Recordings & Info 100. Willie O Winsbury
CONTENTS:
1) Alternative Titles
2) Traditional Ballad Index (Two entries)
3) Folk Index
4) Child Collection Index
5) Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
6) Wiki
7) Mainly Norfolk (lyrics and info)
ATTACHED PAGES: (see left hand column)
1) Roud No. 64: Willie O Winsbury (107 Listings)
Alternative Titles
The Seven Sailor Boys
The Rich Shipowner's Daughter
The Prood King of France
What Aileth Thee?
Johnny Barbour
Tom the Barber
Traditional Ballad Index: Willie o Winsbury [Child 100]
DESCRIPTION: The king has been a prisoner; he returns to find his daughter looking ill. She proves to be pregnant; her lover was (Willie o Winsbury). The king orders Winsbury hanged, but upon seeing him, understands his daughter's action and allows the two to wed
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1776 (Percy MS.)
KEYWORDS: pregnancy punishment pardon royalty
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber,Bord),England(West,South)) US(Ap,NE) Canada(Newf) Ireland
REFERENCES (20 citations):
Child 100, "Willie o Winsbury" (9 texts, 1 tune) {Bronson's #22}
Bronson 100, "Willie o Winsbury" (22 versions+1 in addenda, of which #2 is a Manx fragment which may not be related)
GreigDuncan5 999, "Lord Thomas of Winchbury" (10 texts [including one fragment on pp. 610-611; see NOTES], 7 tunes)
Lyle-Crawfurd1 11, "The King's Dochter Jean" (1 text)
BarryEckstormSmyth pp. 224-225, "Willie o Winsbury" (notes only, claiming a verse in one of their versions of "Johnny Scot" is actually a "Willie" fragment)
Flanders/Olney, pp. 233-235, "Johnny Barbour" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #21}
Flanders-Ancient3, pp. 57-66, "Willie o Winsbury" (3 texts plus a fragment, 3 tunes) {A=Bronson's #21, B=#20}
Greenleaf/Mansfield 13, "Young Barbour" (3 texts, 3 tunes) {Bronson's #16, #13, #12}
Peacock, pp. 534-536, "John Barbour" (1 text, 2 tunes)
Karpeles-Newfoundland 14, "Willie o' Winsbury" (2 texts, 4 tunes) {Bronson's #17}
Leach, pp. 308-309, "Willie o Winsbury" (1 text)
Leach-Labrador 7, "Willie O Winsbury" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Lehr/Best 62, "John Barbour" (1 text, 1 tune)
PBB 45, "Willie o Winsbury" (1 text)
Sharp-100E 15, "Lord Thomas of Winesberry" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #11}
Reeves-Sharp 59, "Lord Thomas of Winesberry" (1 text)
Combs/Wilgus 29, pp. 123-124, "Willie o Winsbury" (1 text)
Darling-NAS, pp. 71-73, "Willie O Winsbury" (1 text)
SHenry H221, pp. 490-491, "The Rich Ship Owner's Daughter" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT WILLIWIN* WILLIWI2* WILLIWI3*
Roud #64
RECORDINGS:
Everett Bennett, "John Barbour" (on PeacockCDROM) [one verse only]
Anita Best and Pamela Morgan, "Johnny Barbour" (on NFABestPMorgan01)
Robert Cinnamond, "There Was a Lady Lived in the West" (on Voice17); "John Barlow" (on IRRCinnamond03)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Lady Diamond" [Child 269] (plot)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Seven Sailor Boys
The Rich Shipowner's Daughter
The Prood King of France
What Aileth Thee?
NOTES: Only one king of England since the Norman Conquest has been taken captive by a foreign power: Richard I ("the Lion-Hearted"; "Richard Yes-and-No") was imprisoned by the Duke of Austria. All told, Richard spent only six months of his ten year reign (1189-1199) in England. Unfortunately for the truth of this song, Richard (who may have been homosexual) had no children (at least, none that were legitimate; there was supposedly an illegitimate son. But he was a boy anyway). Few other English kings have been absent from England long enough for the events here to take place.
If we transfer the story to Scotland, we find that David Bruce (reigned 1329-1370) spent much of his life in English captivity, but again had no children. The earlier William the Lion (reigned 1165-1214) also spent time in English hands, and *did* have children (including two daughters, Margaret and Isabella) -- but also had no feelings, and would never have been guilty of such a crime as forgiving someone.
