%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> THE / Famous Flower of Serving-Men; / Or, The Lady turned Serving-Man. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1763-1763 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 05/04/2011 31501

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

T35323 YOU beauteous ladies great and small, / I write unto you one and all; Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 762 3: 763 THE / Famous Flower of Serving-Men; / Or, The Lady turned Serving-Man. THE Famous Flower of Serving-Men; Or, The Lady turned Serving-Man. THE Famous Flower of Serving Men; Or, The Lady turned Serving Man. 1763-1763

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 5/4/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America clothing/ appearance death gender marriage royalty servitude violence Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 5/4/2011 12:52:54 PM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 5/4/2011 12:52:54 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 12:52:54 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 12:52:54 PM Transcriptionist Two Megna, Paul Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 12:52:54 PM Transcriptionist One Foley, Christopher Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/7/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/4/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/4/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/4/2009 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">THE</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Famous Flower of Serving-Men;</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Or, The Lady turned Serving-Man.</hi></seg>
YOU beauteous ladies great and small, I 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 fathers chief and only heir; But when my good old father dyd- Then I was made a young Knights bride And then my love built me a bower, Bedeckd with many a fragrant Flower, A braver bower you neer did see; Than what my love did build for me. But there came thieves late in the night, Who robd my bower and slew my knight And after that my Knight was slain, 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, Heaven would not suffer me to despair; When in haste I changd my name, From fair Eliza to Sweet William. And hereupon I curld my hair, And drest myself in mans attire; My doublet, hose, and beaver hat, And a golden band about my neck. With a silver rapier by my side, Much like a gallant I did ride; The thing that I delighted in, It was to be a Serving Man. Thus cloathd in sumptuous mans array I nobly rid along the highway, And at last it chanced so, That I to the Kings court did go. Then I to the King bowd most low, My love and duty for to show; And so much favor I did crave, That I a Serving mans place might have.
Stand up brave youth, the King replyd, Thy service shall not be denyd, But tell me first what thou canst do? Thou shalt be fitted thereunto. Wilt thou be usher of my hall, To wait upon my Nobles all, Or wilt thou be tapster 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 one of my guard, And Ill give thee a great reward. Sweet William with a smiling face, Said to the king, May it please your Grace To shew such favor unto me, Your chamberlain I fain would be. The King did then his Nobles call, For to ask council of them all, Who gave consent Sweet William he, The Kings own-chamberlain should be. Now mark what strange things came to pass As the king one day a hunting was With his Lords and noble train, Sweet William did at home remain. Sweet William had no company then, With him at home but an old man, And when he found the house was clear He took a flute that he had near. Upon the flute Sweet William playd, And to the same he sung and said, 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, Bedeckd in glorious rich array,
The bravest Lady in the Land, Had no more pleasure at command. I had my musick every day, Harmonious lessons for to play; I had my virgins fair and free, Continually to wait on me. But now alas, my husbands dead, And all my friends are from me fled, My former Joys are past and gone For now I am a Serving Man. At last the King from hunting came, And presently upon the same, He called for his good old man, And thus to speak the king began: What news, what news, old man, said he? What news hast thou to tell to me? Brave news, the old man he did say, Sweet William is a Lady gay. If this be true thou tellst to me, Ill make thee a Lord of high degree; But if thy words do prove a lie, Thou shalt be hangd up presently. But when the King the truth he found, His Joys did more and more abound; According as the old man did say, 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 then for fear of farther strife, He took Sweet William for his wife, The like before was never seen, A Serving-Man to become a Quen.
Printed and Sold in Aldermary Church Yard Bow Lane, London.