Sweet William- Dowell (AR) 1961 Ozark Collection
[Version of Lord Douglas from Ozark Folksong Collection; Reel 418, Item 3. Collected by Carolyn Cearley and Louise Guisinger Transcribed by M. C. Parler. Minor spelling corrections by me.
R. Matteson 2014]
Sweet William- Sung by Mrs. Joy Dowell Guitar Acc. by Mrs. Pederson Fayetteville, Ark. December 25, 1961
Sweet William rode to the old man's gate
And sweetly he did say
Your youngest daughter you may keep at home
But the oldest I'll take away.
The youngest daughter you may keep at home
And the oldest I'll take away.
Go bring her down, go bring her down
Go bring her down I say,
It shall ne'er be said that a Stuyard's son [1]
Has carried her out of the town.
It shall ne'er be said that a Stu'yard's son
Has carried her out of the town.
"I am no Stu'yard' son," said he,
"I was born by the leaf of grace,
My father was the king of Rome,
My mother a virtuous queen.
My father was the king of Rome,
My mother a virtuous queen.
He mounted her on his milk-white horse
While he rode a dappled gray,
And swung his bugles all around about his neck
While they went riding away.
And he swung his bugles all around about his neck
While they went riding away.
They had not gone more'n a mile from town
Till she looked back again,
And she saw her father and her seven bretheren
Come trippling over the plain.
And she saw her father and her seven bretheren
Come trippling over the plain.
"Get down, get down," sweet William did cry,
"And hold my horse by the rein,
Whilst I play with your father and your seven bretheren
Come trippling over the plain.
Whilst I play with your father and seven bretheren
Come trippling over the plain."
Now she's standing there, not saying one word,
Till she looked back again,
And she saw her father and her seven bretheren
All wallowing in their blood.
And she saw her father and her seven bretheren
all wallowing in their blood.
"If you'll forsake me, what I've done for you,
I wish you were in your mother's chamber
And I was in the house of Rome,
I wish you was in your mother's chamber,
And I was in the house of Rome."
"If I was in my mother's chamber,
You'd be welcome too,
You may wind to, she east or wind to the west,
I'm winding along with you
You may wind to the, or wind to the west,
I'm winding along with you."
He mounted [her] on his milk-white horse.
And he rode a dapple gray,
And he swung his bugle, all around about his neck
While they went riding away
And he swung his bugle, all around his neck
While they went riding away.
1. Steward's son