12. Lord Lovel (Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)
12. LORD LOVEL (Child, No. 75)
Five variants have been recovered, under the titles: "Lord Lovel," "Lord Lover," and "Lord Leven." They are all to be classed with Child H. A is practically identical with Child H to the end of the seventh stanza. Stanza 8 is made up of verses 1 and 2 of Child 8, and 3 and 4 of Child H 9. Stanza 9 is the same as Child H 10. In additions and corrections to "Lord Lovel" Mr. Child has the following: "211 H. I have received a copy recited by a lady in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which was evidently derived from print, and differs but slightly from a, omitting 8 3 ' 4 , 9 1 ' 2 ." It would seem that the Massachusetts version and West Virginia A are identical.
B is the same as Child H stanza for stanza, but the phraseology is not quite so close as is that of West Virginia A. C, more or less fragmentary, does not differ materially from A and B. Stanza D 4 is not found in Child H. Cf. Child C 4. E shows some likenesses to Child D. The name "Lady Ouncebell" is found in this form in Child A 1.
For American texts see Journal, xvni, 291 (Barry; Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island); xrx, 283 (Belden; Kentucky, Missouri); Shoemaker, p. 124 (Pennsylvania); McGill, p. 9 (Kentucky); Focus, iv, 215 (Virginia); Campbell and Sharp, No. 18 (North Carolina) ; Clifton Johnson, What They Say in New England, p. 225; Pound, No. 2 (Illinois, Wyoming); Ralph, Harper's Monthly Magazine, July, 1903, cvn, 272; Minish MS. (North Carolina). Cf. Barry, No. 14; Belden, No. 6; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Pound, p. 9; Bulletin, Nos. 2-10; Reed Smith, Journal, xxvin, 199.
No old ballad has oftener been printed in American song-books and broadsides. See references, which could be indefinitely extended, in Journal, xxix, 160, note 1. It has sometimes been sung as a comic ditty: see, for example, Bob Smith's Clown Song Book, p. 51 ("as sung by Bob Smith"). A satirical parody beginning "Lord Lovell he sat in St. Charles's Hotel," was popular in the sixties and has often been printed (for example, in Tony Pastor's New Union Song Book, cop. 1862, p. 66, " The New Ballad of Lord Lovell " in Frank Moore's Songs of the Soldiers [New York, 1864], p. 174; and in R. G. White's Poetry, Lyrical, Narrative, and Satirical of the Civil War [New York, 1866], p. 115); Belden has found it in Missouri (No. 128). Another, called "Ye Ballade of Mans. Lovell," is in Frank Moore's Personal and Political Ballads (New York, 1864), p. 321. A Confederate parody, " Where are you going, Abe Lincoln? " is printed in Allan's Lone Star Ballads (Galveston, 1874), p. 31. For a recent parody see Carolyn Wells, A Parody Anthology, p. 326.
A. "Lord Lovel." Contributed by Miss Blanche Satterfield, Fairmont, Marion County, 1915; learned from her mother, who learned it from her mother, a lady of English descent, who came from Washington County, Pennsylvania, Printed by Cox, xliv, 350.
1 Lord Lovel he stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed;
When along came Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing her lover good speed,
A-wishing her lover good speed.
2 "O where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"O where are you going?" said she;
"I'm going, my dear Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see."
3 "O when will you be back, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"O when will you be back?" said she.
"In a year or two or three at the least
I'll return to my Lady Nancy."
4 He hadn't been gone but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see,
When a languishing thought came into his mind,
Lady Nancy Bell he must see.
5 He rode and he rode upon his white steed,
Till he came to London Town;
And there he heard St. Varner's bell,
And the people all mourning round.
6 "Is anybody dead?" Lord Lovel he said,
"Is anybody dead?" said he.
"A lord's daughter 's dead," a lady replied,
"And some call her Lady Nancy."
7 He ordered the grave to be opened forthwith
And the shroud to be folded down;
And there he kissed the clay-cold lips,
Till the tears came trinkling down.
8 Lady Nancy she died as it might be to-day,
Lord Lovel he died to-morrow;
And out of her bosom there grew a red rose,
And out of Lord Lovel's a briar.
