THE
Famous Flower of Serving-Men;
Or, The Lady turned Serving Man.

Y
beauteous ladies great and small,
write unto you one and all;
Whereby that you may understand,
What I have suffered in this land,

I was by birth a lady fair,
My father's chief and only heir;
But when my good old father dy'd,
Then I was made a young knight's bride.

And then my love built me a bower,
Bedeck'd with many a fragrant flower,
A braver bower you ne'er did see,
Than what my love did build for me.

But their came thieves late in the night,
Who robbed the bower and flew my knight
And after that my knight was flain,
I could no longer there remain.

My servants all did from me fly,
In the midst of my extremity,
And left me by myself alone,
With a heart more cold than any stone

Yet tho' my heart was full of care,
caven would not suffer me to defair
When in hafe I chang'd my name,
From fair Eliza to Sweet William.

And hereupon I curl'd my hair,
And drest myself in man's attire;
My doublet, hofe, and beaver hat,
And a golden band about my neck.

With a silver rapier by my fide,
Much like a gallant I did ride;
The thing that I delighted in,
It was to be a Serving Man.

Thus cloath'd in fumptuous man's array,
I nobly rid along the highway,
And at laft it chanced so,
That I to the King's court did go.

Then I, the King bow'd moft low,
My love and duty for to show;
And so much favor I did crave,
That I a Serving man's place might have;

Stand up brave youth, the king reply'd,
Thy service shall not be deny'd,
But tell me first what thou canst do?
You shall be fitted thereunto.

Wilt thou be ufer of my hall,
To wait upon my nobles all,
Or wilt be tapfter of my wine,
To wait on me when I do dine?

Or wilt thou be my chamberlain,
To make my bed so soft and fine;
Or wilt thou be oneof my guard,
And I'll give thee a great reward.

Sweet William with smiling face,
Said to the king, May it pleafe your Grace,
To flew such favor unto me,
Your chamberlain I fain would be.

The king did then his nobles call,
For to aft council of them all,
Who gave confent Sweet William he,
The king's own chamberlain should be.

Now mark what ftrange things came to pafs,
As the king one day a hunting was,
With his lords and noble train,
Sweet William did at home remain.

Sweet William had no eompany then,
With him at home but an old man,
And whene found the houfe was clear,
He took a flute that he had near.

Unto the flute Sweet William play'd,
And to the fame he fung and laid,
With a sweet melodious voice,
Which made the old man to rejoice.

My father was as brave a Lord,
As ever England did afford,
My mother was a Lady bright,
My husband was a valiant Knight.

And I myself a Lady gay,
Bedeck'd in glorious rich array,

The bravest Lady in the Land,
Had no more pleasure at command

I had my mufick every day,
Harmonious leſons for to play
I had my virgins fair and free,
Continually to wait on me.

But now, alas! my husband's dead,
And all my friends are from me fled,
My former joys are paſt and gone,
For now I am a Serving Man.

At laft the King from hunting
And prefently upon the fame,
He called for his good old man,
And thus to ſpeak the king began

What news, what news, old man, faid he ?
What news haſt thou to tell to me ?
Brave news, the old man he did lay,
Sweet William is a Lady gay.

If this be true thou telleſt me,
I'll make thee a Lord of high degree;
But if thy words do prove a lie,
Thou fhalt be hang'd up prefently.

But when the King the truth he found,
His Joys did more and more abound :
According as the old man did lay,
Sweet William was a Lady gay.

Therefore the King without delay,
Put on her gallant rich array,
And on her head a crown of gold,
Which was moſt famous to behold.

And for fear of farther ſtrife,
They took Sweet William for his wife;
The like before was never seen,
A Serving Man to become a Queen.

[Sold at No. 42, Long Lane.]