Lord Lovel- Davidson's Universal Melodist (Bronson dates this 1847) 1853 edition; Child H b.
[Child gives this for H. b.: This is an attempt to burlesque the broad-side by vulgarizing two or three words, as lovier, buzzum, and inserting one stanza.
Child's corrections are given but not complete- curiously, the name of the church has slightly changed and is not noted. This may be taken from Sam Cowell who Davidson later (c.1860) published his "120 Comic Songs."
R. Matteson 2012]
1 Lord Lovel he stood at his castle gate,
Combing his milk-white steed,
When up came Lady Nancy Bell,
To wish her lovier good speed, speed, speed,
To wish her lovier good speed.
2 'Where are you going, Lord Lovel?' she said,
'Oh where are you going?' said she;
'I'm going, my Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see- e- e,
Strange countries for to see.'
3 'When will you be back, Lord Lovel?' she said,
'Oh when will you come back?' said she;
'In a year, or two or three, or four,
I'll come back to my Lady Nancee- e- e.
I'll come back to my Lady Nancy.'
4 He'd only been gone twelve months and a day,
Foreign countries for to see,
When languishing thoughts came into his head,
Lady Nancy Bell he would go see- e -e,
Lady Nancy Bell he would go see.
5 So he rode, and he rode, on his milk-white steed,
Till he came to London town,
And there he heard Saint Pancridge bells,
And the people all mourning around, [round, round]
And the people all mourning around.
6 'O! what is the matter?' Lord Lovel he said,
'O! what is the matter?' said he;
'A lord's lady is dead,' the people all said,
'And some call her Lady Nancee- e e,
And some call her Lady Nancy.'
7 So he ordered the grave to be opened wide,
And the shroud he turned down,
And there he kiss'd her clay-cold lips,
Wilst the tears came trickling down.
8. Then he flung his self down by the side of the corpse,
With a shivering gulp and a guggle;
Gave two hops, three kicks, heavd a sigh, blew his nose,
Sung a song, and then died in the struggle.
9. Lady Nancy she died, as it might be to-day,
Lord Lovel he died as to-morrow;
Lady Nancy she died out of pure, pure grief,
Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow.
9 Lady Nancy was laid in St. Pancridge's church,
Lord Lovel was laid in the choir;
And out of her bosom there grew a red rose,
And out of her lover's a briar.
10 They grew, and they grew, to the church-steeple top,
And then they could grow no higher;
So there they twin'd themselves into a true-lover's knot,
For all lovers true to admire.