Origins of "William Taylor"

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I have been wondering about one old folk-song. I heard it ifrom a interesting "source" (well it was Assassin's Greed 4 Black Flag but the song is real) and I found out using web sources that it is a real old Irish song. I have no real reason to know but I am curious.

Here is said

"This was a popular street song in the first half of the 18th century. The last verse may have been added later. There are several versions, including bawdy ones. For one alternate, but similar version, see Billy Taylor."

One version of the lyrics (Youtube has some version too):

William Taylor was a brisk young sailor,

He who courted a lady fair;

Bells were ringing, sailors singing,

As to church they did repair.

Thirty couple at the wedding;

All were dress'd in rich array;

'Stead of William being married,

He was press'd and sent away.

She dress'd up in man's apparel,

Man's apparel she put on;

And she follow'd her true lover;

For to find him she is gone.

Then the Captain stepp'd up to her,

Asking her: What's brought you here?

I am come to seek my true love,

Whom I lately loved so dear.

If you've come to see your true love,

Tell me what his name may be.

O, his name is William Taylor,

From the Irish ranks came he.

You rise early tomorrow morning,

You rise at the break of day;

There you'll see your true love William

Walking with a lady gay.

She rose early the very next morning,

She rose up at the break of day;

There she saw her true love William;

Walking with a lady gay.

Sword and pistol she then order'd

To be brought at her command;

And she shot her true love William,

With the bride on his right arm.

If young folks in Wells or London

Were served the same as she served he,

Then young girls would all be undone,

Very scarce young men would be!

Some versions also include verse (before the captain verse):

On the ship there was a battle

She amongst the rest did fight
The wind blew off her silver buttons
Breasts were bared all snowy white

What I see interesting is that, while the ballad is about love, Impressment and murder, it has some links to the popular tales of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. I am just wondering if the William Taylor song, is inspired by the famous pirate ladies. At least accordingly to the page I linked it might be early 18th century song. Perhaps it was written just after Bonny and Read were convicted.

(the pictures here, except the first, are later than 18th century)

She dress'd up in man's apparel,

Man's apparel she put on;

She amongst the rest did fight

Breasts were bared all snowy white

Edited December 8, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Elena]

Yes, and there are other ballads about girls dressed as sailor boys too. Simply because they had happened.

One had happened on the Thames river and they knew it was a girl when she fell dead from the rigging. As William was a very often given name that time, I think she was known as William too. Only that I don't remember right now the title of that ballad so I can find it... Maybe somebody else remembers what I am telling about....

Other similar ballad is "Caroline and her sailor bold"

There lived a rich Nobleman's daughter
Caroline is her name we are been told
One day from her drawing room window
She admired a young sailor bold

She cried - I'm a Nobleman's daughter
My income's five thousand in gold
I forsake both my father and mother
And I'll marry young sailor bold

Says William- Fair lady remember
Your parents you are bound to mind
In sailors there is no dependence
For they leave their true lovers behind

And she says - There's no one could prevent me
One moment to alter my mind
In the ships I'll be off with my true love
He never will leave me behind

Three years and a half on the ocean
And she always proved loyal and true
Her duty she did like a sailor
Dressed up in her jacket of blue

When at last they arrived back in England
Straightway to her father she went
Oh father dear father forgive me
Deprive me forever of gold

Just grant me one favor I ask you
To marry a young sailor bold
Her father looked upon young William
And love and in sweet unity
If I be spared till tomorrow
It's married this couple shall be.

Well, there is another Irish one which tells a slightly different story - about a "son of a gun" - "The handsome cabin boy":

It's of a pretty female
As you may understand.
Her mind being bent for rambling
Unto some foreign land,
She dressed herself in sailor's clothes,
Or so it does appear,
And she hired with a captain
To serve him for a year.

[The captain's wife she being on board,
She seemed in great joy
To think the captain had engaged
Such a handsome cabin boy,
That now and then she'd slip him a kiss,
And she'd have liked to toy,
But 'twas the captain found out the secret
Of the handsome cabin boy.]

Her cheeks they were like roses
And her hair rolled in a curl.
The sailors often smiled and said
He looked just like a girl.
But eating of the captain's biscuit
Her colour did destroy,
And the waist did swell of pretty Nell,
The handsome cabin boy.

It was in the bay of Biscay
Our gallant ship did plow.
One night among the sailors
Was a fearful flurry and row.*
They tumbled from their hammocks
For their sleep it did destroy,
And they sworn about the groaning
Of the handsome cabin boy.

"Oh doctor, dear, oh doctor,"
The cabin boy did cry.
"My time has come, I am undone,
And I will surely die."
The doctor come a-runnin'
And a-smilin' at the fun.
To think a sailor lad should have
A daughter or a son.

