THE
Famous Flower of Serving-Men.
OR,
The Lady turn'd Serving-Man.
To the Tune of Flora's Farewell.
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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 suffer'd in this Land.
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I was by Birth a Lady fair,
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My Father's chief and only Heir;
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But when my good old Father dy'd.
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Then was I made a young Knight's 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 ne'er did see,
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Than what my Love did build for me.
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But there came Thieves late in the Night,
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Who robb'd my Bower, and slew my Knight;
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And after that my Knight was slain,
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I cou'd no longer there remain.
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My Servants all did from me fly,
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In the Midst of my Extremity;
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And left me by myself alone,
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With a Heart more cold than 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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When in haste I chang'd my Name,
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From fair Elise to sweet William.
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And hereupon I cut my Hair,
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And drest myself in Man's 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 Rapier by my Side,
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Most 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 cloath'd in sumptuous Man's Array,
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I nobly rode along the Highway;
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And at the last it chanced so,
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That I to the King's Court did go.
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Then to the King I bow'd most low,
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My Love and Duty for to shew;
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And so much Favour I did crave,
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That I a Serving-Man's Place might have.
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Stand up, brave Youth, the King reply'd,
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The 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 Tapster 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 so soft and fine?
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Or wilt thou be one of the Guard?
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And I will give thee great Reward.
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Sweet William, with a smiling Face,
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Said to the King, may't please your Grace,
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To show such Favour unto me,
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Your Chamberlain I fain would be.
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The King did then 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 King's own Chamberlain should.
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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 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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With him at home, but an old Man;
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And when he found the House was clear,
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He took a Lute that he had near.
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Upon the Lute sweet William play'd,
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And to the same he sung and said,
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With a most sweet melodious 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 could 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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' Bedeck'd with gorgeous rich Array;
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' The bravest Lady in the Land
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' Had no more Pleasure at 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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At last the King from Hunting came,
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And presently upon the same,
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He called for this good old Man,
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And thus to speak the King began.
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What News, what News, old Man, said 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 William is a Lady gay.
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If this be true thou tell'st to me,
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I'll 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 hang'd 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 gallant rich Array,
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And on 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 become a Queen.
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