9 They grew and they grew till they reached the church top,
And there they could n't grow any higher;
And there they entwined in a true lover's knot,
Which true lovers always admire.
B. "Lord Leven." Communicated by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County, who obtained it from Mrs. Nancy McDonald McAtee.
1. Lady Nancy Belle was standing in her door,
And who should she spy
But Lord Leven,
A-dressing up his milk-white steed.
2 " Where are you going, Lord Leven?" she said,
"O where are you going from me?"
"I am a-going, Lady Nancy Belle,
Strange countries for to see."
3 "How long will you be gone, Lord Leven?" she said,
"How long will you be gone from me?"
"Twelve months and a day, Lady Nancy Belle,
And then I'll return to thee."
4 "That's too long, Lord Leven," she said,
"Too long to be gone from me;
You'll soon forget Lady Nancy Belle
And take up with some other ladie."
5. . . . .
. . . . .
He put his foot in his right stirrup,
And merrily rode away.
6. He had not rode not many miles,
Not over two or three,
Till a ring busted off his little finger,
And his nose began to bleed.
7. . . . . .
. . . . . .
"I'll turn myself back home again,
Lady Nancy Belle I'll see."
8 He had not rode not half way home again,
Till he heard the noise of the church-bell ring,
And the ladies come mourning thereby.
9 "O who is sick, or who is dead,
I pray you will me tell."
"It 's a fine young lady," some answered and said,
"And her name it is Nancy Belle."
10. Nancy Belle died this one glad day,
Lord Leven died to-morrow;
Nancy Belle died for the loss of her dear,
Lord Leven died for sorrow.
11. Lady Nancy was buried in the green church yard,
Lord Leven was buried close by;
From her breast grew a red, red rose,
From his 'n grew a brier.
They grew till they come to the top of the church,
And they could not grow no higher.
C. "Lord Lovel." Contributed by Miss Maud Groves, Deepwell, Nicholas County, 1915, who learned it about twenty years ago from Mrs. Margaret McClung. Reported by Cox, xlv, 159.
1 Lord Lovel was standing at his own castle gate,
Saddling his own white steed;
When who should come along but Lady Ouncebell,
A-wishing her lover God speed?
2 "O where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"O where are you going to-day?"
"I am going away to some far, far land,
I am going away to sea."
3 "When will you return, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"When will you return to me?"
"In the space of three years I'll return, my love,
To the face of a fair lady."
4 He had not been gone not more than two weeks,
I 'm sure it was not three,
Till something came over his mind,
Lady Ouncebell he must see.
5 He rode, he rode along the way,
Till he came to London Town;
And there he heard St. Mary's church bell;
The ladies were weeping around.
6 "O who is dead?" Lord Lovel he said,
"O who's to be buried to-day?"
"Lady Ouncebell died for a false young man;
Lord Lovel she called his name."
7 He ordered the coffin be opened,
The snow white sheets let down;
And as he kissed the clay-cold lips,
The tears came trinkling down.
8 "These are your clay-cold lips I kiss,
But you will never kiss mine;
I vow, I vow, and I'll vow to thee,
I'll never kiss lips but thine."
9 Lady Ouncebell died as it were to-day,
Lord Lovel he died to-morrow,
Lady Ouncebell died of a pure, pure love,
Lord Lovel he died of sorrow.
10 Lady Ouncebell was buried in St. Mary's churchyard,
Lord Lovel was buried close by her;
And out of her grave, a rose grows,
And out of Lord Lovel's, a brier.
11 They grew, they grew up the church wall,
Till they could grow no higher;
And there they entwined in a true-lover's knot
And remain there forever.
D. "Lord Lovel." Communicated by Miss Lucille V. Hays, Glenville, Gilmer County, November 22, 1916; obtained from her mother, who learned it from her mother, and she from her mother, Mrs. Zackwell Morgan, a lady of Welsh descent. Very similar to A.
E. "Lord Lover." Communicated by Mrs. Mabel Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, December 14, 1915; obtained from Mrs. P. J. Lang, Lowesville, who learned it about thirty years ago from Mrs. Katherine Zinn, Monongalia County. Reported by Cox, xlv, 159. Very similar to A.