Lord Lovel & Lady Nanca Bell- Daley (OK-TX) 1964
[Moores; Ballads and Folk-songs of the Southwest; 1964. Their notes follow. This ballad is significantly older.
R. Mattesons 2015]
Lord Lovel and Lady Nanca Bell was sung by Mrs. Susie Evans Daley of Tulsa, who was born in Texas and came to Oklahoma when she was five years old.
Lord Lovel stood by the castle gate,
Combing his milk-white steed,
When along came Lady Nanca Bell,
Wishing her lover good speed, speed, speed,
Wishing her lover good speed.
"Oh, where are you going?" Lady Nanca Bell said,
"Oh, where are you going?" said she.
"I'm going away, Lady Nanca Bell,
Strange countries for to go see, see, see,
Strange countries for to go see."
"Oh, when will you be back?" Lady Nanga Bell said,
"Oh, when will you be back?" said she.
"In a year or two or three or four,
I'll return to my Lady Nanca, ca, ca,
I'll return to Lady Nanca."
He rode until he came to the castle gate,
And jingled at the rein,
And he heard St. Vincent's bell,
And the people mourning all around, around, around,
And the people mourning around.
"Is anybody dead?" Lord Lovel said,
"Is anybody dead?" said he.
"The lord's daughter's dead," the people all said,
"And some called her Lady Nanca, ca, ca,
And some called her Lady Nanca."
Lady Nanca Bell died as it might be today;
Lord Lovel died tomorrow.
Lady Nanca died for pure true love;
Lord Lovel died for sorrow, sorrow, sorrow,
Lord Lovel died for sorrow.
Lady Nanca Bell was buried in one churchyard,
Lord Lovel in another;
And out of her grave there grew a red rose,
And out of Lord Lovel's a briar, briar, briar,
And out of Lord Lovel,s a briar.
They grew and grew, and they bloomed and bloomed,
Until they could not grow any higher;
Then they tied themselves in a lover's knot,
For all sweethearts to admire, mire, mire,
For all sweethearts to admire.