Lord Lovell- Carnes (TN ) c.1906 Anderson A
[From Anderson, A Collection of Ballads & Songs from East Tennessee (1936) p. 27.
R. Matteson 2015]
Lord Lovell- Sung by Mrs. J.S. Carnes of Maryville, Tennessee who learned it from her mother over thirty years ago.
1. Lord Lovell stood at his castledom gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
Along came Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing Lord Lovell good speed, speed, speed,
A-wishing Lord Lovell good speed.
2. "O where are you going, Lord Lovell?" she cried;
"O where are you going?" cried she.
"I'm going my dear Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see, see, see,
Strange countries for to see."
3. "When will you be back, Lord Lovell?" she said;
"When will you be back?" said she.
"In a year or two or three or more
I'll return to your fair body, -dy, -dy,
I'll return to your fair body."
4. He had not been gone but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see,
Till languishing thoughts came into his mind
Lady Nancy for to see, see, see,
Lady Nancy for to see.
5. He rode, he rode upon his milk-white steed
Till he came to London Town,
And there he heard St. Varney's bell
And all the people mourning around, around, around,
And all the people mourning around.
6. "Is there anybody dead?" said Lord Lovell, he said
"Is there anybody dead?" said he.
"There's a lord's daughter dead," a lady replied,
"And some call her Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy,
And some call her Lady Nancy."
7. He ordered the grave to be opened forthwith
And the shroud to be folder[1] down,
There he kissed the clay-cold lips
Till the tears came trickling down, down, down,
Till the tears came trickling down.
8. Lady Nancy she died as it might be today,
Lord Lovell he died to-morrow;
And out of her grave sprung a deep red rose
And out of his grave sprung a briar, -riar, -riar,
And out of his grave sprung a briar.
9. They grew and they grew to the church steeple tall,
Where they could not grow any higher;
There they tied into a true lover's knot
Red rose and the brier, -rier, -rier,
Red rose and the brier.
1. folded