With a filver rapier by my fide,
So like a gallant I did ride;
The thing that I delighted on,
It was to be a ferving-man.

Thus in my fumptuous mans array,
I bravely rode along the way;
And at the laft it chanced fo,
That I to the kings court did go.

Then to the king I bow'd full low,
My love and duty for to fhow;
And fo much favour I did crave,

That I a ferving-mans place might have.

Stand up, brave youth, the king replied,
Thy fervice fhall not be denied ;
But tell me firft what thou can't do,
Thou shalt be fitted thereunto.

Wilt thou be ufher of my hall,
To wait upon my nobles all?
Or wilt thou be tapfter of my wine,
To wait on me when I do dine?

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

Sweet

Sweet William, with a smiling face,
Said to the king, If't please your grace,
To fhow fuch favour unto me,
Your chamberlain I fain would be.

The king then did the nobles call,
To afk the counsel of them all;
Who gave confent fweet William he,
The kings own chamberlain fhould 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 fame he fung 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.

R 4

And

What news, what news, old man ? quoth he;

What news haft 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'ft to me
I'll make thee a lord of high degree;
But if thy words do prove a lie,
Thou shall be hang'd up presently.

But

But when the king the truth had found,
His joys did more and more abound:
According as the old man did fay,
Sweet William was a lady gay.

Therefor the king, without delay,
Put on her glorious rich array,
And upon her head a crown of gold,
Which was moft famous to behold.

And then, for fear of further ftrife,
He took Sweet William for his wife:
The like before was never seen,
A ferving-man to be a queen.

BALLAD XIII.

THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD:

Or,

THE NORFOLK GENTLEMANS LAST WILL AND

TESTAMENT.

OW ponder well, you parents dear,

Now

The words which I fhall write;

A doleful story you shall hear,

In time brought forth to light:

A gen

A gentleman of good account

In Norfolk liv'd of late,

Whofe wealth and riches did furmount

Moft men of his estate.

Sore fick he was, and like to die,
No help that he could have;
His wife by him as fick did lie,

And both poffefs'd one grave.
No love between these two was lost,
Each was to other kind;

In love they liv'd, in love they died,
And left two babes behind :

The one a fine and pretty boy,
Not paffing three years old;

The other a girl, more young than he,

And made in beautys mold.

The father left his little fon,

As plainly doth appear,

When he to perfect age fhould come,
Three hundred pounds a year;

And to his little daughter Jane
Five hundred pounds in gold,
To be paid down on marriage day,
Which might not be controul'd:
But if the children chance to die

Ere they to age should come,

Their uncle fhould poffefs their wealth;
For fo the will did run.