William and Phillis

DESCRIPTION: Phyllis tells William that her father will not have her wed a sailor. She dresses as a sailor and they sail for America. They escape a storm in a longboat and land in America, marry, and live happily.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1839 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 11(1174))
KEYWORDS: elopement cross-dressing emigration sea ship shore storm America father sailor
FOUND IN: Canada(Mar) US(NE)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "WILLIAM AND PHYLLIS"
Creighton-FolksongsFromSouthernNewBrunswick 33, "Phyllis and Young William" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lane/Gosbee-SongsOfShipsAndSailors, pp. 178-179, "The Greenwood Tree" (1 fragment, 1 tune, padded out by the editors)
Roud #1429
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 11(1174), "William and Phillis," J. Catnach (London), 1813-1838; also Harding B 11(1173), 2806 c.16(159), Harding B 11(4228), Harding B 16(308d), Harding B 11(4227), Harding B 11(4229), Harding B 11(929), "William and Phillis"; Firth c.12(250), 2806 c.16(159), Harding B 11(4226), "William and Philis"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "William and Harriet" (theme; tune per broadsides Bodleian Harding B 11(1174), Bodleian Harding B 11(1173), Bodleian 2806 c.16(159), Bodleian Harding B 11(4226), Bodleian Firth c.12(250), Bodleian 2806 c.16(159), Bodleian Harding B 11(4228))
cf. "The Great Elopement to America" (plot)
NOTES [67 words]: The Bodleian broadsides are more complete than Creighton-FolksongsFromSouthernNewBrunswick and are the source for the description; for example, Creighton-FolksongsFromSouthernNewBrunswick omits the cross-dressing.
"William and Phillis" is "William and Harriet" with a happy ending. Instead of dying together on a desert island, the lovers land in America, are helped back to health and live happily. - BS
Last updated in version 6.8
File: CrSNB033

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