Lord Lovell- Roberts (KY- IN) 1935 Brewster C
[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.
C. "Lord Lovell." Contributed by Mrs. M. M. Roberts, of Louisville, Kentucky. Learned in Indiana. October 11, 1935.
1. Lord Lovell stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
When forth came Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing Lord Lovell good speed, speed, speed,
A-wishing Lord Lovell good speed.
2. "Where are you going, Lord Lovell?" she cried;
"Where are you going?" cried she.
"I'm going afar, my Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see, see, see,
Strange countries for to see."
3. "When will you be back, Lord Lovell?" she cried;
"When will you be back?" cried she.
"In a year or two or three or more
I'll return to my Lady Nancy Bell,
I'll return to my Lady Nancee."
4. He had not been gone but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see,
When languishing thoughts came o'er his mind
Concerning his Lady Nancy Bell,
Concerning his Lady Nancee.
5. He rode and he rode his milk-white steed
Till he came to London Town,
And there he heard St. Patrick's bell
And the people all mourning round, round, round,
And the people all mourning round.
6. He ordered the grave to be opened wide
And the shroud to be laid aside,
And then he kissed the clay-cold cheek
Till the tears came trickling down, down, down,
Till the tears came trickling down.
7. Lady Nancy she died as it might be today,
Lord Lovell he died tomorrow;[1]
Lady Nancy she died of pure, pure love,
Lord Lovell he died of sorrow, -row, -row,
Lord Lovell he died of sorrow.
8. Lady Nancy was buried in the old churchyard,
Lord Lovell was buried at her side,[2]
And out of her bosom grew a red, red rose
And out of Lord Lovell's a briar, -iar, -iar,
And out of Lord LovelFs a briar.
9. They grew and they grew to the steeple top,
And there they could grow no higher;
So they twined themselves in a true lover's knot
For all true lovers to admire, -ire, -ire,
For all true lovers to admire.
Footnotes:
1. For on the morrow.
2. The rhyme demands by her.