This leaves king John of France (reigned 1350-1364), who was taken prisoner by the Black Prince at Poitiers (1355), as the closest thing we have to an equivalent to the king in this ballad.
In some versions of the song, the hero Willie is himself a king in disguise; there is no evidence of this ever having happened in truth, though it is common in folktale (associated especially with James V of Scotland) - RBW
A fragment, Bodleian, 2806 c.11(90), "Lord Thomas of Winsborough" ("It happen'd on a time when the proud king of France"), unknown, n.d. may be this ballad but I could not download it to verify that.
GreigDuncan5 text count includes one fragment on pp. 610-611 corrected by 999J. - BS
Folk Index: Willy of/o' Winsbury [Ch 100]
At - Willie O Winsbury
Blood, Peter; and Annie Patterson (eds.) / Rise Up Singing, Sing Out, Sof (1992/1989), p 15
Leach, MacEdward / The Ballad Book, Harper & Row, Bk (1955), p308 (Willie O Winsbury)
Leach, MacEdward / The Heritage Book of Ballads, Heritage, Bk (1967), p 55 (Willie O Winsbury)
Barnett, John. Reeves, James (ed.) / Idiom of the People, Norton, Sof (1958), p149/# 59 [1906] (Lord Thomas of Winesberrie)
Briggs, Anne. Collection, Topic TSCD 504, CD (1999), trk# 15 [1971]
Grubstake. Grubstake, Biscuit City BC 1310, LP (1977), trk# B.05
Haslam, Cliff. Clockwinder, Folk Legacy FSB 093, LP (1983), trk# 13
Miller, Ed. Border Background, Folk Legacy FSS 115, LP (1987), trk# A.02 (Thomas of Winesbury)
Rose, Tony. Poor Fellows, Dingle DIN 324, LP (1982), trk# B.04 (Tom the Barber)
Sweeney's Men. Sweeney's Men, Transatlantic ESM CD 435, CD (1996), trk# 9 [1968]
Child Collection Index- Child Ballad 100: Willie o Winesberry
Child --Artist --Title --Album --Year --Length --Have
100 Agnes Shepard Torp Johnny Barbour The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
100 Andy Irvine Willy of Winsbury Abocurragh 2010 6:24 Yes
100 Anita Best & Pamela Morgan John Barbour (Willy O' Winsbury) The Colour of Amber 1991 5:30 Yes
100 Anne Briggs Willie O' Winsbury Anne Briggs 1971 5:31 Yes
100 Anne Briggs Willie O' Winsbury A Collection 1990 5:33 Yes
100 Anne Briggs Willie O' Winsbury Classic Anne Briggs - The Complete Topic Recordings 1995 5:28 Yes
100 Anne Briggs Willie O' Winsbury The Legend of Sweeney's Men - Anthology 2004 No
100 Anne Briggs Willie O' Winsbury English & Scottish Folk Ballads [1996] 1996 5:32 Yes
100 Anne Byrne Willy O' Winsbury Come By the Hills 1974 5:28 Yes
100 Barbara Dickson Lord Thomas of Winesberry and the King's Daughter From the Beggar's Mantle .. Fringed with Gold 1971 5:55 Yes
100 Barbara Dickson Lord Thomas of Winesberry and the King's Daughter Do Right Woman + From the Beggar's Mantle .. 2006
Yes
100 Bell Duncan Thomas O Winsbury The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
100 Bell Duncan Willie O Winsbury (1) The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
100 Bell Duncan Willie O Winsbury (2) The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
100 Bernard Hoskin Willy O' Winsbury Days Yet to Come 2000 5:17 Yes
100 Brian Dewhurst Thomas of Winesbury Bits and Pieces of Brian Dewhurst 1974 No
100 Brian Peters John Barbour Fools of Fortune 1990 4:59 Yes
100 Charlotte Greig Willie O' Winsbury At Llangennith 2001 No
100 Cliff Haslam Willie of Winsbury The Clockwinder 1983 No
100 Connie Dover Willie of Winsbury The Wishing Well 1994 8:26 Yes
100 Daniel Brummel Willy O' Winsbury Live at Sin-e, NYC 2004 4:02 Yes
100 Dave Burland Willie O' Winsbury You Can't Fool the Fat Man 1979 6:11 Yes
100 David Edwards Willie O Winesbury The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
