Ballade De Marguerite (Normande)

3Nay, go not thou to the red-roofed town

4Lest the hoofs of the war-horse tread thee down.

5But I would not go where the Squires ride,

6I would only walk by my Lady's side.

7Alack! and alack! thou art overbold,

8A Forester's son may not eat off gold.

9Will she love me the less that my Father is seen

10Each Martinmas day in a doublet green?

11Perchance she is sewing at tapestrie,

12Spindle and loom are not meet for thee.

13Ah, if she is working the arras bright

14I might ravel the threads by the fire-light.

15Perchance she is hunting of the deer,

16How could you follow o'er hill and mere?

17Ah, if she is riding with the court,

18I might run beside her and wind the morte.

19Perchance she is kneeling in St. Denys,

20(On her soul may our Lady have gramercy!)

21Ah, if she is praying in lone chapelle,

22I might swing the censer and ring the bell.

23Come in, my son, for you look sae pale,

24The father shall fill thee a stoup of ale.

25But who are these knights in bright array?

26Is it a pageant the rich folks play?

27'T is the King of England from over sea,

28Who has come unto visit our fair countrie.

29But why does the curfew toll sae low?

30And why do the mourners walk a-row?

31O 't is Hugh of Amiens my sister's son

32Who is lying stark, for his day is done.

33Nay, nay, for I see white lilies clear,

34It is no strong man who lies on the bier.

35O 't is old Dame Jeannette that kept the hall,

36I knew she would die at the autumn fall.

37Dame Jeannette had not that gold-brown hair,

38Old Jeannette was not a maiden fair.

39O 't is none of our kith and none of our kin,

40(Her soul may our Lady assoil from sin!)

41But I hear the boy's voice chaunting sweet,

42'Elle est morte, la Marguerite.'

43Come in, my son, and lie on the bed,

44And let the dead folk bury their dead.

45O mother, you know I loved her true:

46O mother, hath one grave room for two?