Lord Lovell- Hardaman (WV) 1926 Cox 8b
[From: Traditional Ballads & Folk Songs Mainly from West Virginia- John Harrington Cox- 1939 Edited by George Herzog and Herbert Halpert 1939 and George Boswell, 1964. Spelled Lovell, with two l's throughout- titled Lovel with one l.
R. Matteson 2015]
8B. LORD LOVELL
(Child, No. 75)
Communicated by Professor A. O. Kern, Lynchburg, Virginia, June 24, 1926. Obtained from Mrs. Mary Hardaman, Blackstone, Virglnia.
Lord Lovell he sat at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
Then out came the lovely Nancy Bell,
A-biddlng her lover good speod, speed, speed,
A-bldding her lover good speed.
"0h, where are you going, Lord Lovell?" she cried,
"Oh, whore are you going?" said she.
"I am going away Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see, see, see'
Strange countries for to see."
"0h, how long will you be gone, Lord Lovell?" she cried,
'0h, how long will you be gone?" said she.
"A year or two or throe at the most,
Then I'll return to my Lady Nancie, -cie, -cie
Then I'll return to my Lady Nancie."
Lord Lovell he mounted his milk-white steed,
A year and a day rode he,
Then a languishing thought came into his mind,
To return to his Lady Nancie, -cie, -cie,
To return to his Lady Nancie.
He rode and he rode his milk-white steed,
Till he reached fair London Town,
And there he heard St. Peter's bell,
And the people all mourning around, round, round,
And the people all mourning around.
"Oh, what is the matter?" Lord Lovell ho cried,
"0h, what ls the matter?" said he.
"Lady Nancie is dead," the people replied,
Some call her the fair Nancie, -cie, -cie,
Some call her the fair Nancie."
He ordered tho grave to be opened wide,
He threw the shroud around,
And he kissed and he kissed her pale cold check,
While the tears came trickling down, down, down,
While the tears came trickling down.
Lady Nancy she died on yesternight,
Lord Lovell he died on tho morrow,
Lady Nancy she died of pure, pure grief,
Lord Lovell of pure heart's sorrow, -row, -row,
Lord Lovell of pure heart's sorrow.
Lady Nancy was buried in the old church-yard,
Lord Lovell was buried in the choir,
And out of her bosom there grew a red rose,
And out of his backbone a bniar, -iar, -iar,
And out of his backbone a briar.
Thy grow and they grew to the church steeple's top,
Until they could grow no higher,
And there they entwined in a true lover's knot,
For all true lovers to admire, - ire, -ire,
For all true lovers to admire.
Note: In 8B the local title given for the variant coincides with the title in Child's compilation (Halpert).