The Famous Flower of Serving-men:
OR,
The LADY turned to be a SERVING-MAN.
Her Love being slain, her Father dead,
Her Bower robbd, her Servants fled;
She dressd herself in Mans Attire,
She trimmd her Locks, she cut her Hair,
And thereupon she changed her Name,
From fair Alice to sweet William,
To the Tune of, Floras Farewell; or Summer Time.
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YOU beauteous Ladies great and small,
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I write to you, one and all
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Whereby that you may understand
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What I have sufferd in this Land.
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I was by birth a Lady fair,
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My Fathers chief and only Heir:
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But when my good old Father dyd,
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Then I was made a young Knights Bride.
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But when my Love built me a Bower,
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Bedeckd 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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That robbd 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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My Servants all from me did fly,
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In the midst of my sad Extremity:
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And left me by myself alone,
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With Heart more cold than any Stone.
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Yet though my Heart was full of Care
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Heavn suffered me not to despair;
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Wherefore in Haste I changd my Name,
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From fair Alice to sweet William.
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And therewithal I cut my Hair,
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And drest myself in Mans Attire;
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With Doublet, Hose and Bever-hat,
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And a Gold Band about my Neck.
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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 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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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 Servants-place might have.
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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 shall be fitted thereunto.
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Will thou be Usher of my Hall,
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To wait upon my Nobles all?
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Wilt thou be taster of my Wine,
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To wait upon me when I dine;
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Or wilt thou be my Chamberlain,
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To make my Bed so soft and fine?
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Or will thou be one of my Guards?
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And I will give the great Reward.
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Sweet William with a smiling Face,
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Said to the King, if it please your Grace
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To shew such Favour unto me,
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I your Chamberlain would be.
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The King did then the Nobles call,
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To ask the Council 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 his 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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At home with him but an old Man;
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And when she saw the House was clear,
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He took a Lute which he had there.
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Upon the Lute sweet William playd,
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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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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 gallant knight.
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And I myself a Lady gay,
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Bedeckd with glorious rich Array;
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The bravest Lady in the Land
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Had no more pleasures at Command.
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I had my Music 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 Husbands 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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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 he thus began.
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What News what News old man quoth he,
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What News has thou to tell to 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 to me,
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Ill make thee Lord of high Degree:
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But if thy words do prove a Lie,
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Thou shalt be hangd up instantly.
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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 is a Lady gay.
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Therefore the King without delay,
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Put on his glorious rich array
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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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