Volume 2 — 106 THE FAMOUS FLOWER OF SERVING-MEN
Reading edition
a. Wood, E. 25, fol. 75, Bodleian Library. b. Pepys, III, 142, No 140, Magdalen College Library, Cambridge. c. A Collection of Old Ballads, I, 216, 1723.
This ballad was given in Percy's Reliques, III, 87, 1765, "from a written copy, containing some improvements (perhaps modern ones)." These improvements are execrable in style and in matter, so far as there is new matter, but not in so glaring contrast with the groundwork as literary emendations of traditional ballads. Ritson reprinted in A Select Collection of English Songs, II, 244, 1783, some broadside like that which was followed by c.[169]
'Sweet Willie' in Kinloch MSS, V, 407 and VII, 197 (the latter printed in Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 96), and also a fragment with the same title in the Harris MS., fol. 20 f, No 15, are derived from the broadside through recitation. A copy in Buchan's MSS, I, 150, is taken directly from print.
In other cases portions of the broadside appear to have entered into combination with traditional verses belonging to some other story, or possibly to some older form of this.
The Dean of Derry communicated to Percy in 1776 the following stanzas, which he wrote down from the recitation of his mother, Mrs Barnard, wife of the Bishop of Derry.[170]
1 My mother showd me a deadly spight; She sent three thieves at darksome night; They put my servants all to flight, They robd my bower, and they slew my knight. 2 They could not do me much more harm, But they slew my baby on my arm; They left me nothing to wrap it in But the bloody, bloody sheet that it lay in. 3 They left me nothing to make a grave But the bloody sword that slew my babe; All alone the grave I made, And all alone salt tears I shed. 4 All alone the bell I rung, And all alone sweet psalms I sung; I leant my head against a block, And there I cut my lovely locks. 5 I cut my locks, and chang'd my name From Fair Eleanore to Sweet William.
Scott inserted in his Border Minstrelsy, III, 83, 1803, seven stanzas under the title of 'The Lament of the Border Widow,' which show broader traces of the sheet-ballad (1-3), and also, as Aytoun has remarked, agreements with 'The Three Ravens' and with 'Fair Helen of Kirconnell' (5-7). 'The Lament of the Border Widow,' "obtained from recitation in the Forest of Ettrick," has been thought to relate to the execution of Cokburne, a border-freebooter, by James V. Those who are interested in such random inventions (as, under pardon, they must be called) will find particulars in Scott's introduction, and a repetition of the same in Maidment's Scotish Ballads and Songs, Historical and Traditionary, II, 170.[171]
1 My love he built me a bonny bower, And clad it a' wi lilye-flour; A brawer bower ye neer did see Than my true-love he built for me. 2 There came a man, by middle day, He spied his sport and went away, And brought the king that very night, Who brake my bower, and slew my knight. 3 He slew my knight, to me sae dear; He slew my knight, and poind his gear; My servants all for life did flee, And left me in extremitie. 4 I sewd his sheet, making my mane; I watched the corpse, myself alane; I watched his body, night and day; No living creature came that way. 5 I took his body on my back, And whiles I gaed, and whiles I sate; I diggd a grave, and laid him in, And happd him with the sod sae green. 6 But think na ye my heart was sair, When I laid the moul on his yellow hair? O think na ye my heart was wae, When I turnd about, away to gae? 7 Nae living man I'll love again, Since that my lovely knight is slain; Wi ae lock of his yellow hair I'll chain my heart for evermair.
Again, there are six couplets in Johnson's Museum, p. 90, No 89, called, from the burden, 'Oh ono chrio,' which have a little of The Border Widow, and incidentally of The Flower of Serving-Men, winding up with sentiments of transcendent elegance.
Oh was I not a weary wight, Maid, wife and widow in one night! When in my soft and yielding arms, When most I thought him free from harms, Even at the dead time of the night, They broke my bower, and slew my knight. With ae lock of his jet-black hair I'll tye my heart for ever mair. Nae sly-tongued youth, or flattering swain, Shall eer untye this knott again. Thine still, dear youth, that heart shall be, Nor pant for aught save heaven and thee.
"Dr Blacklock informed Burns that this song... was composed on the horrid massacre at Glencoe": Stenhouse's note, IV, 92.
