There are 5 versions of Child #110 (The Knight and The Shepherd's Daughter) in the Digital Tradition Database already, but are blessed with only one tune between them. Numbers 1 and 2 have been commercially recorded, by John & Tony and by Norman Kennedy respectively; 3 and 4 are from the ballad collections of Buchan and Percy, respectively, while #5 was collected by Sharp.
Here are another five, each with its own tune: - Knight William recorded by the Young Tradition - close to the John and Tony version.
- Royal Forester recorded by Steeleye Span - close to the Norman Kennedy version.
- Shepherd's Daughter collected by Percy Grainger in Lincolnshire.
- Sweet William collected by Desmond and Shelagh Herring in Suffolk 1958-59
- Sweet William collected by Desmond and Shelagh Herring in Suffolk 1960
BTW: I already sent the words to 2-5 and the tunes to 3-5 to Dick Greenhaus some time ago.
KNIGHT WILLIAM It's of a shepherd's daughter dear
Keeping sheep all on the plain;
Who should ride by but Knight William,
And he's got drunk by wine.
With me right fal-lal-al diddle-al-day
Well, he has mounted off his horse
And quickly laid her down.
And when he's had his will of her
He rose her up again.
With me right etc.
Since you have had your will of me,
Pray tell to me your name,
So when our dear little babe is born,
I might call him the same.
"Sometimes they call me Jack", he said
"Sometimes they call me John;
But when I am at the King's high court
They call me Knight William."
He's put his foot all in the stirrup,
And away he then did ride.
She tied a handkerchief around her waist,
And followed at the horse's side.
She's run till she come to the river brink,
She fell on her belly and swam.
And when she came to the other side
She took to her heels and she ran.
She run till she come to the King's high court,
She's knocke-ed and she's ring
There's none so ready as the King himself
To let this fair maid in.
"Good morn to you, fair maid", he said.
"Good morn, kind Sir", said she.
"Have you a knight all in your court,
This day have robb-ed me?"
"Well, have he robbed you of your gold?
Or any of your store?
Or have he robbed you of your gold ring
You wear on your little finger?"
"Well, he ain't robbed me of me gold,
Or any of me store.
But he's robbed me of my maidenhead,
Which grieves my heart full sore."
"Well, if he be a married man,
Then hang-ed he shall be.
But if he be a single man,
Then his body I will give to thee."
The King has call-ed all his men,
By one, by two, by three;
Knight William used to be the foremost man,
But now all behind comes he.
"Oh curs-ed be the very hour
That I got drunk by wine
For to have a shepherd's daughter dear
To be a true lover of mine."
"Well, if you think me a shepherd's daughter
Leave to me alone.
If you make me lady of a thousand men
I'll make you lord of ten."
So then these two to church they went,
And then small things was done.
She appeared like some Duke's daughter
And him like a squire's son.
CHILD #110
Recorded by The Young Tradition on So Cheerfully Round 1967.
MIDI file: KNGHTWIL.MID Timebase: 480 Tempo: 140 (428571 microsec/crotchet)
Key: Eb
TimeSig: 4/4 48 8
Name: Knight William
Start
0000 1 65 127 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 70 127 0479 0 70 000 0001 1 74 090 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 70 127 0239 0 70 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 75 127 0479 0 75 000 0001 1 77 090 0479 0 77 000 0001 1 77 090 0239 0 77 000 0001 1 75 090 0239 0 75 000 0001 1 74 090 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 74 127 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0959 0 72 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 70 127 0479 0 70 000 0001 1 70 090 0479 0 70 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 77 127 0479 0 77 000 0001 1 75 090 0239 0 75 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 70 127 0479 0 70 000 0001 1 70 090 0479 0 70 000 0001 1 75 090 0239 0 75 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 70 090 0239 0 70 000 0001 1 68 127 0479 0 68 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 68 090 0239 0 68 000 0001 1 65 090 0719 0 65 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 68 127 0479 0 68 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 70 090 0239 0 70 000 0001 1 68 090 0239 0 68 000 0001 1 67 090 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 65 127 1439 0 65 000
End This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X: 172
T:Knight William
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=140
S:The Young Tradition
D:So Cheerfully Round 1967
K:FDor %3 flats
F2|
B2 d2 c2=A2 |(B=A)G2 F2 cd | e2 f2(fe) d2 | d2 c2- c2 F2|
B2 B2 c2 c2 | f2 ed c2 F2 | B2 B2(ed)(cB) | A2 GA F3 G|
A2 c2 BA G2 | F6 ||
ROYAL FORESTER I am a forester of this land, as you can plainly see
It's the matter of your maidenhead that I would have from thee
With me rue-rum-rorrity,
Rye-rum-rorrity
Rye-so-orrity-an
He's taken her by the milk white hand and by the linen sleeve
He's lain her down upon her back and ask-ed no man's leave
"Now since you've lain me down, young man, you must take me up again,
And since you've had your will to me, come tell to me your name."
