{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/boeb/boeb08.htm","path":"neu/eng/boeb/boeb08.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/boeb/boeb08.htm","text":"As it fell out on a long summer's day,\n \u00a0\u00a0Two lovers they sat on a hill;\n They sat together that long summer's day,\n \u00a0\u00a0And could not talk their fill.\n\"I see no harm by you, Margar\u00e8t,\n \u00a0\u00a0And you see none by mee;\n Before to-morrow at eight o' the clock\n \u00a0\u00a0A rich wedding you shall see.\"\nFair Margaret sat in her bower-wind\u00f2w,\n \u00a0\u00a0Combing her yellow hair;\n There she spyed sweet William and his bride,\n \u00a0\u00a0As they were a riding near.\nThen down she layd her ivory combe,\n \u00a0\u00a0And braided her hair in twain:\n She went alive out of her bower,\n \u00a0\u00a0But ne'er came alive in't again.\nWhen day was gone, and night was come,\n \u00a0\u00a0And all men fast asleep,\n Then came the spirit of Fair Marg'ret,\n \u00a0\u00a0And stood at William's feet.\n\"Are you awake, sweet William?\" shee said,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Or, sweet William, are you asleep?\n God give you joy of your gay bride-bed,\n \u00a0\u00a0And me of my winding sheet.\"\nWhen day was come, and night was gone,\n \u00a0\u00a0And all men wak'd from sleep,\n Sweet William to his lady sayd,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"My dear, I have cause to weep.\n\"I dreamt a dream, my dear lady\u00e8,\n \u00a0\u00a0Such dreames are never good:\n I dreamt my bower was full of red 'wine,'\n \u00a0\u00a0And my bride-bed full of blood.\"\n\"Such dreams, such dreams, my honoured sir,\n \u00a0\u00a0They never do prove good;\n To dream thy bower was full of red 'wine,'\n \u00a0\u00a0And thy bride-bed full of blood.\"\nHe called up his merry men all,\n \u00a0\u00a0By one, by two, and by three;\n Saying, \"I'll away to fair Marg'ret's bower,\n \u00a0\u00a0By the leave of my ladi\u00e8.\"\nAnd when he came to fair Marg'ret's bower,\n \u00a0\u00a0He knocked at the ring;\n And who so ready as her seven brethr\u00e8n\n \u00a0\u00a0To let sweet William in.\nThen he turned up the covering-sheet;\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Pray let me see the dead;\n Methinks she looks all pale and wan.\n \u00a0\u00a0She hath lost her cherry red.\n\"I'll do more for thee, Margar\u00e8t,\n \u00a0\u00a0Than any of thy kin:\n For I will kiss thy pale wan lips,\n \u00a0\u00a0Though a smile I cannot win.\"\nWith that bespake the seven brethr\u00e8n,\n \u00a0\u00a0Making most piteous mone,\n \"You may go kiss your jolly brown bride,\n \u00a0\u00a0And let our sister alone.\"\n\"If I do kiss my jolly brown bride,\n \u00a0\u00a0I do but what is right;\n I ne'er made a vow to yonder poor corpse,\n \u00a0\u00a0By day, nor yet by night.\n\"Deal on, deal on, my merry men all,\n \u00a0\u00a0Deal on your cake and your wine:\n For whatever is dealt at her funeral to-day,\n \u00a0\u00a0Shall be dealt to-morrow at mine.\"\nFair Margaret dyed to-day, to-day,\n \u00a0\u00a0Sweet William dyed the morrow:\n Fair Margaret dyed for pure true love,\n \u00a0\u00a0Sweet William dyed for sorrow.\nMargaret was buryed in the lower chanc\u00e8l,\n \u00a0\u00a0And William in the higher:\n Out of her brest there sprang a rose,\n \u00a0\u00a0And out of his a briar.\nThey grew till they grew unto the church top,\n \u00a0\u00a0And then they could grow no higher;\n And there they tyed in a true lover's knot,\n \u00a0\u00a0Which made all the people admire.\nThen came the clerk of the parish,\n \u00a0\u00a0As you the truth shall hear,\n And by misfortune cut them down,\n \u00a0\u00a0Or they had now been there.","title":"A Book of Old English Ballads: Fair Margaret and Sweet Wi...","type":"page"}