Lord Lovel- Henshaw/Pillans (AL) 1945 Arnold
[From An Alabama Songbook; Arnold, 1950, p. 124.
R. Matteson 2015]
"Lord Lovel" - Sung by Elizabeth Henshaw and Laura Pillans, Mobile, Ala., 1945.
1. Lord Lovel, he stood at the castle gate
A-combin' his milk white steed
When down came Lady Nancy Bell
To bid her lover good speed, good speed,
To bid her lover good speed.
2. "Oh, where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"Oh, where are you going?" said she.
"I'm going, my fair lady Nancy Bell
Far countries for to see, see, see,
Far countries for to see,"
3. He travelled and travelled, a year and a day,
Or it might be two or three
When languishing thoughts came into his head
Lady Nancy for to see, see, see,
Lady Nancy for to see.
4. He travelled and travelled, as fast as he could
'Til he came to London town,
And there he encountered a funeral train
With the mourners all weeping around, 'round, 'round,
With the mourners all weeping around.
S. "Oh, who is dead, good people?" he said,
"Oh, who is it dead?" said he.
" 'Tis the Lord's only daughter," the people replied
And they called her the lady Nancy, Nancy,
And they called her the lady Nancy."
He bade them to open the coffin straightway
And then he knelt- right down,
And there he kissed the clay cold corpse
While tears came trickling down, down, down,
While tears came trickling down.
Lady Nancy, she died as it might be today
Lord Lovel, he died on the morrow;
Lady Nancy, she died of pure, pure grief;
Lord Lovel, he died of sorrow, 'orrow, 'orrow
Lord Lovel, he died of sorrow.
Lord Lovel was laid in St. Martin's Kirk;
Lady Nancy was laid in the choir,
And out of her bosom grew a red, red rose
And out of his bosom a brier, 'ier, 'ier
And out of his bosom a brier.
They grew and grew, 'til they reached the church top
And then couldn't grow any higher,
And there entwined in a true lover's knot,
Which all true lovers admire, 'ire, 'ire,
Which all true lovers admire.