C.D. Warner, et al., comp.
The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
Sweet William’s Ghost
By The Ballad
1.W
A wat a’ man to bed were gone,
Clark Sanders came to Margret’s window,
With mony a sad sigh and groan.
“Or are ye waking, presentlie?
Give me my faith and trouth again,
A wat, true-love, I gied to thee.”
Nor our true love shall never twin,
Till ye come with me in my bower,
And kiss me both cheek and chin.”
It has the smell now of the ground;
And if I kiss thy comely mouth,
Thy life-days will not be long.”
I wat the wild fule boded day;
Give me my faith and trouth again,
And let me fare me on my way.”
Nor our true love shall never twin,
Till ye tell me what comes of women
A wat that dy’s in strong traveling.”
Down at the foot of our good Lord’s knee,
Well set about wi’ gilly-flowers,
A wat sweet company for to see.
A wat the wild fule boded day;
The salms of Heaven will be sung,
And ere now I’ll be missed away.”
And she has straked her trouth thereon;
She has given it him out at the shot-window,
Wi mony a sad sigh and heavy groan.
And I thank you heartilie;
Gin ever the dead come for the quick,
Be sure, Margret, I’ll come again for thee.”
She clame the wall and followed him,
Until she came to a green forest,
On this she lost the sight of him.
Is there any room at your feet?
Or any room at your twa sides?
Where fain, fain woud I sleep.”
There is nae room at my feet;
There is room at my twa sides,
For ladys for to sleep.
But an my winding sheet:
My bed it is full low, I say,
Among hungry worms I sleep.
But an my winding sheet:
The dew it falls nae sooner down
Than ay it is full weet.”