Famous Flower of Serving Men

My mother did me deadly spite, for she sent thieves in the dark of the night
Put my servants all to flight, they robbed my bower, they slew my knight

They couldn't do to me no harm so they slew my baby in my arm
Left me nought to wrap him in but the bloody sheet that he lay in

They left me nought to dig his grave but the bloody sword that slew my babe
All alone the grave I made, and all alone the tears I shed

And all alone the bell I rang, and all alone the psalm I sang
I leaned my head all against the block and there I cut my lovely locks

I cut my locks and I changed my name from Fair Eleanor to Sweet William
Went to court to serve my king as the famous flower of serving men

So well I served my lord the king that he made me his chamberlain
He loved me as his son, the famous flower of serving men

Oft time he'd look at me and smile, so swift his heart I did beguile
And he blessed the day that I became the famous flower of serving men

But all alone in my bed at e'en, there I dream a dreadful dream
I saw my bed swim with blood and I saw the thieves all around my head

Our king has to the hunting gone, he's ta'en no lords nor gentlemen
He's left me there to guard his home, the famous flower of serving men

Our king he rode the wood all around, he stayed all day but nothing found
And as he rode himself alone, it's there he saw the milk-white hind

The hind she broke, the hind she flew, the hind she trampled the brambles through
First she'd melt, then she'd sound, sometimes before, sometimes behind

Oh what is this, how can it be, such a hind as this I ne'er did see
Such a hind as this was never born, I fear she'll do me deadly harm

And long, long did the great horse turn for to save his lord from branch and thorn
But long ere the day was o'er they tangled all in his yellow hair

All in a glade the hind drew nigh, the sun shone bright all in her eye
He sprang down, sword drew, she vanished there all from his view

And all around the grass was green and all around where a grave was seen
And he sat himself all on the stone, great weariness it seized him on

Great silence hung from tree to sky, the woods grew still, the sun hung fire
As through the wood the dove he came, as through the wood he made his moan

Oh the dove he sat down on a stone, so sweet he looked, so soft he sang
Alas the day my love became the famous flower of serving men

The bloody tears they fell as rain as still he sat and still he sang
Alas the day my love became the famous flower of serving men

Our king cried out and he wept full sore, so loud unto the dove he did call
Oh pretty bird, come sing it plain

Oh it was her mother's deadly spite, for she sent thieves in the dark of the night
They come to rob, they come to slay, they made their sport, they went their way

And don't you think that her heart was sore as she laid the mould on his yellow hair
And don't you think her heart was woe as she turned her back away to go

And how she wept as she changed her name from Fair Eleanor to Sweet William
Went to court to serve her king as the famous flower of serving men

The bloody tears they lay all around, he's mounted up and away he's gone
And one thought filled his mind, the thought of her that was a man

And as he's rode himself alone a dreadful oath he there has sworn
That he would hunt her mother down as he would hunt the wildwood swine

For there's four and twenty ladies all, and they're all playing at the ball
But fairer than all of them is the famous flower of serving men

Oh he's rode in, into his hall, and he's rode in among them all
He's lifted her to his saddle brim and there he's kissed her cheek and chin

The nobles stood and they stretched their eyes, the ladies took to their fans and smiled
For such a strange homecoming no gentleman had ever seen

And he has sent his nobles all, and to her mother they have gone
Ta'en her that did such wrong, they've lain her down in prison strong

And he's brought men up from the corn, and he's sent men down to the thorn
All for to build a bonfire high, all for to set her mother by

Bonny sang the morning thrush all where he sat in yonder bush
But louder did her mother cry in the bonfire where she burned close by

For there she stood all among the thorn and there she sang her deadly song
Alas the day that she became the famous flower of serving men

For the fire took first all on her cheek, and there it took all on her chin
It spat and rang in her yellow hair and soon there was no life left in