Collected by Rev. Philip Parsons from a female parishioner, Wye
Sent to Thomas Percy 7th April 1770
From the Percy Papers (Percy MS – 129.A) via the Bluegrass Messengers website, http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/fair-margaret–child-74c-.aspx
Roud 253, Child 74
The first two verses were omitted in Parson’s original, but are reproduced from Percy’s Reliques of ancient English poetry, Volume 3. Rev Parsons Parsons wrote:
The Ballad of Sweet William was the same as Yours in the Stanzas I have omitted. In the 8th Stanza and 35th Line Yours runs:
To dream thy Bower was full of ‘red’ Swine, which last words are marked as of uncertain reading. I think I have restored the Original Reading. The Person from whose mouth I took it Sung it thus:
My Chamber was full of wild men’s wine, which is absolute nonsense, but if altered to wild men and Swine, is perfect sense and naturally Expresses a horrid and hurrying Dream.
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