With that the fair bride they all bid embrace, Saying, "You are come of an honourable race; Thy father likewise is of high degree,

And thou art right worthy a lady to be."

115

Thus was the feast ended vith joy and delight;
A happy bridegroom was made the young knight,
Who lived in great joy and felicity,

With his fair lady, dear pretty Bessee.

120

THE FAMOUS FLOWER OF SERVING-MEN;

OR,

THE LADY TURNED SERVING-MAN.

66

FROM A Collection of Old Ballads, i. 216. Percy's edition, (iii. 126,) was from a written copy, containing some improvements, (perhaps modern ones.") Mr. Kinloch has printed a fragment of this piece in its Scottish dress, as taken down from the recitation of an old woman in Lanark,-Sweet Willie, p. 96. Several of the verses in the following are found also in The Lament of the Border Widow; see ante, iii. 86.

A similar story is found in Swedish and Danish, the heroine being Little Kerstin, Proud Botelid, or Proud Ingeborg. See Svenska Folk-Visor, ii. 15, 20; Arwidsson's Fornsånger, ii. 179; Danske Viser, iv. 116; and Grimm's Altdänische Heldenlieder, p. 123.

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 died,

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 my true love did build for me.

But there came thieves late in the night, They robb'd my bower, and slew my knight, And after that my knight was slain,

I could no longer there remain.

My servants all from me did 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;
Wherefore in haste I chang'd my name
From Fair Elise to Sweet William.

And therewithall I cut my hair, ✦
And dress'd myself in man's attire,
My doublet, hose, and beaver hat,
And a golden band about my neck.

5

10

15

20

25

With a silver rapier by my side,

So like a gallant I did ride;

The thing that I delighted on,

It was to be a serving-man.

Thus in my sumptuous man's array,
I bravely rode along the way;
And at the last it chanced so,
That I to the king's court did go.

Then to the king I bow'd full low,
My love and duty for to show;
And so much favour I did crave,
That I a serving-man's place might have.

"Stand up, brave youth," the king replied,
66 'Thy service shall not be denied ;
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 taster of my wine,
To wait on me when I do dine?

"Or wilt thou be my chamberlain,
To make my bed both soft and fine?
Or wilt thou be one of my guard?
And I will give thee thy reward."

80

35

40

45

50

Sweet William, with a smiling face,

Said to the king, "If't please your grace

To show such favour unto me,

Your chamberlain I fain would be."

The king then did the nobles call,
To ask the counsel of them all;
Who gave consent Sweet William he

The king's own chamberlain should be.

Now mark what strange thing came to pass:
As the king one day a hunting was,

With all 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 saw the house was clear,
He took a lute which he had there:

Upon the lute Sweet William play'd,
And to the same he sung and said,
With a sweet and noble voice,
Which made the old man to rejoice:

"My father was as brave a lord
As ever Europe did afford,
My mother was a lady bright,
My husband was a valiant knight: