When day was gone, and night was come,

And all men fast asleep,

Then came the spirit of fair Margarèt,

And stood at Williams bed feet*.

"God give you joy, you true lovèrs,
In bride-bed fast asleep;

Lo! I am going to my grass-green grave,
And I am in my winding sheet."

When day was come, and night was gone,
And all men wak'd from sleep,
Sweet William to his lady said,

My dear, I've cause to weep.

I dream'd a dream, my dear lady,
Such dreams are never good;

I dream'd my bower was full of red wine,'
And my bride-bed full of blood.

"Such dreams, such dreams, my honour'd sir,

They never do prove good;

To dream thy bower was full of wine'

And thy bride-bed full of blood."

He called [up] his merry men all,

By one, by two, and by three,

Saying, I'll away to fair Margarets bower,

By the leave of my lady.

20

30

40

To this stanza [as introduced by Fletcher in "The Knight of the burning pestle"] the public is indebted for the beautiful and pathetic ballad of Margarets ghost, by Mallet.

[V. 31. 35. swine.]

And when he came to fair Margarets bower,

He knocked at the ring;

So ready were her seven brethren,

To let sweet William in.

Then he turn'd up the covering-sheet:

66

Pray let me see the dead;

Methinks she looks both pale and wan,
She has lost her cherry red.

I'll do more for thee, Margaret,

Than any of thy kin;

For I will kiss thy pale wan lips,
Though a smile I cannot win."

With that bespoke the seven brethren,
Making most piteous moan,

You may go kiss your jolly brown dame,

And let our sister alone.

"If I do kiss my jolly brown dame,

I do but what is right;

For I made no vow to your sister dear,

By day, nor yet by night.

Pray tell me, then, how much you'll deal,
Of white bread and of' wine:

So much as is dealt at her funeral to day,
To-morrow shall be dealt at mine."

Fair Margaret died to-day, to-day,
Sweet William he died the morrow;
Fair Margaret died for pure true love,
Sweet William he died for sorrow.
[V. 62. your.]

50

60

Margaret was buried in the lower chancel,

And William in the higher;

70

Out of her breast there sprang a rose,

And out of his a briar.

They grew as high as the church-top,
Till they could grow no higher;

And there they grew in a true lovers knot,
Which made all the people admire.

Then came the clerk of the parish,
you 'the' truth shall hear,

As

And by misfortune cut them down,
Or they had now been there.

80

XXIV.

BATEMANS TRAGEDY.

The full title of the old copy is, "A Godly Warning for all Maidens, by the Example of Gods Judegnient shewed upon one Jermans Wife of Clifton, in the County of Nottingham, who, lying in childbed, was born away, and never heard of after." A tragedy entitled The Vow breaker, written by one William Sampson, and printed in 1636, is founded on this ballad, and quotes two or three verses from it, as "a lamentable new ditty."

You dainty dames, so finely fram'd
Of beautys chiefest mold,

And you that trip it up and down,

Like lambs in Cupids fold,

[V. 77. the.]

Here is a lesson to be learn'd;

A lesson, in my mind,

For such as will prove false in love,

And bear a faithless mind.

Not far from Nottingham, of late,

In Clifton, as I hear,

There dwelt a fair and comely dame,

For beauty without peer;

Her cheeks were like the crimson-rose;

Yet, as you may perceive,

The fairest face, the falsest heart,

And soonest will deceive.

This gallant dame she was beloy'd
Of many in that place;

And many sought, in marriage-bed,

10

Her body to embrace :

20

At last a proper handsome youth,
Young Bateman call'd by name,

In hopes to make a married wife,

Unto this maiden came.

Such love and liking there was found,
That he, from all the rest,

Had stol'n away the maidens heart,

And she did love him best:

Then plighted promise secretly

Did pass between them two,

That nothing could, but death itself,

This true loves knot undo.

30

He brake a piece of gold in twain,
One half to her he gave;

The other, as a pledge, quoth he,

Dear heart, myself will have.

If I do break my vow, quoth she,

While I remain alive,

May never thing I take in hand

Be seen at all to thrive.

This passed on for two months space,

And then this maid began

To settle love and liking too
Upon another man:

One Jerman who a widower was,

Her husband needs must be,

Because he was of greater wealth,
And better in degree.

Her vows and promise lately made

To Bateman she denied;

And in despite of him and his

She utterly defied.

Well then, quoth he, if it be so,

That you will me forsake,

And, like a false and forsworn wretch,

Another husband take.

Thou shalt not live one quiet hour,

For surely I will have

Thee, either now alive, or dead,

When I am laid in grave:

VOL. II.

40

50

60

H