"Some call me Jim, some call me John, begad, it all the same
But when I'm in the King's high court Erwilian is my name."
She being a good scholar she spelled it o'er again.
"Erwilian, that's a Latin word, but Willie is your name."
Now when he heard his name pronounced, he mounted his high horse
She belted up her petticoat and followed wi' all her force
He rode and she ran a long summer day
Until they came to the river that's commonly called the Tay
"The water it's too deep, my love, I'm afraid you cannot wade."
But afore he'd ridden his horse well in, she was on the other side.
She went up to the King's high door, she knocked, and she went in
Said "One of your chancellors' robb-ed me, and he's robbed me right and clean."
"Has he robbed you of your mantle, has he robbed you of your ring?"
"No he's robbed me of my maidenhead, and another I cannot find."
"Then if he be a married man, hang-ed he shall be,
And if he be a single man, he shall marry thee."
This couple they got married, they live in Huntly town,
She's the Earl of Airlie's daughter and he's a blacksmith's son.
Child #110
Recorded by Steeleye Span on Below the Salt 1972.
MIDI file: ROYALFOR.MID Timebase: 480 Tempo: 200 (300000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: D
TimeSig: 4/4 48 8
Name: Royal Forester
Text: S:Steeleye Span
Start
0000 1 66 127 0479 0 66 000 0001 1 71 127 0559 0 71 000 0001 1 66 090 0399 0 66 000 0001 1 66 090 0559 0 66 000 0001 1 68 090 0399 0 68 000 0001 1 69 127 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 69 090 0719 0 69 000 0001 1 71 090 0559 0 71 000 0001 1 69 090 0399 0 69 000 0001 1 71 127 0559 0 71 000 0001 1 66 090 0399 0 66 000 0001 1 66 090 0559 0 66 000 0001 1 69 090 0399 0 69 000 0001 1 71 127 1439 0 71 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 73 127 0399 0 73 000 0001 1 71 090 0559 0 71 000 0001 1 71 090 0559 0 71 000 0001 1 71 090 0399 0 71 000 0001 1 69 127 0559 0 69 000 0001 1 66 090 0399 0 66 000 0001 1 69 090 0559 0 69 000 0001 1 69 090 0399 0 69 000 0001 1 71 127 0559 0 71 000 0001 1 66 090 0399 0 66 000 0001 1 66 090 0559 0 66 000 0001 1 64 090 0399 0 64 000 0001 1 66 127 0959 0 66 000 0001 1 66 090 0559 0 66 000 0001 1 64 090 0399 0 64 000 0001 1 62 127 0559 0 62 000 0001 1 59 090 0399 0 59 000 0001 1 59 090 0239 0 59 000 0001 1 59 090 0239 0 59 000 0001 1 59 090 0479 0 59 000 0001 1 57 127 0559 0 57 000 0001 1 59 090 0399 0 59 000 0001 1 59 090 0239 0 59 000 0001 1 59 090 0239 0 59 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 66 127 0559 0 66 000 0001 1 66 090 0399 0 66 000 0001 1 64 090 0239 0 64 000 0001 1 62 090 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 61 090 0479 0 61 000 0001 1 59 127 1439 0 59 000
End This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X: 173
T:Royal Forester
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:200
S:Steeleye Span
D:Below The Salt, 1972
K:Bm
F2|
B-B>F-F F-F>^G-G|AA3 B-B>A-A|B-B>F-F F-F>A-A|B6 BB|
c-c<B-B B-B>B-B|A-A>F-F A-A>A-A|B-B>F-F F-F>E-E|F4 F-F>E-E|
D-D>B,-B, B,B,B,2|A,-A,>B,-B, B,B,=D2|F-F>F-F EDC2|B,6||
THE SHEPHERD'S DAUGHTER
(The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter) It's of a shepherd's daughter,
Kept sheep on yonders hill.
A squier's son came riding by,
And he fain would have his will.
You and I, you and I,
He fain would have his will.
