The famous Flower of SERVING-MEN.
OR,
The Lady turnd Serving-Man.
Her Lord being slain, her Father dead,
Her Bower robbd, her Servants fled;
She drest her self in Mans attire:
She trimmd her Locks, she cut her Hair;
And therewithal she changd her Name,
From Fair ELISE to Sweet WILLIAM.
To a delicate new Tune, Or, Flora farewel. Summer time. Or, Loves Tide.
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YOu beauteous 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 dyd,
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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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Bedeckt with many a fragrant flower;
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A braver Bower you never did see,
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Then my true Lover built for me.
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But there came Thieves late in the night,
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They broke my Bower, and 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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For my servants all from me did fly,
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Ith 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 grief & care,
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Heaven would not suffer me to despair,
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Wherefore in haste I changd my name,
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From fair Elise to sweet William.
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And therewithall I cut my hair,
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And drest my self in Mans attire;
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My Doublet, Hose, and Beaver Hat,
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And a golden Band about my Neck.
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With a silver Raypier 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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Was for to be a Serving-man.
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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 might have.
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The Second Part, to the same Tune.
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STand up brave Youth the King replyd,
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Thy service shall not be denyd:
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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 I 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, Ift 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 his 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 come to pass
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As the King one day a hunting was,
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With all his Lords and noble train,
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Sweet William did at home remain.
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Sweet William had no company than
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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 sang and said,
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With a pleasant and most noble voice,
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Which made the old mans heart rejoyce.
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MY Father was as brave a Lord,
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As any 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 myself 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 pleasures 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 is dead,
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And all my Friends are from me fled:
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My former joyes are past and gone,
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For I am now a Serving-man,
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The End of Sweet Williams 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 (quoth he)
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What news hast thou for to tell me;
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Brave news the old man then did say,
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Sweet William is a Lady gay.
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If this be true thou tellest me,
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Ile make thee a Lord of high degree:
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But if thy words do prove a lye,
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Thou shalt be hangd up presently.
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But when the truth the King had found,
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His joyes 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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Wherefore the King without delay
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Put her on 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 to 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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