Bluegrass Messengers

Lord Lovel- J. Linscott (ME) pre1939 E. Linscott

[From Folk Songs of Old New England Linscott; 1939. The music shows the last syllable of line 4 is repeated, however the text doesn't.

R. Matteson 2015]

Lord Lovell- Sung by Jenny Hardy Linscott of Waldoboro Maine, learned from her grandmother. Similar to Davidson Universal Melodist version without the 2nd and 6-8th stanzas.

1    Lord Lovell he stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
Along came Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing her lover good speed- - -,
A-wishing her lover good speed.

2    "When will you come back, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"When will you come back?" said she;
"In a year, or two or three, or four,
I'll come back to my Lady Nancee- - -,
I'll come back to my Lady Nancee."

3    He had only been gone twelve months and a day,
Foreign countries for to see,
When languishing thoughts came into his head,
Lady Nancy he'd go to see- - -,
Lady Nancy he'd go to see.

4    So he rode and he rode on his milk-white steed,
Till he came to London town,
And there he heard Saint Pancridge's[1] bells,
And the people all mourning around - - -, 
And the people all mourning around.

5.    Lady Nancy she died, as it might be today,
Lord Lovel he died as tomorrow;
Lady Nancy she died out of pure grief,
And Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow- - - ,
And Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow.

6    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 brier, ier,
And out of her lover's a brier.

7   So they grew, and they grew, to the church-steeple top,
And they couldn't grow no higher;
So they twined themselves into a true-lover's knot,
For all lovers true to admire, ire,
For all lovers true to admire.
 
1. St. Pancras'