Page:Early poems of William Morris.djvu/187

 If I were rich I would kiss her feet,

And the golden girdle of my sweet,

And thereabouts where the gold hems meet;—

''Ah! qu'elle est belle La Marguerite''.

Yet even now it is good to think,

While my few poor varlets grumble and drink

In my desolate hall, where the fires sink,—

''Ah! qu'elle est belle La Marguerite''.

Of Margaret sitting glorious there,

In glory of gold and glory of hair,

And glory of glorious face most fair;—

''Ah! qu'elle est belle La Marguerite''.

Likewise to-night I make good cheer,

Because this battle draweth near:

For what have I to lose or fear?—

''Ah! qu'elle est belle La Marguerite''.

For, look you, my horse is good to prance

A right fair measure in this war-dance,

Before the eyes of Philip of France;—

''Ah! qu'elle est belle La Marguerite''.

And sometime it may hap, perdie,

While my new towers stand up three and three,

And my hall gets painted fair to see—

''Ah! qu'elle est belle La Marguerite''.

That folks may say: "Times change, by the rood,

For Lambert, banneret of the wood,

Has heaps of food and firewood;—

''Ah! qu'elle est belle La Marguerite;—''