Ballade De Marguerite （Normande）

　　I am weary of lying within the chase

　　When the knights¹ are meeting in market-place.

　　Nay²， go not thou to the red-roofed town

　　Lest the hoofs³ of the war-horse tread thee down.

　　But I would not go where the Squires⁴ ride，

　　I would only walk by my Lady's side.

　　Alack！ and alack！ thou art overbold，

　　A Forester's son may not eat off gold.

　　Will she love me the less that my Father is seen

　　Each Martinmas day in a doublet green？

　　Perchance she is sewing at tapestrie，

　　Spindle and loom⁵ are not meet for thee.

　　Ah， if she is working the arras bright

　　I might ravel the threads by the fire-light.

　　Perchance she is hunting of the deer，

　　How could you follow o'er hill and mere⁷？

　　Ah， if she is riding with the court，

　　I might run beside her and wind the morte.

　　Perchance she is kneeling in St. Denys，

　　（On her soul may our Lady have gramercy！）

　　Ah， if she is praying in lone⁸ chapelle，

　　I might swing the censer and ring the bell.

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

　　The father shall fill thee a stoup of ale.

　　But who are these knights in bright array？

　　Is it a pageant⁹ the rich folks play？

　　'T is the King of England from over sea，

　　Who has come unto visit our fair countrie.

　　But why does the curfew toll¹⁰ sae low？

　　And why do the mourners walk a-row？

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

　　Who is lying stark¹¹， for his day is done.

　　Nay， nay， for I see white lilies clear，

　　It is no strong man who lies on the bier.

　　O 't is old Dame¹² Jeannette that kept the hall，

　　I knew she would die at the autumn fall.

　　Dame Jeannette had not that gold-brown hair，

　　Old Jeannette was not a maiden¹³ fair.

　　O 't is none of our kith and none of our kin⁶，

　　（Her soul may our Lady assoil from sin！）

　　But I hear the boy's voice chaunting sweet，

　　'Elle est morte， la Marguerite.'

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

　　And let the dead folk bury their dead.

　　O mother， you know I loved her true：

　　O mother， hath one grave room for two？