Lady Nancy- Havens (TN) 1936 Anderson B
[From Anderson, A Collection of Ballads & Songs from East Tennessee (1936) p. 28.
R. Matteson 2015]
Lady Nancy- Sung by Mrs. Flora Havens of Binfield, Blount County, Tennessee.
1. "O where are you going, Lord Lavier?" she cried;
"O where are you going?" cried she.
"I'm going my dear Lady Nancy Bell,
I'm going to some new country, 'tis far away to see,
'Tis far away to see."
2. "O when are you coming back, Lord Lavier?" she said;
"O when are you coming back?" said she.
"I'll be back in a year or two; it's to see Lady Nancy
It's to see Lady Nancy."
3. He had not been gone very long,
Not more than six weeks and a day,
Till the thoughts came o'er his mind again,
"I'll go see Lady Nancy,
I'll go see Lady Nancy."
4. He mounted on that lily-white steed,
That led to the dapple grey,
He rode till he came to that whitewashed tower,
The friends were weeping around, around, around,
The friends were weeping around.
6. "O what's the matter?" Lord Lavier he said
"O what's the matter?" said he.
"Our friend is dead and her coffin is made,
"And her name is Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy,
And her name is Lady Nancy."
7. He took her by the lily-white hand,
The tears came to his eyes,
He kissed her pale icy lips
And the tears ran down his cheeks, cheeks, cheeks,
And the tears ran down his cheeks.
8. They buried her in the church house yard,
Lord Lavier by her side;
All from her grave sprung a red rose
And from his a green brier, -rier, -rier,
And from his a green brier.
9. They grew and they grew to the church house door,
And they could grow no higher;
Until they tied in a true lover's knot
And the rose ran around the brier, -rier, -rier,
And the rose ran around the brier.