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 65 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, 70 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, 75 My husband was a valiant knight: "And I myself a lady gay, Bedeck'd with gorgeous rich array; The bravest lady in the land Had not more pleasure at command. 80 "I had my music every day, Harmonious lessons for to play; I had my virgins fair and free, Continually to wait on me. "But now, alas! my husband's dead, 85 And all my friends are from me fled; My former joys are pass'd and gone, For I am now a serving-man." At last the king from hunting came, And presently, upon the same, 90 He called for this good old man, And thus to speak the king began: "What news, what news, old man?" quoth he; "What news hast thou to tell to me?" "Brave news," the old man he did say, 95 "Sweet William is a lady gay." "If this be true thou tell'st to me I'll make thee lord of high degree; But if thy words do prove a lie, Thou shall be hang'd up presently." 100 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. Therefore the king without delay 105 Put on her glorious rich array, And upon her head a crown of gold, Which was most famous to behold. And then, for fear of further strife, He took Sweet William for his wife: 110 The like before was never seen,-- A serving-man to be a queen. THE FAIR FLOWER OF NORTHUMBERLAND. _Ritson's Ancient Songs and Ballads_, ii. 75. Preserved in Thomas Deloney's _History of Jack of Newbery_, whence it was extracted by Ritson. In that extraordinary book, _The Minstrelsy of the English Border_, (p. 201,) Ritson's copy is inserted without acknowledgment, and with a few alterations for the worse. Scottish versions of this ballad are given by Kinloch, (_The Provost's Dochter_, p. 131,) and by Buchan, (_The Betrayed Lady_, ii. 208.) The former of these is printed in our Appendix.