Lord Lovel- Munson (IN) 1935 Brewster D
[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.
D. "Lord Lovel." Contributed by Miss Myrtle B. Munson, of Indianapolis, Indiana. Marion County. November 30, 1935.
1. Lord Lovel stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
When up came Lady Nancy Bell
To wish her lover good speed, speed, speed,
To wish her lover good speed.
2. "O where are you going?" Lady Nancy said;
"O where are you going?" said she.
"I'm going, my Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries fair[1] to see, see, see,
Strange countries fair to see."
3. "O when will you be back?" Lady Nancy said;
"O when will you be back?" said she.
"In a year or two or three at the most
I'll return to my fair Nancy, -cy, -cy,
I'll return to my fair Nancy."
4. He had not been gone a year and a day,
Strange countries fair to see,
When languishing thoughts came into his head
Lady Nancy Bell he would go see, see, see,
Lady Nancy Bell he would go see.
5. So he rode and he rode on his milk-white horse
Till he came to London Town,
And there he heard St. Pancras bells
And the people all mourning around, -round, -round,
And the people all mourning around.
6. "O what is the matter?" Lord Lovel said;
"O what is the matter?" said he.
"A lord's lady is dead," the women replied,
"And some call her Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy,
And some call her Lady Nancy."
7. So he ordered the grave to be opened wide
And the shroud to be turned down,
And there he kissed the clay-cold lips
Till the tears came a-trickling down, down, down,
Till the tears came a-trickling down.
8. Lady Nancy died as it might be today,
Lord Lovel he died as tomorrow;
Lady Nancy died out of pure grief,
Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow, -row, -row,
Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow.
9. Lady Nancy was laid in St. Pancras 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, -ier,
And out of her lover's a brier.
10. It grew and it grew[2] to the church steeple top,
And there it could grow no higher;
So there entwined in a true-lover's knot
For all true-lovers to admire, -ire, -ire,
For all true-lovers to admire.
Footnotes:
1. fair=for.
2. For= They grew and they grew.