100 David Kilpatrick Willie O' Winsbury O'er the Castle Wall 2001 5:59 Yes
100 Dick Gaughan Willie O' Winsbury Gaughan 1978 8:39 Yes
100 Dick Gaughan Willie O' Winsbury Prentice Piece 2002 8:40 Yes
100 Dick Miles Willie of the Winsbury <website> 2007- 4:10 Yes
100 Dick Miles Willy of the Wlnsbury Windy Old Weather 2010 No
100 Dick Moffat (Spaceword) Willy O' Winsbury (1) <website> 2007 5:56 Yes
100 Dick Moffat (Spaceword) Willy O' Winsbury (2) <website> 2007 8:37 Yes
100 Dominic Fox William of Winesbury <website> 2004 3:56 Yes
100 Donal Hinely Willie of Winsbury Ghost Fiddle Suite 2000 3:38 Yes
100 Doug Berch Willie O Winsbury The Sadness of Common Objects - Hammered Dulcimer Instrumentals 2008 No
100 Ed Gerhard Willy O' Winsbury Counting the Ways - A Collection of Love Songs 1997 4:49 Yes
100 Ed Miller Thomas of Winesbury Border Background - Songs of Scotland, Old and New 1989 3:52 Yes
100 Emily Groff Willy O' Winsbury Song and the Single Girl 2002 No
100 Ewan MacColl Lord Thomas of Winnesberrie [Scots] The Long Harvest, Vol. 7 - Some Traditional Ballads in Their English, Scots and North American Variants 1967 4:05 Yes
100 Finecrystal Willy O Winsbury + Random Improvisation <website> 2007 5:13 Yes
100 Frankie Armstrong Thomas of Welshbury The Garden of Love 1999 3:46 Yes
100 Frankie Armstrong Thomas of Welshbury Women Folk 2005 3:45 Yes
100 Garibelon Willy O' Winsbury <website> 2007 5:15 Yes
100 George Elliott Willie O' Winsbury Music for Girls 2001 4:50 Yes
100 Gordon Bok The Arbutus Return to the Land 1990 4:51 Yes
100 Great Big Sea John Barbour Something Beautiful 2004 4:52 Yes
100 Greg Joy Willy O' Winsbury Celtic Enchantment 2000 4:23 Yes
100 Hannah James & Sam Sweeney There Was a Lady Lived in the West State and Ancientry 2012 4:29 Yes
100 Horden Raikes Thomas of Winesbury Horden Raikes 1971 5:08 Yes
100 Jack Foster Willie O' Winsbury An Hour Before the Dawn 2012 No
100 Jacqui McShee & John Renbourn Willie O' Winsbury Derroll Adams 65th Birthday Concert 1991 5:10 Yes
100 Jeanie Stahl Willy O' Winsbury Mysteries 1995 6:01 Yes
100 Joe McCafferty John Barbour Ceolta Agus Seanchas Thír Chonaill - Stories and Songs from Donegal 1984 No
100 Joe McCafferty John Barbour (Willie O' Wynsbury) Folk Ballads from Donegal and Derry - Collected by Hugh Shields 1975
No
100 Joel Frederiksen & Ensemble Phoenix Munich Willie O' Winsbury The Elfin Knight - Ballads and Dances 2007 5:44 Yes
100 John Goodluck Willie O Winsbury The Suffolk Miracle 1974 No
100 John McCormick Willy O' Winsbury Western Island 1985 No
100 John Renbourn Willy O' Winsbury Will the Circle Be Unbroken? - The Collection 1995 5:39 Yes
100 John Renbourn Willy O' Winsbury Faro Annie 1971 5:15 Yes
100 John Renbourn Willy O' Winsbury The Transatlantic Anthology 2002 5:39 No
100 John Renbourn Willy of Winsbury So Clear 1997 5:39 Yes
100 John Renbourn Willy of Winsbury Live in Unterseen, Switzerland 1991 1991 5:40 Yes
100 Jon Langford & The Pine Valley Cosmonauts Willie O' Winsbury The Executioner's Last Songs, Vol. 2 & 3 2003 5:11 Yes
100 Joseph McCafferty John Barbour The Ulster Folk & Transport Museum Collection No
100 Kate Rusby John Barbury Awkward Annie 2007 5:39 Yes
100 Kevin Connef John Barber The Week Before Easter 1993 5:51 Yes
100 Laurel Swift Willie of Winsbury Beam 2005 4:53 Yes
100 Laurie Riley & Bob McNally & Friends Willie of Winsbury The Flowers of Edinburgh 1985 2:35 Yes
100 Lee Knight Johnny Barbour Adirondack Ballads and Folk Songs - from Lumberwoods, Iron Mines and Communities 2005 4:10 Yes
