Embroidery on William Morris's Bed at Kelmscott Manor

In William Morris's room at Kelmscott Manor, the early-seventeenth century carved oak bed has an embroidered valance and bed-hangings that were designed in 1891 by May Morris, his daughter, and worked by May with the help of Lily Yeats and Ellen Wright (two Morris & Co. embroiderers). The poem "For the Bed at Kelmscott" was written by William

Morris for the project. May Morris also designed the bedcover, which was embroidered by Jane Morris, William Morris's wife. Further information can be found in a chapter on 'May Morris, embroidery and Kelmscott' by Linda Parry, from the book: William Morris, Art and Kelmscott, edited by Linda Parry, Suffolk, England: The Boydell Press and The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1996.

'For the Bed at Kelmscott', by William Morris

The wind's on the wold
And the night is a-cold,
And Thames runs chill
Twixt mead and hill,
But kind and dear
Is the old house here,
And my heart is warm
Midst winter's harm.
Rest then and rest,
And think of the best
Twixt summer and spring
When all birds sing
In the town of the tree,
As ye lie in me
And scarce dare move
Lest earth and its love
Should fade away
Ere the full of the day.

I am old and have seen
Many things that have been,
Both grief and peace,
And wane and increase.
No tale I tell
Of ill or well,
But this I say,
Night treadeth on day,
And for worst and best
Right good is rest.