Sir Ogey and Lady Elsey (B)

The knight it was, Sir Ogey,
Took horse and rode away.
And wooed the Lady Elsey,
And won that lovely may.

The Lady Elsey he betrothed
With all her heaps of gold;
But that day month Sir Ogey
Lay dead beneath the mould.

Then weep did Lady Elsey,
And all so wildly rave,
Sir Ogey heard her wailing
Down in his silent grave.

Uprose the knight Sir Ogey,
His coffin on his back,
And staggered towards her chamber
A dismal weary track.

Her door he tapp'd with coffin,
For mantle none had he,
"Arise, dear Lady Elsey,
"And open, love, to me."

"Nay," answered Lady Elsey,
"I'll open not the door,
"Till thou hast named Lord Jesus,
"E'en as thou couldst before."

"Rise then, dear Lady Elsey,
"And open me thy door,
"For name I can Lord Jesus,
"As I could do before."

She rose, the Lady Elsey,
While tears down-streaming ran,
And so within her chamber
Let in the spectre man.

Her golden comb she has taken,
And combs his tangled hair;
And every lock she straightens,
She drops on it a tear.

"Now hear me, dear Sir Ogey,
"The truth I pray thee tell,
"How under ground thou farest
"Down in thy narrow cell?"

"When thou, my dear, art cheerful,
"And easy in thy mind,
"The coffin where I slumber
"Is all with roses lined.

"But oft as thou Vt in sorrow,
"And bow'd with grief so sore,
"Is all that while my coffin
"Brim full of blood and gore.

"But hark! the red cock's crowing,
"And summons me away,
"The dead to th' earth must hasten,
"I dare no longer stay.

"The black cock too is crowing,
"To graveyard I must go;
"There's opening heaven's portal,
"And I must down below."

So took the knight Sir Ogey
His coffin on his back,
And stagger'd to the churchyard
A dismal weary track.

And rose the Lady Elsey,
For sad she was of mood,
And walk'd beside her bridegroom
Across the murky wood.

But when she reached the graveyard,
She saw his golden hair,
How pale it grew and paler,
That once had been so fair.

And when they from the graveyard
The church's threshold crossed.
His cheek, before so rosy,
It's fair fresh colour lost.

"Hear me, my gentle Elsey,
"Hear me, my bride so dear,
"No longer mourn thy trulove,
"Nor drop for him a tear.

"See yon small stars above thee,
"How wanes their feeble light,
"And see how fast is fleeting
"The murky hour of night."

But while the Lady Elsey
Was gazing on the skies,
Down sank the knight Sir Ogey,
And vanished from her eyes.

She turn'd her towards her chamber
With sorrow at her breast;
And that day month fair Elsey
"Was in her grave at rest.