Lord Lovel- Baynes (IN) 1936 Brewster E
[From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana; 1940. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
12. LORD LOVEL (Child, No. 75)
"Lord Lovel" is one of the best-known ballads in Indiana, though both "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet" and "Barbara Allen" have yielded more texts to the present collection. It was also the first traditional ballad to be contributed. Seven variants have been recovered, all of them belonging to Child B. In Indiana B, however, the vow of Lord Lovel to the dead Nancy Belle shows a closer relationship to the D version of Child.
American texts are to be found in Barry, No. 14; Barry, Eckstonn, and Smyth, p. 139; Belden, No. 6; Brown, p. 9; Campbell and Sharp, No. 18; Cox, p. 78; Davis, p. 240 (fifteen variants) and p. 573 (tunes); Hudson, Folksongs, p. 90; Jones, p. 301; Journal, XVIII, 291; XIX, 283; XXIV, 337 (Irish air); XXVIII, 199; XXIX, 160; XXXV, 343; McGill, p. 9; Pound, p. 4; Sandburg, p. 70; Scarborough, p. 55; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 99; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Shoemaker, p. 124; Smith, p. 121; Randolph, Ozark Mountain Folks, p. 193; Smith and Rufty, American Anthology, p. 20; JFSS, II, 289; III, 64; Gardner, Folklore from the Scoharie Hills, p. 203; Cox, Traditional Ballads, pp. 24, 26. Irish text and air: BFSSNE, I, 5.
E. "Lord Lovel." Contributed by Miss Edith Baynes, of Salem, Indiana-Washington County. April 15, 1936.
1. Lord Lovel stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
When Lady Jane Nancy came riding by,
A-bidding her lover goodspeed, goodspeed,
A-bidding her lover goodspeed.
2. "O where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said;
"O where are you going?" said she.
"I'm going, my dear Lady Nancy Jane [sic],
Strange countries for to see, see, see,
Strange countries for to see."
3. "When will you be back, Lord Lovel?" she said;
"When will you be back?" said she.
"In a year or two or three at the most
I'll be back to my Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy,
I'll be back to my Lady Nancy."
4. He had not been gone but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see,
When lingering thoughts came into his head
Lady Nancy Jane he would see, see, see,
Lady Nancy Jane he would see.
5. He rode and he rode on his milk-white steed
Till he reached old London Town,
And there he heard St. Varney's bell
And the people all mourning round, round, round,
And the people all mourning round.
6. "Is anyone dead?" Lord Lovel he said;
"Is anyone dead?" said he.
"A lady is dead," the people all said,
"And they called her my Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy,
And they called her my Lady Nancy."
7. Lady Nancy she died it might be today,
Lord Lovel he died tomorrow;[1]
Lady Nancy she died of pure, pure grief;
Lord Lovel he died of sorrow, -row, -row,
Lord Lovel he died of sorrow.
8. Lady Nancy was laid in St. Clement's churchyard ;
Lord Lovel was buried close by her;
And out of her bosom there grew a red rose
And out of his backbone a briar, -iar, -iar,
And out of his backbone a briar.
9. They grew and they grew till they reached the church top,
And they couldn't grow any higher;
And there they entwined in a truelover's knot,
Which all true lovers admire, -ire, -ire,
Which all true lovers admire.
Footnote:
1. For on the morrow.