Is given from a written copy, containing some improvements (perhaps modern ones), upon the popular ballad, intitled, _The famous flower of Serving-men_: or the _Lady turned Serving-man_.
[It is printed in the _Collection of Old Ballads_ (i. 216) without the _improvements_. After verse 56 the first person is changed to the third in the original, but Percy altered this and made the first person run on throughout. Kinloch (_Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 95) gives a very mutilated and varied version of this ballad in the Scottish dress under the title of _Sweet Willie_, which was taken down from the recitation of an old woman in Lanark. There is a similar story in Swedish and Danish.]
You beauteous ladyes, great and small, I write unto you one and all, Whereby that you may understand What I have suffered in the land.
I was by birth a lady faire, 5 An ancient barons only heire, And when my good old father dyed, Then I became a young knightes bride.
And there my love built me a bower, Bedeck'd with many a fragrant flower; 10 A braver bower you ne'er did see Then my true-love did build for mee.
And there I livde a ladye gay, Till fortune wrought our loves decay; For there came foes so fierce a band, 15 That soon they over-run the land.
They came upon us in the night, And brent my bower, and slew my knight; And trembling hid in mans array, I scant with life escap'd away. 20
In the midst of this extremitìe, My servants all did from me flee: Thus was I left myself alone, With heart more cold than any stone.
Yet though my heart was full of care, 25 Heaven would not suffer me to dispaire, Wherefore in haste I chang'd my name From faire Elise, to sweet Williame:
And therewithall I cut my haire, Resolv'd my man's attire to weare; 30 And in my beaver, hose and band, I travell'd far through many a land.
At length all wearied with my toil, I sate me downe to rest awhile; My heart it was so fill'd with woe, 35 That downe my cheeke the teares did flow.
It chanc'd the king of that same place With all his lords a hunting was, And seeing me weepe, upon the same Askt who I was, and whence I came. 40
Then to his grace I did replye, I am a poore and friendlesse boye, Though nobly borne, nowe forc'd to bee A serving-man of lowe degree.