sat in her bower-window | |
| Combing her yellow hair, | 10 |
| She saw Sweet William and his brown bride | |
| Unto the church draw near. | |
| |
IV
Then down she laid her ivory comb, | |
| And up she bound her hair; | |
| She went out from her bower alive | 15 |
| But alive never more came there. | |
| |
V
When day was gone, and night was come, | |
| And all men fast asleep, | |
| Came in the ghost of fair Margaret, | |
| And stood at William’s feet. | 20 |
| |
VI
‘How like ye the lady, Sweet William, | |
| That lies in your arms asleep? | |
| God give you joy of your gay bride-bed, | |
| And me of my winding-sheet!’ | |
| |
VII
When night was gone, and day was come, | 25 |
| And all men waked from sleep, | |
| His lady said to Sweet William, | |
| ‘My dear, I have cause to weep: | |
| |
VIII
‘I dream’d a dream, Sweet William, | |
| That seldom comes to good: | 30 |
| My bower was fill’d with wild-wood swine, | |
| And our bride-bed full of blood.’ | |
| |
IX
He callèd up his merry men all, | |
| By one, by two, by three. | |
| Saying, ‘I’ll away to Fair Margaret’s bower, | 35 |
| With the leave of my ladye.’ | |
| |
X
And when he came to Fair Margaret’s bower | |
| He knockèd at the ring; | |
| And who so ready as her seven brothers | |
| To rise and let him in? | 40 |
| |
XI
‘O, is she in the parlour?’ he said, | |
| ‘Or is she in the hall? | |
| Or is she in the long chamber | |
| Amongst her merry maids all?’— | |
| |
XII
‘No, she’s not in the parlour,’ they said. | 45 |
| ‘Nor she’s not in the hall: | |
| But she is in the long chamber, | |
| Laid out against the wall.’— | |
| |
XIII
He turnèd up the covering-sheet, | |
| And look’d upon the dead. | 50 |
| ‘Methinks her lips are pale and wan, | |
| She has lost her cherry red.’ | |
| |
XIV
With that bespake the seven brothers, | |
| Making a piteous moan: | |
| ‘You may go kiss your jolly brown bride, | 55 |
| And let our sister alone.’— | |
| |
XV
‘If I do kiss my jolly brown bride, | |
| I do but what is right; | |
| For I made no vow to your sister dear, | |
| By day nor yet by night. | 60 |
| |
XVI
‘Deal on, deal on, my merry men all, | |
| Deal on your cake and wine! | |
| For whatever is dealt at her funeral to-day | |
| Shall be dealt to-morrow at mine.’ | |
| |
XVII
Fair Margaret died on the over night, | 65 |
| Sweet William died on the morrow: | |
| Fair Margaret died for pure, pure love, | |
| Sweet William died for sorrow. | |
| |
XVIII
Go with your right to Newcastle, | |
| And come with your left side home; | 70 |
| There you will see these two lovers | |
| Lie printed on one stone. | |
| |
