The lines preserved in the play are this distich,
"You are no love for me, Margaret, I am no love for you."
"When it was grown to dark midnight, And all were fast asleep, In came Margarets grimly ghost And stood at Williams feet."
These lines have acquired an importance by giving birth to one of the most beautiful ballads in our own or any language. See the song intitled _Margaret's Ghost_, at the end of this volume.
Since the first edition some improvements have been inserted, which were communicated by a lady of the first distinction, as she had heard this song repeated in her infancy.
[The ballads on the two lovers Margaret and William are numerous, culminating as they do in Mallet's _William and Margaret_. See _Sweet William's Ghost_ (No. 6 in this book) and Mallet's ballad (No. 16 of book iii). The present ballad is also in the Douce Collection and in that of the late Mr. George Daniel. Jamieson prints (_Popular Ballads and Songs_, 1806, vol. i. p. 22) a ballad entitled _Sweet Willie and Fair Annie_, which may be divided into two parts, the first resembling _Lord Thomas and Fair Elinor_, and the second, _Fair Annie's Ghost_, is still more like the following ballad.
Mr. Chappell remarks, "Another point deserving notice in the old ballad is that one part of it has furnished the principal subject of the modern burlesque ballad _Lord Lovel_, and another that of T. Hood's song, _Mary's Ghost_."]
As it fell out on a long summer's day Two lovers they sat on a hill; They sat together that long summer's day, And could not talk their fill.
I see no harm by you, Margarèt, 5 And you see none by mee; Before to-morrow at eight o' the clock A rich wedding you shall see.
Fair Margaret sat in her bower-windòw, Combing her yellow hair; 10 There she spyed sweet William and his bride, As they were a riding near.
Then down she layd her ivory combe, And braided her hair in twain: She went alive out of her bower, 15 But ne'er came alive in't again.
When day was gone, and night was come, And all men fast asleep, Then came the spirit of fair Marg'ret, And stood at Williams feet. 20
Are you awake, sweet William? shee said; Or, sweet William, are you asleep? God give you joy of your gay bride-bed, And me of my winding-sheet.