100 Lily Delorme Johnny Barbour The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
100 Magnet Procession The Wicker Man - The Original Soundtrack Album 2002 2:17 Yes
100 Martha Tilston Willy of Winsbury Live at the Big Green Gathering 2007 2007 7:11 Yes
100 Mary Humphreys & Anahata Willie of Winsbury Through the Groves 2002 4:48 Yes
100 Mary Smith Willy O' Winsbury Two Strings on Every Bow .. - Exploring the Celtic Ballad Tradition 2001 7:26 Yes
100 May Louise Harvey Fair Mary The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
100 Meg Baird Willie O'Winsbury Dear Companion 2007 6:11 Yes
100 Meg Baird, Helena Espvall & Sharron Kraus Willie of Winsbury Leaves from Off the Tree 2006 9:18 Yes
100 Moira Cameron Willie of Winsbury Lilies Among the Bushes 1997 No
100 Mr McFall's Chamber Thomas O' Winesbury Like the Milk 1999 No
100 Mrs M. Hastie Thomas O Winsbury (1) The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
100 Mrs M. Hastie Thomas O Winsbury (2) The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
100 Mrs. Mary McGrath Johnny Barden Songs of the Irish Travellers - Traditional Ballads & Lyric Songs Recorded & Edited By Tom Munnelly 1983 No
100 Nathan Rogers Willie O'Winsbury The Gauntlet 2009 5:24 Yes
100 Nello (Criltunieddu) Willy O' Winsbury <website> 2007 4:02 Yes
100 Nic Jones William of Winesbury Unearthed 2001 4:08 Yes
100 Nick Dow The Rich Shipowner's Daughter A Mark Upon the Earth 1986 3:47 Yes
100 Peggy Seeger John Barber [American] The Long Harvest, Vol. 7 - Some Traditional Ballads in Their English, Scots and North American Variants 1967 4:22 Yes
100 Pentangle Willie O' Winsbury Anniversary 1992 5:26 Yes
100 Pentangle Willy of Winsbury One More Road 1993 7:54 Yes
100 Pentangle Willy of Winsbury One More Road & Live 1994 2007 7:58 Yes
100 Pentangle Willy O'Winsbury Captured Live 1973 5:19 Yes
100 Pentangle Willy O'Winsbury The Time Has Come - 1967-1973 2007 5:39 Yes
100 Peter Christie Jake the Jolly Bambazine The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
100 Phil Edwards John from the Isle of Man 52 Folk Songs - Blue 2012 3:32 Yes
100 Phil Edwards Tom the Barber 52 Folk Songs - Blue 2012 2:59 Yes
100 Planxty & Luka Bloom Willy O'Winsbury Live at the Point Theatre, Dublin 2004 7:37 Yes
100 Raymond Crooke Willy O' Winsbury <website> 2007- 4:20 Yes
100 Rebecca Fox Willie O' Winsbury The Signs and the Tokens 2007 5:34 Yes
100 Richard Thompson Willie O' Winsbury Rarities Vol 5 5:08 Yes
100 Richard Thompson Willie O' Winsbury Big City Classics - Live at The Bottom Line, NYC 1992 5:02 Yes
100 Richard Thompson Willy O' Winsbury RT - The Life and Music of Richard Thompson 2006 4:58 Yes
100 Richard Thompson Willy O' Winsbury Live at Ella Guru's, Knoxville, TN - Early Show, February 26, 1990 1990 6:17 Yes
100 Richard Thompson Willy O' Winsbury Live at Veteran's Memorial Hall, Staten Island, NY - Late Show, June 30, 1990 1990 5:48 Yes
100 Robert Cinnamond John Barlow The Rambling Boy - Cinnamond 3 1975 No
100 Robert Cinnamond John Barlow (Willie O' Winsbury) The Baffled Knight - The Classic Ballads 2 1976 No
100 Robert Cinnamond John from the Isle of Man BBC Recordings No
100 Robert Cinnamond The Rich Shipowner's Daughter You Rambling Boys of Pleasure 1975 No
100 Robert Cinnamond There Was a Lady Lived in the West The Voice of the People, Vol. 17: It Fell on a Day, a Bonny Summer Day - Ballads 1998 5:18 Yes
100 Rosaleen Gregory Willie O' Winsbury Serpent's Knee 2012 No
100 Roxanne & Dan Keding Willie O' Winsbury From Far & Near 1980 6:29 Yes
100 Sara Grey Johnny Barden Sara 1994 4:03 Yes