"He took me by the lilywhite hand,
And by the silken sleeve,
And gently laid me on the ground
Before I gave him leave."
You and I, you and I,
Before she gave him leave.
"Since you have had your will of me,
Pray tell to me your name,
That when my baby it is born
I can call it by the same."
You and I, you and I,
Can call it by the same.
"Sometimes they call me Jack," said he,
"Sometimes they call me John,
But when I'm in the fair king's court
My name is Sweet Will-yum."
You and I, you and I,
Can call it Sweet Will-yum.
Child #110
Collected by Percy Grainger from the singing of Mr William Roberts at Burringham-on-Trent, Lincolnshire, July 1906. Printed in the Folk Song Journal No. 12, vol. III, p.222, and reprinted in Bronson's The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads, vol. II, p. 540.
MIDI file: SHEPDAU6.MID Timebase: 480 Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: G
TimeSig: 4/4 48 8
Name: Shepherd's Daughter, The Knight and the
Start
0000 1 67 127 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 71 127 0319 0 71 000 0001 1 67 090 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 66 090 0239 0 66 000 0001 1 62 090 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 67 127 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 64 090 0159 0 64 000 0001 1 66 090 0239 0 66 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 090 0479 0 64 000 0241 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 71 127 0159 0 71 000 0001 1 71 090 0319 0 71 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 66 090 0239 0 66 000 0001 1 62 090 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0119 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0119 0 62 000 0001 1 67 127 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 64 090 0159 0 64 000 0001 1 66 090 0239 0 66 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 090 0719 0 64 000 0241 1 67 127 0159 0 67 000 0001 1 71 090 0319 0 71 000 0001 1 59 090 0479 0 59 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 71 090 0319 0 71 000 0001 1 64 090 0159 0 64 000 0001 1 67 127 0319 0 67 000 0001 1 64 090 0159 0 64 000 0001 1 66 090 0239 0 66 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 090 0719 0 64 000
End This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X: 19
T:Shepherd's Daughter
T:The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
K:Em
P:A
G|B>G AB AF DD |G>E FG E2 zG|
B<B GB AF DD/D/|G>E FG E3 z|
G<B B,2 GA B>E |G>E FG E3 ||
These two Suffolk versions were collected within a year of each other and less than five miles apart, but appear to have travelled very different routes from the original source, and must have diverged a considerable time ago. Although both deal with only a small section of the original, they include or omit different parts of even that, and not only the tunes, but even the versification completely differ from each other.
SWEET WILLIAM Now that you've had your whim of me,
Please, Sir, tell me your name,
So when my baby it is born,
I may call it the same.
I may call it the same.
O some do call me happy Jack,
Some do call me Jim;
But when I get to the king's high court
They call me Sweet William.
They call me Sweet William.
She ran till she came to the king's high court,
And loudly she rang the bell;
And who should come but the king himself
To let this fair maid in.
To let this fair maid in.
What has he stolen, my pretty maid?
Your money or your pall?
No, but he's stolen away my maidenhood,
And that is the worst of all.
And that is the worst of all.
Oh, if he be a married man,
Hanged he shall be.
But if he be a single man,
His life it shall go free.
His life it shall go free.
CHILD #110
Collected by Desmond and Shelagh Herring at Rattlesden, Suffolk 1958-59 from the singing of Emily Sparkes.
MIDI file: SWTWILL.MID Timebase: 96 TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Key: D
Tempo: 120 (500000 microsec/crotchet)
Tempo: 154 (387596 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 76 064 0096 0 76 000 0000 1 77 064 0096 0 77 000 0000 1 79 064 0096 0 79 000 0000 1 81 064 0096 0 81 000 0000 1 81 064 0096 0 81 000 0000 1 79 064 0096 0 79 000 0000 1 79 064 0096 0 79 000 0000 1 76 064 0144 0 76 000 0000 1 76 064 0048 0 76 000 0000 1 77 064 0096 0 77 000 0000 1 79 064 0096 0 79 000 0000 1 81 064 0096 0 81 000 0000 1 81 064 0096 0 81 000 0000 1 74 064 0192 0 74 000 0096 1 76 064 0096 0 76 000 0000 1 79 064 0096 0 79 000 0000 1 79 064 0096 0 79 000 0000 1 81 064 0096 0 81 000 0000 1 81 064 0096 0 81 000 0000 1 79 064 0096 0 79 000 0000 1 79 064 0096 0 79 000 0000 1 76 064 0144 0 76 000 0000 1 76 064 0048 0 76 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 72 064 0096 0 72 000 0000 1 76 064 0096 0 76 000 0000 1 74 064 0144 0 74 000 0000 1 74 064 0048 0 74 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 72 064 0096 0 72 000 0000 1 74 064 0288 0 74 000
End This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X: 18
T:Sweet William (1)
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=120
S:Emily Sparkes
A:Suffolk
N:Recorded at Rattlesden 1958/59
D:Many a Good Horseman VTVS01/0
K:DDor
e|fgaa|gge>e|fgaa|d2z
e|ggaa|gge>e|dddA|(ced>)d|dABc|d3||
SWEET WILLIAM I saw a damsel in distress
Oh and up to me she came,
Saying "Since you're having your will of me
Pray tell to me your name."
