The Famous Flower of SERVINGMEN.
OR,
The Lady turn'd Serving-Man.
Her Love being slain, her Father dead,
her bower rob'd, her Servants fled,
She drest her self in Mans attire,
She trim'd her locks, she cut her hair,
And thereupon she chang'd her name,
From fair Elise to sweet William.
To a dainty Tune, or, Flora Farewel, Summer time, or, Loves tide.
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YOu beautious Ladies great and small,
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I write unto you one and all,
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Whereby that you may understand,
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What I have suffered in this land.
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I was by birth a Lady fair
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My Fathers chief and onely heir,
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But when my good old father dy'd,
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Then was I made a young Knights bride.
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and then my love built me a bower,
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Bedect with many a fragrant flower;
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A braver bower you never did see,
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Than my true love did build for me.
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But there came thieves late in the night,
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They rob'd my bower, & slew my Knight,
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And after that my Knight was slain,
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I could no longer there remain.
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My Servants all from me did flye,
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In the midst of my extremity:
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And left me by my self alone,
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With a heart more cold then any stone.
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Yet though my heart was full of care,
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Heaven would not suffer me to despair,
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Wherefore in hast I chang'd my name,
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From fair Elise to sweet William.
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And therewithal I cut my hair,
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And drest my self in mans attire,
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My Doublet, Hose, and Bever-hat,
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And a golden band about my neck.
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With a silver Rapier by my side,
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So like a gallant I did ride,
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The thing that I delighted on,
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It was to be a Servingman.
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THus in my sumptuous mans array,
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I bravely rode along the way:
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And at the last it chanced so,
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That I unto the Kings Court did go.
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Then to the King I bowed full low.
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My love and duty for to show:
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And so much favour I did crave,
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That I a Serving-mans place migt have.
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Stand up brave youth, the King reply'd,
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Thy service shall not be deny'd:
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But tell me first what thou canst do,
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Thou shalt be fitted thereunto.
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Wilt thou be Usher of my Hall,
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To wait upon my Nobles all:
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Or wilt thou be taster of my Wine,
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To wait on me when do dine?
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Or wilt thou be my Chamberlain,
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To make my bed both soft and fine?
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Or wilt thou be one of my Guard,
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And I will give thee thy reward?
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Sweet William with a smiling face,
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Said to the King, if't please your Grace,
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To shew such favour unto me,
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Your Chamberlain I fain would be.
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The King then did the Nobles call,
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To ask the counsel of them all:
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Who gave consent sweet William he
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The Kings own Chamberlain should be.
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Now mark what strange things came to pass,
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As the King one day a hunting was,
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With all h[i]s Lords and Noble train,
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Sweet William did at home remain.
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Sweet William had no company then,
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With him at home but an old man:
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and when he saw the Coast was clear,
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He took a Lute which he had there.
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Upon the Lute sweet William plaid,
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And to the same he sung and said:
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With a pleasant and most noble voice,
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Which made the old man to rejoice.
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Sweet Williams Song.
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MY Father was as brave a Lord,
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As ever Europe did afford,
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My mother was a Lady bright.
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My Husband was a valiant Knight.
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And I my self a Lady gay,
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Bedeckt with gorgeous rich array,
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The bravest Lady in the land,
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Had not more pleasure to command.
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I had my musick every day,
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Harmonious Lessons for to play:
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I had my Virgins fair and free,
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Continually to wait on me.
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But now alas my husband's dead,
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And all my friends are from me fled:
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My former joys are past and gone,
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For now I am a Serving-man.
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The end of sweet William's Song.
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At last the King from hunting came,
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And presently upon the same,
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He called for the good old man,
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And thus to speak the King began.
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What news, what news, old man, quod he.
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What news hast thou to tell to me?
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Brave news the old man he did say,
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Sweet Willian is a Lady gay.
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If this be true thou tellest to me,
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I,le make thee a Lord of high degree:
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ut if thy words do prove a Lye,
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Thou shalt be hanged up presently.
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But when the King the truth had found,
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His joys did more and more abound:
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According as the old man did say,
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Sweet William was a Lady gay.
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Therefore the King without delay,
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Put on her glorious rich array:
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And upon her head a Crown of Gold,
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Which was most famous to behold.
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And then for fear of further strife,
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He took sweet William for his Wife
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The like before was never seen,
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A Serving-man to be a Queen.
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