Lord Lovel- Wilkin (IN) 1935 Brewster G
[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.
G. "Lord Lovel." Contributed by Miss Lucile Wilkin, of Connersville, Indiana. Fayette County. October 23, 1935. With music.
LORD LOVEL Text and air contributed by Miss Lucile Wilkin
wish her lov- er good speed.
1. Lord Lovel he stood at the castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
When down came the fair Lady Nancy Bell
To wish her lover good spee-ee-eed,
To wish her lover good speed.
2. "O where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said;
"O where are you going?" said she. "I'm going away,
Lady Nancy Bell, Far countries for to see-ee-ee,
Far countries for to see."
3. So he rode away on his milk-white steed,
Far countries for to see,
When something came whispering into his ear,
"Lady Nancy Bell I must go see-ee-ee,
Lady Nancy Bell I must go see."
4. So he rode and he rode, as fast as he could,
Till he came to fair London Town,
And there he heard the church bells ring
And the people mourning round, round, round,
And the people mourning round.
5. "O why do you mourn?" Lord Lovel he said;
"O why do you mourn?" said he.
"We mourn for the fair Lady Nancy Bell,
For she is dead as can be-ee-ee,
For she is dead as can be."
6. They buried her in the nave of the church;
They buried him in the choir;
And from her bosom there grew a red rose,
And from his bosom a brier, -ier, -ier,
And from his bosom a brier.
7. They grew and they grew as high as the church,
Until they could grow no higher;
And there they twined in a true-lover's knot,
Which all true lovers admire, -ire, -ire,
Which all true lovers admire.