He called up his merry men all,
By one, by two, and by three;

Saying, "I'll away to Fair Margret's bower,
"By the leave of my
ladiè."-

And when he came to Fair Marg'ret's bower,
He knocked at the ring;

And who fo ready as her feven brethrèn

To let Sweet William in.

Then he turned up the covering-fheet,
-" Pray let me see the dead;
"Methinks fhe looks all pale and wan,
"She hath loft her cherry red,

With that befpake the seven brethrèn,

Making moft piteous mone:

-"You may go kifs your jolly brown bride, "And let our fifter alone."

"If I do kifs my jolly brown bride,

"I do but what is right;

"I neer made a vow to yonder poor corpfe

66 By day, nor yet by night.

"Deal

* Deal on, deal on, my merry men all, "Deal on your cake and your wine : "For whatever is dealt at her funeral to-day, "Shall be dealt to-morrow at mine."

Fair Margaret dyed to-day, to-day,
Sweet William dyed the morrow:
Fair Margaret dyed for pure true love,
Sweet William dyed for forrow.

Margaret was buryed in the lower chancèl,

And William in the higher :

Out of her breft there sprang a rofe,

And out of his a briar.

They grew till they grew unto the church-top,
And then they could grow no higher;
And there they tyed in a true lovers knot,
Which made all the people admire.

Then came the clerk of the parish,
As you the truth fhall hear,
And by misfortune cut them down,
Or they had now been there.

Alluding to the dole anciently given at funerals.

No. XLVIII.

SWEET WILLIAM'S GHOST.

From Allan Ramfay's "Tea-table Miscellany."

THERE came a Ghost to Margaret's door,

With many a grievous grone,

And ay he tirled at the pin;

But answer made she none.

"But 'tis thy true love Willie

"From Scotland new come home.

"O fweet

" O fweet Margret! O dear Margret! " I pray thee speak to mee:

"Give me my faith and troth, Margret, "As I gave it to thee."

-“Thy faith and troth thou'se nevir get, "Of me fhalt nevir win,

"Till that thou come within my bower, "And kifs my cheek and chin."

"If I should come within thy bower, "I am no earthly man: "And should I kifs thy rofy lipp, "Thy days will not be lang.

"O fweet Margret, O dear Margret, " I pray thee speak to mee:

"Give me my faith and troth, Margret,

"As I gave it to thee."

"Thy faith and troth thou'se nevir get,

"Of me fhalt nevir win,

"Till thou take me to yon kirk yard, "And wed me with a ring."

"My bones are buried in a kirk yard "Afar beyond the fea,

"And it is but my sprite, Margret, "That's speaking now to thee."

She

She stretched out her lilly-white hand,

As for to do her best:

"Hae there your faith and troth, Willie, "God fend your foul good reft."

Now she has kilted her robes of green,
A piece below her knee:

And a' the live-lang winter night

The dead corpfe followed fhee.

"Is there any room at your head, Willie ? "Or any room at your feet?

"Or any room at your fide, Willie,

"Wherein that I may creep

"There's nae room at my head, Margret,

"There's nae room at my feet,

"There's no room at my fide, Margret,

66 My coffin is made fo meet."

Then up and crew the red red cock,
And up then crew the gray:

-"'Tis time, 'tis time, my dear Margret,

"That I were gane away."

No more the Ghoft to Margret faid,
But, with a grievous grone,
Evanish'd in a cloud of mift,
And left her all alone.

VOL. II.

L