100 Staverton Bridge Tom Barbary Voices in Harmony - English Traditional Songs 2001 No
100 Staverton Bridge Tom Barbary Staverton Bridge - Ballads, Broadsides, Rural and Industrial Songs, Traditional and Contemporary 1975 4:24 Yes
100 Stephanie Hladowski Willy O' Winsbury The High, High Nest 2008 5:57 Yes
100 Steve Smith Willie O' Winsbury <website> 2004 :55 Yes
100 Steve Turner Lord Thomas of Winesbury Eclogue 1984 5:20 Yes
100 Sweeney's Men Willy O' Winsbury The Legend of Sweeney's Men - Anthology 2004 No
100 Sweeney's Men Willy O' Winsbury Sweeney's Men + The Tracks of Sweeney 2002 5:00 Yes
100 Sweeney's Men Willy O' Winsbury Folk Roots - a Classic Anthology of Song 2005 No
100 Sweeney's Men Willy O' Winsbury Irish Folk Favourites 2001 5:00 Yes
100 Sweeney's Men Willy O' Winsbury Time Was Never Here 1968-69 1992 4:56 Yes
100 The Big Huge Willie of Winsbury Crown Your Head with Flowers, Crown Your Heart with Joy 2004 6:18 Yes
100 The Owl Service Willie O' Winsbury The View from a Hill 2010 5:52 Yes
100 The Owl Service Willie O 'Winsbury (reprise) The View from a Hill 2010 1:45 Yes
100 The Pentangle Willy O' Winsbury Solomon's Seal 1972 5:55 Yes
100 The Telham Tinkers Willie of Winsbury Hot in Alice Springs 1981 No
100 Tim Graham Sir Thomas of Winesbury Absent Minded Traveller 2012 No
100 Tony Capstick & Hedgehog Pie Sir Thomas of Winesberry His Round 1972 4:48 Yes
100 Tony Rose Tom the Barber Poor Fellows 1982 4:43 Yes
100 Tony Rose Tom the Barber Bare Bones 1999 4:42 Yes
Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America
by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
100. WILLIE O WINSBURY
Texts: Barry, Brit Bids Me, 224 / BFSSNE, IX, 6 / Combs, F-S Etats-Unis, 140 / Greenleaf and Mansfield, Bids Sea Sgs Newfdld, 28.
Local Titles: John Barbour, Young Barbour.
Story Types: A: A girl is observed to be ailing by her father, the King. He suspects correctly that she is with child, although she denies it at first. The king wishes to know the man's rank, and, upon learning the lover is one of his Spanish servingmen or one of his seven sea boys, he orders the lad to be hung. The girl pleads for her lover. The lover, when brought before the King,
so impresses the latter with his physical beauty that he is forgiven and offered gold, land and the girl's hand in marriage. He accepts the girl, but refuses the material wealth as he is rich himself.
Examples: Greenleaf and Mansfield (A, B).
Discussion: The ballad is extremely popular in Newfoundland, but rare in the United States. Barry, Brit Bids Me, 221 found a fragment in his B version of Jobnie Scot (99), and there is an incomplete West Virginia text which ends with the girl pleading for her lover. The Vermont (BFSSNE) text is not complete either, and no reason is given for the King's change of heart. Also, the lover is "first down" (instead of being last, as usual).
The American versions follow the Child story. See Child, II, 398.
Willie o Winsbury: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Willie O Winsbury is Child Ballad #100, existing in several variants.[1] It is a traditional Scottish ballad that dates from at least 1775, and is known under a number of different names, including Lord Thomas of Winesberry.
Synopsis
A king is away for a long time. His daughter becomes pregnant by the hero, William or Thomas. The king threatens to hang him, but is struck by his beauty and offers him the heroine and gold. The hero accepts the lady but declares that he has both gold and lands enough of his own.
Commentary
This ballad closely parallels Child ballad 99, Johnie Scot.[2].
