The Eve of Crecy
by William Morris

English poet, translator, essayist, publisher and printer. His first published work was The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems (1858). He achieved success as a poet with a romantic narrative, The Life and Death of Jason. He wrote a series of narrative poems collected in The Earthly Paradise (1868). His principal achievement is considered to be the epic Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs (1876), influenced by the Old Norse sagas. Among his best romances are A Dream of John Ball (1886) and News from Nowhere (1890). Underrated as a poet, he is remembered more as a designer and craftsman.

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The Eve of Crecy
by William Morris

Gold on her head, and gold on her feet,
And gold where the hems of her kirtle meet,
And a golden girdle round my sweet, -
Ah! qu'elle est belle la Marguerite!

Margaret's maids are fair to see,
Freshly dressed and pleasantly;
Margaret's hair falls down to her knee;
Ah! qu'elle est belle la Marguerite!

If I were rich I would kiss her feet,
I would kiss the place where the gold hems meet,
And the golden girdle round my sweet, -
Ah! qu'elle est belle la Marguerite!

Ah me! I have never touched her hand.
When the arriere-ban goes through the land
Six basnets under my pennon stand;
Ah! qu'elle est belle la Marguerite!

And many an one grins under his hood:
"Sir Lambert de Bois, with all his men good,
Has neither food nor firewood!" -
Ah! qu'elle est belle la Marguerite!

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 tonight 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 some time 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!

"And wonderful eyes too, under the hood
Of a damsel of right noble blood;
St Ives for Lambert of the Wood!" -
Ah! qu'elle est belle la Marguerite!

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The Eve of Crecy by William Morris