Chapter VIII: Part I

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

“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?

“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.”

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.