In one variants, the lands are specifically described: he will be king when he returns to Scotland. It may, in fact, be based on James V's courtship of and marriage to Madeleine de Valois of France; James came to see the woman he was betrothed to in disguise, and went on to meet the princess, who fell in love with him.[3]
Nowadays the song is often sung to the tune of Fause Foodrage, rather than its own traditional tune.
Recordings
This song was recorded by Sweeney's Men on their eponymous debut album in 1968. Andy Irvine performs the song. solo, accompanying himself on guitar. The tune is stated to be a wrong one chosen by mistake that happened to fit the words.
Barbara Dickson recorded this song as "Lord Thomas Of Winesberry And The King's Daughter" on her album "From The Beggar's Banquet ... Fringed With Gold", published 1970.
John Renbourn recorded this song on his album Faro Annie in 1971.
Anne Briggs recorded the song in 1971, accompanied by Johnny Moynihan, for her album Anne Briggs.
The song was recorded by Pentangle in 1972, on their album Solomon's Seal.
The Great Big Sea song John Barbour, on their Something Beautiful* CD, is based on this ballad.
The Song "Farewell Farewell" recorded by Fairport Convention on Liege and Lief is actually new lyrics (written by Richard Thompson) set to the Fause Foodrage tune now commonly used for Willie O Winsbury. A recording of Willie O Winsbury played and sung by Thompson was included in his compilation boxset RT.
Maps sampled the Sweeney's Men version on their song "To The Sky", from their album We Can Create
Meg Baird of Espers recorded the song for her 2007 album "Dear Companion."
This song was sung by Connie Dover and is found on her 1994 album The Wishing Well.
Dick Gaughan performs this song on his 2002 release of Prentice Piece and originally on his 1978 Release "Gaughan".
Nathan Rogers recorded this song on his 2009 release "The Gauntlet".
Nic Jones sings "William of Winsbury" on "Unearthed".
Tony Capstick sings "Sit Thomas of Winesberry" on "His Round" ("Stolen from Peter Wood").
Kate Rusby sings a variation of this song under the title "John Barbury," to the tune of Fause Foodrage, on her album Awkward Annie.
Pentangle has a version on both of the following albums: One More Road, released in 1993 and on Solomon's Seal, released in 2003 (recorded in 1972).
Andy Irvine sings his version again on the album Abocurragh, released in 2010.
The song is included on the 2010 album "The View From a Hill" by The Owl Service (band).
References
1.^ Francis James Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads, "Willie o Winesberry"
2.^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 2, p 377, Dover Publications, New York 1965
3.^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 2, p 398-9, Dover Publications, New York 1965
Mainly Norfolk: Willie o' Winsbury / Tom the Barber
[Roud 64; Child 100; Ballad Index C100; trad.]
Robert Cinnamond sang this ballad in a recording made by Diane Hamilton, probably in County Antrim and probably in 1961. It was included in 1975 with the title The Rich Shipowner's Daughter on his Topic LP You Rambling Boys of Pleasure and in 1998 as There Was a Lady Lived in the West on the Topic anthology It Fell on a Day, a Bonny Summer Day (The Voice of the People Series, Volume 17).
Sweeney's Men—Andy Irvine, Johnny Moynihan and Terry Woods—recorded Willie o' Winsbury in 1968 for their first LP, Sweeney's Men. Johnny Moynihan's then girlfriend Anne Briggs recorded this ballad too in 1971 for her first solo album, Anne Briggs. A.L. Lloyd commented in the sleeve notes:
English singers have called this Johnny Barbary or Tom the Barber, but from Somerset to Aberdeen its distinguishing feature is that the seduced girl's father—often, as here, the king—is so taken by the young man's looks that he forgives all. Cecil Sharp, publishing a West country version, suppresses this amiable but equivocal motif. Ah well. For those who care, this ballad is listed as Child 100. Johnny Moynihan adds his bouzouki to Anne's in the accompaniment.
As all recordings of Anne Brigg's album, this track was reissued on her Fellside and Topic compilation CDs, Classic Anne Briggs and A Collection. It was also included in the Topic compilation English and Scottish Folk Ballads and on the 2 CD anthology The Legend of Sweeney's Men.