The English broadside, which may reasonably be believed to be formed upon a predecessor in the popular style, has been held to have a common origin with the Scandinavian ballad 'Maid and Stable Boy,' already spoken of under 'Child Waters' at p. 84f of this volume. The points of resemblance are that a maid cuts her hair, dons man's clothes, and seeks service with a king. In the end she is married to the king's son, or to a nobleman of his court. The differences, in other respects, are considerable.
Percy's ballad is translated by Bodmer, I, 160; by Merk, Ursinus, p. 79, and Bothe, p. 307; by Döring, p. 329.
1 You beautious ladies, great and small, I write unto you one and all, Whereby that you may understand What I have suffered in this land. 2 I was by birth a lady fair, My father's chief and onely heir, But when my good old father dy'd, Then was I made a young knight's bride. 3 And then my love built me a bower, Bedeckt with many a fragrant flower; A braver bower you never did see Then my true-love did build for me. 4 But there came thieves late in the night, They rob'd my bower, and slew my knight, And after that my knight was slain, I could no longer there remain. 5 My servants all from me did flye, In the midst of my extremity, And left me by my self alone, With a heart more cold then any stone. 6 Yet, though my heart was full of care, Heaven would not suffer me to despair; Wherefore in hast I chang'd my name From Fair Elise to Sweet William. 7 And therewithal I cut my hair, And drest my self in man's attire, My doublet, hose, and bever-hat, And a golden band about my neck. 8 With a silver rapier by my side, So like a gallant I did ride; The thing that I delighted on, Was for to be a serving-man. 9 Thus in my sumptuous man's array, I bravely rode along the way; And at the last it chanced so That I unto the king's court did go. 10 Then to the king I bowed 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. 11 '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. 12 '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 shall dine? 13 '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.' 14 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. 15 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. 16 Now mark what strange things came to pass; As the king one day a hunting was, With all his lords and noble train, Sweet William did at home remain. 17 Sweet William had no company then With him at home but an old man; And when he saw the coast was clear, He took a lute which he had there. 18 Upon the lute Sweet William plaid, And to the same he sung and said, With a pleasant and most noble voice, Which made the old man to rejoyce: 19 'My father was as brave a lord As ever Europe did afford; My mother was a lady bright, My husband was a valiant knight. 20 'And I my self a lady gay, Bedeckt with gorgeous rich array; The bravest lady in the land Had not more pleasures to command. 21 'I had my musick every day, Harmonious lessons for to play; I had my virgins fair and free, Continually to wait on me. 22 '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.' 23 At last the king from hunting came, And presently upon the same He called for the good old man, And thus to speak the king began. 24 'What news, what news, old man?' quod he; 'What news hast thou to tell to me?' 'Brave news,' the old man he did say; 'Sweet William is a lady gay.' 25 'If this be true thou tellest me I'le make thee a lord of high degree; But if thy words do prove a lye, Thou shalt be hanged up presently.' 26 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. 27 Therefore the king without delay Put on her glorious rich array, And upon her head a crown of gold, Which was most famous to behold. 28 And then, for fear of further strife, He took Sweet William for his wife; The like before was never seen, A serving-man to be a queen.
a.
Printed for J. Hose, next door but one to the Rose Inn, near Holbourn-bridge. John Hose, over against Staples-Inn, near Gray's Inn Lane, printed, according to Chappell, 1660-1675.
b.
Printed for W. Thackeray and T. Passinger. W. Thackeray's date, Chappell, is 1660-1689; T. Passinger's, 1670-1682.
a, b have for title and preface:
The Famous Flower of Serving-men, or, The Lady turnd Serving-man.
Her lover being slain, her father dead, Her bower robd, her servants fled, She drest her self in mans attire, She trim'd her locks, she cut her hair, And therupon she changde her name From Fair Elise to Sweet William.
To a dainty tune, or Flora Farewel, Summer-Time, or Love's Tide.
Before 19: Sweet William's Song.
After 22: The end of Sweet William's Song.
a.
After 8: The Second Part, to the same tune.
b.
84. It was to.
124. I do.
204. pleasure.
c.
24. I was.
84. It was to.
94. I to.
124. I do.
161. thing.
173. the house.
183. a sweet and noble voice.
204. pleasure.
233. this good.
251. tellst to.