Page:Bridal bed.pdf/3

3 Oh stay for me, departed youth,

my true love, stay for me;

Stay till I've deck'd my bridal bed,

and I will follow thee.

This is the flow'ry wreath he wove,

to deck his bride, dear youth!

And this the ring with which my love

to me did plight his troth;

And this dear ring I was to keep,

and with it to be wed

But here, alas! I sigh and weep

to deck my bridal bed.

A blythsome knight came riding by,

and, as the bright moon shone,

He saw her on the green turf lie

and heard her piteous moan;

For loud she cried, O stay, my love,

my true love, stay for me;

Stay till I've deck'd my bridal bed,

and I will follow thee.

O say, he cry'd, fair maiden, say,

what cause doth work thy woe,

That on a cold grave thou dost lay,

And fast thy tears o'erflow?'

Oh! I have cause to weep for woe,

For my true love is dead;

And thus, while fast my tears o'erflow,

I deck my bridal bed.