Nay, Lord, not thus! white lilies in the spring

5Red roses are at her feet,

6(Roses are red in her red-gold hair)

7And O where her bosom and girdle meet

8Red roses are hidden there.

9Fair is the knight who lieth slain

10Amid the rush and reed,

11See the lean fishes that are fain

12Upon dead men to feed.

13Sweet is the page that lieth there,

14(Cloth of gold is goodly prey,)

15See the black ravens in the air,

16Black, O black as the night are they.

17What do they there so stark and dead?

18(There is blood upon her hand)

19Why are the lilies flecked with red?

20(There is blood on the river sand.)

21There are two that ride from the south and east,

22And two from the north and west,

23For the black raven a goodly feast,

24For the King's daughter rest.

25There is one man who loves her true,

26(Red, O red, is the stain of gore!)

27He hath duggen a grave by the darksome yew,

28(One grave will do for four.)

29No moon in the still heaven,

30In the black water none,

31The sins on her soul are seven,

32The sin upon his is one.