The next morning early they set forth on the return journey. Lord Stafford seemed to have thrown aside the weight of misgiving that had oppressed him on his way thither, and was full of the gayest spirits. With laughter and story did he beguile the way, and once as he jestingly spoke of her attire, he said laughingly,
“Listen, Francis, and I will tell thee of another such an one. Hast thou ever heard how the serving man became a queen?”
“The serving man a queen?” cried the girl. “Why how could that be, father?”
“Listen, and you shall hear.” In a rich full voice he trolled the following ballad:
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THE FAMOUS FLOWER OF SERVING MEN
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“You beauteous ladyes, great and small,
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I write unto you one and all,
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Whereby that you may understand
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What I have suffered in the land.
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82
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“I was by birth a lady faire,
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An ancient baron’s only heire,
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And when my goode old father died
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Then I became a young knight’s bride.
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“And then my love built me a bower,
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Bedecked with many a fragrant flower;
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A braver bower you ne’er did see
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Than my true love did build for me.
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“And there I lived a lady gay
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Till fortune wrought my love’s decay;
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For there came foes so fierce a band,
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That soon they overran the land.
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“They came upon us in the night,
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And rent my bower and slew my knight;
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And trembling hid in man’s array,
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I scarce with life escaped away.
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“Yet though my heart was full of care,
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Heaven would not suffer me to despair;
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Wherefore in haste I changed my name
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From fair Elise to Sweet Williame.
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“And then withal I cut my hair,
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Resolv’d my man’s attire to wear;
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And in my beaver, hose and band,
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I travel’d far through many a land.
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83
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“At length all wearied with my toil,
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I sate me down to rest awhile;
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My heart it was so filled with woe,
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That down my cheeks the tears did flow.
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“It chanced the king of that same place,
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With all his lords a hunting was,
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And seeing me weep, upon the same
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Askt who I was, and whence I came.
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“Then to His Grace I did reply,
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‘I am a poor and friendless boy,
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Though nobly born, now forc’d to be
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A serving man of low degree.’
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“‘Stand up, fair youth,’ the king reply’d,
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For thee a service I’ll provide;
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But tell me first what thou canst do
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Thou shall be fitted thereunto.
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“‘Chuse, gentle youth,’ said he, ‘thy place,’
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Then I reply’d, ‘If it please Your Grace,
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To show such favor unto me,
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Your chamberlain I fain would be.’
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“Now mark what fortune did provide;
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The king he would a hunting ride
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With all his lords and noble train,
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Sweet Williame must at home remain.
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84
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“And meeting with a ladye’s vest,
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Within the same myself I drest;
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With silken robes and jewels rare,
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I deckt me as a lady faire.
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“And taking up a lute straitway,
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Upon the same I strove to play;
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And sweetly to the same did sing,
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As made both hall and chamber ring:
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“‘My father was as brave a lord,
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As ever Europe might afford;
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My mother was a lady bright:
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My husband was a valiant knight.
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“‘But now, alas! my husband’s dead,
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And all my friends are from me fled,
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My former days are past and gone,
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And I am now a serving man.’
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“The king who had a hunting gone,
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Grew weary of his sport anon,
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And leaving all his gallant train,
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Turn’d on the sudden home again.
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“And when he reached his statlye tower,
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Hearing one sing within his bower,
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He stopt to listen and to see
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Who sang there so melodiouslie.
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85
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“A crimson dye my face orespred,
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I blush’d for shame and hung my head,
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To find my sex and story known,
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When as I thought I was alone.
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“‘Faire ladye, pardon me,’ says he,
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‘Thy virtue shall rewarded be.
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And since it is so fairly tryde,
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Thou shall become my royal bride.’
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“Then strait to end his loving strife
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He took Sweet Williame for his wife.
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The like before was never seen,
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A serving man become a queen.”
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Francis laughed merrily when he finished.
“Poor Williame! but it ended well after all. Well, my days for man’s attire will soon be o’er.”
“’Tis to be hoped so,” answered her father. “Though the dress well becomes thee.”
At length, though they had returned by easier stages than they had performed the journey to Stafford, Lyndhurst was reached, and soon the turrets of Stafford Hall became visible.