Sweet William's Farewell to Black-ey'd Susan

Roud# 560

Poem by John Gay (1685-1732), English poet and dramatist, in 1719.

Published in: Poems on Several Occasions, by John Gay, First edition, Vol 1-2, 1720, pp. 405-407; (Separate edition Vol 2, pp. 126-128)

Sweet William's Farewell to Black-ey'd Susan


"Sweet William's Farewel to Black-ey'd Susan. A Ballad" was first announced in the "Post-man and the Historical Account" of Saturday, 10 January 1719.

The poem was set to music by Richard Leverige, a famous bass singer from the London stage, first announced in "The Daily Courant" of 25 March 1719.
Published in: The Musical Miscellany, by John Watts, Vol 4, 1730, pp. 148-151.

Set to music by Richard Leveridge


It seems that John Gay's poem is an adaption of an unknown missing English broadside which would be dated c.1680s to 1718, also a probable antecedent to "The Sailor Boy" or "Sweet William", appearing in broadsides and chapbooks ca.1810.

Among the opening lines are the antecedent lines 4-6.

1 All in the Downs the fleet was moor'd,
2    The streamers waving in the wind,
3 When black-ey'd Susan came aboard.
4    Oh! where shall I my true love find!
5 Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true,
6    If my sweet William sails among the crew?

The rest of Gay's poem is not textually related but still tells the same story - the parting of the sailor, Sweet William and his love. Gay's poem as well as two archaic traditional versions from the US reveal some of the text of the unknown missing English broadside.


The song is about the love story between Susan and her Sweet William.
The poem follows Susan as she goes aboard a ship in-dock ready to leave for battle, trying to find her lover William who would be making that long sea voyage. With tears in her dark eyes, she cries out his name and the young man, hearing her call from high above his ship’s yardarm, rushes down to console her, promising to be true wherever he goes. But soon after their reunion she is told by the captain she must leave the ship as it prepares to leave, and so Susan bids William one last sad farewell as she rows back to shore.

The bittersweet parting of Black-eyed Susan and Sweet William later became a popular love legend.



"Sweet William's Farewell to Black-ey'd Susan. A Ballad"

Poems on Several Occasions, by John Gay, First edition, Vol 1-2, 1720, pp. 405-407; (Separate edition Vol 2, pp. 126-128).

I.
All in the Downs the fleet was moor'd,
       The streamers waving in the wind,
    When black-ey'd Susan came aboard.
       Oh! where shall I my true love find!
    Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true,
    If my sweet William sails among the crew.

II.
      William, who high upon the yard,
       Rock'd with the billow to and fro,
    Soon as her well-known voice he heard,
       He sigh'd, and cast his eyes below:
   The cord slides swiftly through his glowing hands,
   And, (quick as lightning) on the deck he stands.

III.
    So the sweet lark, high pois'd in air,
       Shuts close his pinions to his breast,
   (If, chance, his mate's shrill call he hear)
       And drops at once into her nest.
   The noblest captain in the British fleet,
   Might envy William's lip those kisses sweet.

IV.
    "O Susan, Susan, lovely dear,
       My vows shall ever true remain;
   Let me kiss off that falling tear,
       We only part to meet again.
   Change, as ye list, ye winds; my heart shall be
   The faithful compass that still points to thee.

V.
    "Believe not what the landmen say,
       Who tempt with doubts thy constant mind:
   They'll tell thee, sailors, when away,
       In ev'ry port a mistress find.
   Yes, yes, believe them when they tell thee so,
   For thou art present wheresoe'er I go.

VI.
    "If to far India's coast we sail,
       Thy eyes are seen in di'monds bright,
   Thy breath is Afric's spicy gale,
       Thy skin is ivory, so white.
   Thus ev'ry beauteous object that I view,
   Wakes in my soul some charm of lovely Sue.

VII.
    "Though battle call me from thy arms
       Let not my pretty Susan mourn;
   Though cannons roar, yet safe from harms,
       William shall to his dear return.
   Love turns aside the balls that round me fly,
   Lest precious tears should drop from Susan's eye".

VIII.
    The boatswain gave the dreadful word,
       The sails their swelling bosom spread,
   No longer must she stay aboard:
       They kiss'd, she sigh'd, he hung his head.
   Her less'ning boat, unwilling rows to land:
   "Adieu", she cries! and wav'd her lily hand.