The sailors when they saw the joke
They all did stand and stare.
The child belonged to none of them,
They solemnly did swear.
The captain's wife, she says to him,
"My dear, I wish you joy,
For 'tis either you or me's betrayed
The handsome cabin boy!"

[Now sailors, take your tot of rum
And drink success to trade,
And likewise to the cabin boy
That was neither man nor maid.
Here's hoping the wars don't rise again
Our sailors to destroy,
And here's hoping for a jolly lot more
Like the handsome cabin boy!

More? "The female smuggler":

O come list a while, and you shall hear,
By the rolling sea lived a maiden fair.
Her father had followed the smuggling trade,
Like a war-like hero.
Like a warlike hero that never was afraid.

Now, in sailor's clothing young Jane did go,
Dressed like a sailor from top to toe
Her aged father was the only care
O this female smuggler.
Of this female smuggler who never did despair.

With her pistols loaded she went aboard.
And by her side hung a glittering sword,
In her belt two daggers; well armed for war
Was this female smuggler,
Was this female smuggler, who never feared a scar.

Now they had not sail-ed far from the land,
When a strange sail brought them to a stand.
'These are sea robbers,' this maid did cry,
'But the female smuggler,
But the female smuggler will conquer or will die.

Alongside, then, this strange vessel came.
Cheer up,' cried Jane, 'we will board the same;
We'll run all chances to rise or fall,'
Cried this female smuggler,
Cried this female smuggler, who never feared a ball.

Now they killed those pirates and took their store,
And soon returned to old Eng-a-land's shore.
With a keg of brandy she walked along,
Did this female smuggler,
Did this female smuggler, and sweetly sang a song.

Now they were followed by the blockade,
Who in irons strong did put this fair maid.
But when they brought her for to be ter-ied,
This young female smuggler,
This young female smuggler stood dress-ed like a bride.

Their commodore against her appeared,
And for her life she did greatly fear.
When he did find to his great surprise
'Twas a female smuggler,
'Twas a female smuggler had fought him in disguise.

He to the judge and the jury said,
'I cannot prosecute this maid,
Pardon for her on my knees I crave,
For this female smuggler,
For this female smuggler so valiant and so brave.'

Then this commodore to her father went,
To gain her hand he asked his consent.
His consent he gained, so the commodore
And the female smuggler,
And the female smuggler are one for evermore.

"The brisk young lively lad"

It's of a brisk young lively lad
Came out of Gloucestershire,
And all his full intention was
To court a lady fair.
Her eyes they shone like morning dew,
Her hair was fair to see;
She was grace,
In form and face,
And was fixed in modesty.

This couple was a-walking,
They loved each other well;
And someone heard them talking
And did her father tell,
And when her father came to know
And understand this thing,
Then said he
'From one like thee
I'll free my daughter in the spring!'

'Twas in the spring-time of the year
There was a press begun;
And all their full intention was
To press a farmer's son.
They pressed him, and sent him out
Far o'er the raging sea,
'where I'm sure
He will no more
Keep my daughter company!

In man's apparel then she did
Resolve to try her fate;
And in the good ship where he rid
She went as surgeon's mate.
Says she 'My soldier shall not be
Destroyed for want of care;
I will dress,
And I will bless,
Whatsoever I endure!

The twenty-first of August
There was a fight begun,
And foremost in the battle
They placed the farmer's son.
He there received a dreadful wound
That struck him in the thigh,
Every vein
Was filled with pain,
He got wounded dreadfully.

Into the surgeon's cabin
They did convey him straight,
Where, first of all the wounded men,
The pretty surgeon's mate
Most tenderly did dress his wound,
Which bitterly did smart;
Then said he
'Oh! one like thee
Once was mistress of my heart!

She went to the commander
And offered very fair:
'Forty or fifty guineas
Shall buy my love quite clear!
No money shall be wanted,
No longer tarry here!'
'Since 'tis so
Come, let's go!
To old England we will steer!'

She went unto her father's gate
And stood there for a while;
Said he 'The heavens bless you!
My own and lovely child!;'
Cried she 'Since I have found him,
And brought him safe to shore,
Our days we'll spend
In old England,
Never roam abroad no more!'

[Elena]

This is the Thames girl song that I mentioned above:

http://www.aboutnelson.co.uk/30janetars.htm

[Fox]

I've always liked the shorter version of William Taylor:

William was a dozy bastard,

With not a brain-cell in his head,

Left his true love for another,

She came back and shot him dead.

[William Brand]

It fits on a bumper sticker.

[Fox]

Sometimes I mourn the lack of a Facebook style "like" button on this forum

[William Brand]

We're forced to be more outwardly social than the social networks. If it's harder to do, it's more period correct.

[Fox]

I refer you to my previous comment