Sweet William- I. G. Greer (North Carolina) Original date, 1913; text from 1946 LOC Recording
[There are two entries in my collection for this important version. This is the Greer's version from their Library of Congress recording 1946, differing only slightly from the text in the Brown Collection which was collected in 1913 and appears as Version B in the Brown Collection of NC Folklore, with music (see below) which has an extra stanza. The Greer's recorded this balled on 10-26-29 in NYC for Paramount. Here are the notes and text from Library of Congress recording made in 1946:]
B9--SWEET WILLIAM (EARL BRAND)
Sung by I. G. Greer of Thomasville, N.C with dulcimer by Mrs. I. G. Greer. Recorded 10-26-29 NYC for Paramount, later recorded at Washington, D,C., 1946. by Duncan Emrich.
In the southern states this song is also known as "The Seven Brothers," "The Seven Sleepers," and "Lord William," In Scotland it was known as "Earl Brand" or "The Douglas Tragedy." Sir Walter Scott feels that the story recounted here had its source in some actual event. He say, that: "The ballad of the 'Douglas Tragedy' is one of the few to which popular tradition has ascribcd complete locality. The farm of Blackhouse, in Selkirkshire, is said to have been the scene of the melancholy event. There are the remains of a very ancient tower, adjacent to the farmhouse, In a wild and solitary glen, upon a torrent named Douglas burn, which joins the Yarrow after passing a craggy rock called the Douglas craig. From this ancient bower Lady Margaret is said to have been carried by her lover, Seven large stones, erected upon the neighboring heights of Blackhouse, are shown, as marking the spot where the seven brethren were slain; and the Douglas burn is averred to have been the stream at which the lovers stopped to drink; so minute is tradition in ascertaining the scene of a tragical tale, which, considering the rude state of former times, had probably foundation in some real event." For full references, see: Arthur Kyle Davis. Traditional Ballads of Virginia (Harvard University Press, 1929), pp. 86-92,
Music above is from the Brown Collection from 1913, which has an extra verse (see Sweet William and Fair Ellen- Brown Collection): For melodic relationship, cf. **BMFSB lo, the first four measures ; *SharpK I 14, No. 4A. Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Mode III very evident. Tonal Center: f. Structure: abcd (2,2,2,2). Circular Tune (V).
SWEET WIILLIAM- The Greers; Library of Congress Recording 1946
1. Sweet William rode up to the old man's gate
And boldly he did say,
"The youngest daughter she must stay at home,
But the oldest I'll take away."
2. "Come in, come in, all seven of my sons,
And guard your sister 'round.
For never shall it be said that the Stuart's son
Has taken my daughter out of town."
3. "I thank you, sir, and it's very kind.
I'm none of the Stuart's son.
My father was a reginers team[1].
My mother a Quaker's queen."
4, So he got on his snow white steed,
And she on the dapple grey,
He swung his bugle horn 'round his neck
And they wenl riding away.
5. They hadn't gone more'n a mile out of town
Till he looked back again.
And he saw her father and seven of her brothers
Come trippling over the plain.
6. "Light down, light down, Fair Ellen, said he,
And hold my steed by the reins,
Till I fight your father and seven of your brothers
Come trippling over the plain."
7. He stood right there and he stood right still,
Not a word did she return,
Till she saw her father and seven of her brothers
A-rolling in their own heart's blood.
8. "Slack your hand, slack your hand, Sweet William," said she,
"Your wounds are very sore,
The blood run, free from every vein,
A father I can have no more."
9, So he got on his snow white steed,
And she on she dapple grey,
He swung his bugle horn around his neck
And they went bleeding away.
10. Soon they rode up to his mother's gate.
And tingling on the ring,
"Oh, mother, oh. mother. asleep or awake,
Arise and let me in.
11. Oh, mother, oh, mother, bind my head,
My wound, are very sore,
The blood runs free from every vein,
For me you will bind them no more."
12. About two hours before it was day,
The fowls began to crow,
Sweet William died from the wounds that he received.
Fair Ellen died for sorrow.
1. "team" is a mishearing of "king" and "regioners" is probably derived from the old English (originally latin) regis which means regal= regal king.