WILLIAM AND MARGARE T.* BY MR. MALLET. In a comedy of Fletcher, called The Knight of the burning Pefle, old Merry-Thought enters repeating the following verfes: When it was grown to dark midnight, In came Margaret's grimly ghost, And flood at William's feet. This was, probably, the beginning of feme ballad, commonly known, at the time when that author wrote; and is all of it, I believe, that is any where to be met with. Thefe lines, naked of ornament and fimple as they are, ftruck my fancy: and, bringing fresh into my mind an unhappy adventure, much talked of formerly, gave birth to the following poem; which was written manz years ago. I. WAS at the filent, folemn hour, In glided MARGARET's grimly ghaft, II. Her face was like an April mora, And clay-cold was her lilly-hand, III. So fhall the fairest face appear, IV. Her bloom was like a fpringing flower, The role was budded in her cheek, V. But Love, had like the canker-worm, The rofe grew pale, and left her cheek; She dy'd before her time. VI. Awake! fhe cry'd, thy true Love calls, Come from her midnight grave; Now let thy Pity hear the maid, Thy Love refus'd to fave. VII. This is the dumb and dreary hour, VIII. Bethink thee, William, of thy fault, IX. Why did you promife love to me, X. How could you fay my face was fair, XI. Why did you fay my lip was fweet, XII. That face, alas! no more is fair; Thofe lips no longer red: Dark are my eyes, now clos'd in death, And every charm is fled. -XIII. The hungry worm my fister is; XIV. But hark! the cock has warn'd me hence ; A long and late adieu ! Come, fee, falfe man, how low fhe lies, Who dy'd for love of you. XV. The lark fung loud; the morning fmil'd, With beams of rofy red: Pale William quak'd in every limb, And raving left his bed. XVI. He hy'd him to the fatal place XVII. And thrice he call'd on Margaret's name, And thrice he wept full fore: Then laid his cheek to her cold grave, And word fpoke never more i On the publication of this ballad, in the year 1760, Mr. Mallet fubjoined an atteftation of the truth of the facts related in it, which we shall give the reader literally: Extract of a letter from the curate of Bowes in Yorkfhire, on the fubject of the preceding poem, to Mr. Copperthwaite at Marrick. 66 "Worthy fir, "As to the affair mentioned in yours; it happened long before my time. I have therefore been obliged to confult my clerk. and another perfon in the neighbourhood for "the truth of that melancholy event. The hiftory of it is " as follows: "The family-name of the young man was Wrightson; of the young maiden Řailton. They were both much of "the fame age; that is growing up to twenty In their "birth was no disparity; but in fortune, alas! fhe was |