Sweet William rode up to the old man's gate
And boldly he did say
"Oh the youngest daughter she my stay at home,
But the oldest I'll take away"

"Come in,come in all seven of my sons
And guard your sister round
For it never shall be said the steward's son
Has taken my daughter out of town"

"I thank you sir,and it's very kind
But I'm none of the steward's son
My father was a reginer's king
My mother's a Quaker's queen"

So he got on his snow-white steed
And she on the dapple gray
He swung his bugle horn around his neck
And they went riding away

They hadn't gone more than a mile out of town
'Til she looked back again
And she saw her father and all seven of her brothers
Come tripling over the plain

"Light down'light down"Sweet William said he
And hold my steed by the reigns
"I'll fight your father and all seven of your brothers
Come tripling over the plain"

"Slack your hand,slack your hand!"Sweet William said she
"Your wounds are very sore
The blood runs free from every vein
Oh father I can have no more"

So he got on his snow-white steed
And she on the dapple gray
He Swung his bugle horn around his neck
And they went bleeding away

They rode all night to his mother's gate
And tingling on the ring
"Oh mother,mother asleep or awake
Arise and let me in"

"Bind my head,bind my head!"Sweet William said he
My wounds are very sore
The blood runs free from every vein
For me you will bind no more"

About two hours,before it was day
As the foweles began to crow
Sweet William died from the wounds he received
Fair Ellen died from sorrow