%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> THE / Famous Flower of Serving-Men. / OR, / The Lady turn'd Serving-Man. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/26/2014 33899

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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

1 Flora's Farewell. Wert Thou More Fairer Than Thou Art Flora's Farewell. YOU beauteous ladies great and small, / I write unto you one and all; Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 1384 THE / Famous Flower of Serving-Men. / OR, / The Lady turn'd Serving-Man. THE Famous Flower of Serving Men. OR, The Lady turned Serving-Man. ?-?

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol Americas animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family Featured 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 groups royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 6/26/2014 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America clothing/ appearance death gender marriage royalty servitude Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 6/26/2014 11:52:42 AM XBallad Rice, Sarah Created XML Version of Ballad 6/26/2014 11:52:42 AM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/26/2014 11:52:42 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/26/2014 11:52:42 AM Transcriptionist Two Koath, Jayne Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/26/2014 11:52:42 AM Transcriptionist One Keller Scotch, Grace Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/13/2013 Checker William Hildalgo Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/6/2013 Checker Phillip Cortez Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/6/2013 Checker Phillip Cortez Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/21/2012 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"><hi rend="bold">Famous Flower of Serving-Men.</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Lady turn'd Serving-Man.</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of <hi rend="bold">Flora's Farewell.</hi></hi></seg>
YOU beauteous Ladies great and small, I write unto you one and all; Whereby that you may understand, What I have suffer'd 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 was I made a young Knight's Bride. And then my Love built me a Bower, Bedeckt with many a fragrant Flower; A braver Bower you ne'er did see, Than what my Love did build for me. But there came Thieves late in the Night, Who robb'd my Bower, and slew my Knight; And after that my Knight was slain, I cou'd 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 though my Heart was full of Care, Heaven would not suffer me to despair: When in haste I chang'd my Name, From fair Elise to sweet William. And hereupon I cut my Hair, And drest myself in Man's Attire; My Doublet, Hose, and Beaver Hat, And a Golden Band about my Neck. With a Silver Rapier by my Side, Most like a Gallant I did ride. The Thing that I delighted on, It was to be a Serving Man.
Thus cloath'd in sumptuous Man's Array, I nobly rode along the Highway; And at the last it chanced so, That I to the King's Court did go. Then to the King I bow'd most low, My Love and Duty for to shew; And so much Favour I did crave, That I a Serving-Man's Place might have. Stand up, brave Youth, the King reply'd, The Service shall not be deny'd; 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 the Guard? And I will give thee great Reward. Sweet William, with a smiling Face, Said to the King, may't please your Grace, To show such Favour unto me, Your Chamberlain I fain would be. The King did then his Nobles call, To ask the Counsel of them all, Who gave Consent sweet William he The King's own Chamberlain should. 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 Lute that he had near. Upon the Lute sweet William play'd, And to the same he sung and said, With a most sweet melodious Voice, Which made the old Man to rejoice.
My Father was as brave a Lord, ' As ever Europe could afford: ' My Mother was a Lady bright; ' My Husband was a valiant Knight, ' And I myself a Lady gay, ' Bedeck'd with gorgeous 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 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 last the King from Hunting came, And presently upon the same, He called for this 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 tell'st to me, I'll make thee Lord of high Degree: But if thy Words do prove a Lie, Thou shalt be hang'd up presently. But when the King the Truth had 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 further Strife, He took sweet William for his Wife: The like before was never seen; A Serving-Man to become a Queen.
Printed and Sold in Bow-Church-Yard, London.