"For 'tis some they call me Jack, sweet maid,
And some they call me John;
But when I'm come to the king's highway
They call me Sweet William, oh,
And they call me Sweet William.
But when I'm come to the king's highway
They call me Sweet William.
Then she turned her head and away she went,
Oh as hard as she could run.
She ran till she came to the water's edge,
She pitched on her breast and swam, oh
She pitched on her breast and swam.
She swam till she came to the dry land again,
She took to her heels and ran, oh.
She took to her heels and ran.
She ran till she came to the water's edge,
She pitched on her breast and swam.
She ran right to her master's house,
Her captain for to see,
"Say I've called for one of your valiant men
That has been robbing me."
"Has he robbed you of five hundred pound?
Has he robbed you of your hall?"
"No, he's robbed me of my maidenhead,
And that is the worst of it all, oh.
And that is the worst of it all."
Then he call-ed down his valiant men,
By one, by two, then three;
And the very first man that he called down,
The very same man was he.
Then he paid her down five hundred pounds,
And putting it into her purse,
Saying "When the child that is born you see,
We'll put it out to nurse, oh
We'll put it out to nurse.
And when the child that is born you see,
We'll put it out to nurse."
CHILD #110
Collected by Desmond and Shelagh Herring at the Gardeners Arms, Tostock, Suffolk 1960. from the singing of Charlie Carver. The tune fits verses 1 and 4, but must be adapted to fit the irregular structure of verses 2 and 3, which are given here as sung by Mr Carver.
MIDI file: SWTWILL2.MID Timebase: 96 TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Key: C
Tempo: 120 (500000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 60 064 0096 0 60 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 65 064 0096 0 65 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 64 064 0048 0 64 000 0000 1 64 064 0048 0 64 000 0000 1 65 064 0096 0 65 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0048 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 62 064 0192 0 62 000 0096 1 60 064 0048 0 60 000 0000 1 62 064 0048 0 62 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0048 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 72 064 0096 0 72 000 0000 1 64 064 0144 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0048 0 67 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 62 064 0096 0 62 000 0000 1 60 064 0096 0 60 000 0096 1 67 064 0144 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0048 0 64 000 0000 1 65 064 0096 0 65 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 65 064 0096 0 65 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0144 0 64 000 0000 1 65 064 0048 0 65 000 0000 1 65 064 0096 0 65 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0048 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 62 064 0192 0 62 000 0096 1 60 064 0096 0 60 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0048 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 72 064 0096 0 72 000 0000 1 64 064 0144 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0048 0 67 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 62 064 0096 0 62 000 0000 1 60 064 0192 0 60 000 0000 1 67 064 0144 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0048 0 64 000 0000 1 65 064 0096 0 65 000 0000 1 62 064 0096 0 62 000 0000 1 60 064 0096 0 60 000 0000 1 64 064 0048 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0048 0 67 000 0000 1 67 064 0192 0 67 000 0096 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 65 064 0096 0 65 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0048 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 72 064 0096 0 72 000 0000 1 64 064 0144 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0048 0 67 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 62 064 0096 0 62 000 0000 1 60 064 0192 0 60 000
End This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X: 19
T:Sweet William (2)
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:120
S:Charlie Carver
A:Suffolk
N:Recorded at Tostock Gardener's Arms 1960
D:Many a Good Horseman VTVS01/0
K:C
C|
EGA A |FGE E/E/|FGA(B/A/)|D2zC/D/|
EGA B/A/ |GcE>G |GEGD |C2G>E |
FGA A |FGE>F |FGA(B/A/)|D2zC |
EGA B/A/ |GcE>G |GEGD |C2G>E |
FDC(E/G/)|G2z E |
FGA B/A/ |GcE>G |GEGD |C3||
Wassail! V
|
sj