Tony Rose recorded this ballad with the title Tom the Barber for his fourth album, Poor Fellows. As his albums weren't available any more, he re-recorded it in 1999 for his CD Bare Bones. He commented in the original album's sleeve notes:
For some 200 years, dating from the mid-17th century, the Barbary coast of North Africa—present day Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria—was notorious pirate territory. “Barber” seems to derive from “berber”, but whether this is the hero's nickname, disguise or genuine identity is uncertain. Other versions of Willie o' Winsbury have him “lately come from Spain.” In either case it must have seemed fairly exotic to Mr Gordge of Bridgwater from whom Cecil Sharp collected this fine tune.
Hannah James and Sam Sweeney sang There Was a Lady Lived in the West in 2012 on their second duo album, State and Ancientry. They noted in their liner notes:
Hannah learnt this song from a spectacular recording of Robert Cinnamond [see above] and only hopes that her delivery is half as enthralling as his. It's a tale of a princess who falls for John Barlow, an “unsuitable” sailor, but when the King meets him he decides he's a fine looking young man and lets them marry anyway.
And Richard Thompson used the tune of this song for his own song Farewell, Farewell.
Lyrics
Anne Briggs sings Willie o' Winsbury
The king had been a prisoner
And a prisoner long in Spain,
And Willie of the Winsbury
Has lain long with his daughter at hame.
“What ails ye, what ails ye, my daughter Janet,
Why you look so pale and wan?
Oh have you had any sore sickness
Or yet been sleeping with a man?”
“Cast off, cast off your berry-brown gown,
You stand naked upon the stane,
That I may ken ye by your shape
Whether you be a maiden or none.”
And she's cast off her berry-brown gown,
She stood naked upon the stone.
Her apron was low and her haunches were round,
Her face was pale and wan.
“Oh, was it with a lord or a duke or a knight
Or a man of birth and fame?
Or was it with one of me serving men
That's lately come out of Spain?”
“No, it wasn't with a lord, nor a duke, nor a knight,
Or a man of birth and fame.
But it was with Willie of Winsbury,
I could bide no longer alone.”
And the king he has called on his merry men all,
By thirty and by three,
Says, “Fetch me this Willie of Winsbury,
For hanged he shall be.”
But when he came the king before,
He was clad all in the red silk.
His hair was like the strands of gold,
His skin was as white as the milk.
“And it is no wonder,” said the king,
“That my daughter's love you did win.
If I was a woman, as I am a man,
My bedfellow you would have been.”
“And will you marry my daughter Janet
By the truth of your right hand?
Oh, will you marry my daughter Janet?
I'll make you the lord of my land.”
“Yes, I will marry your daughter Janet
By the truth of my right hand.
Yes I will marry your daughter Janet,
But I'll not be the lord of your land.”
And he's mounted her on a milk-white steed
And himself on a dapple grey.
He has made her the lady of as much land
As she'll ride in a long summer's day.
Tony Rose sings Tom the Barber
As I looked over the castle wall
To see what I could see,
There I saw my father's ship
Come a-sailing home to me.
“What's the matter, my daughter Jane,
That you look so pale and wan,
Have you had some sore sickness
In lying with some young man?”
“I have not had any sore sickness
Nor yet been sleeping wi' a man.
It is for you, my father dear,
For biding so long in Spain.”
“Oh, I've had no sore sickness
In lying with no young man,
But I have a grieve to my very, very heart
That you've been so long at sea.”
Then she's took off her gown of green,
She's hanged it against the wall.
Her apron strings they would not untie
She was three quarters gone.
“It is to a noble gentleman
Or to one of low degree?
Or is it to some jolly, jolly tar
That sails in along of me?”
“ 't is to no noble gentleman
Nor to one of low degree;
But it is to that jolly, jolly tar
That sails in along of thee,
Aye, he sails along of thee.”
So he's called up his merry, merry men,
By one, by two, by three,
And Tom the Barber that used to come first,
The last come in was he.
In came Tom the Barber bold,
He was dressed all in silk.
His eyes did shine like morning sun,
His skin it was like the milk,
Oh, his skin was like the milk.
“Will you marry my daughter Jane?
Will you take her by the hand?
Will you prove a father unto that child,
The heir to all my land?”
“Yes, I'll marry your daughter Jane,
I'll take her by the hand.
I'll prove a father unto that child,
But I value not your land,
No, I value not your land.
For I have gold and silver store,
I've houses and I've land.
If it were not for your daughter Jane,
I'd never been your man,
No, I'd ne'er been your man.”