Lord Thomas- Owens (VA) pre1936 Scarborough D
[From: A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains; Scarborough 1937. Her notes follow. This version could be quite a few years older than 1936- when Scarborough died. In most cases, I've corrected minor spelling errors.
R. Matteson 2014]
Another version that I give as it was written down, came to me from Mrs. Ethel Owens, of Hog Pen Branch, Buchanan county, Virginia, who loaned me her dead mother's ballet box to take notes from. This has Brown as the rich girl's surname, rather than as an adjective describing her complexion, but Ellen is still fair, and still with less real estate than charm.
D. Lord Thomas- Owens (VA) pre1936 Scarborough D
Lord Thomas was a mighty fine fellow,
The lord of many a town,[1]
He courted a girl named Fair Ellen
another named Sally Brown.
Come father, mother, I'll ask you both,
I'll ask you both as one.
if I should marry pretty fair Ellen
or take the Brown girl home.
The Brown girl has a house and Home,
fair Ellen she has none,
And if you will take warning from such kind friends
you would take the Brown girl home.
Lord Thomas rode to fair Ellen's gate
So loud he jangled and called.
No one ready as pretty fair Ellen
to rise and bid him walk in.
Sad news, sad news for you, fair Ellen,
sad news for you I say,
I have come to ask you to my wedding,
Next Thursday is the day.
Sad news, sad news, for me indeed,
sad news, sad news I say.
For I intended to be your bride
and you are the bridegroom for me.
Come father, come mother I'll ask you both,
I'll ask you both as one,
If I should go to Lord Thomas wedding
or stay with mother at home.
Many may be your friend, fair Ellen,
And many may be your foe,
But if you will take warning from a kind friend
you will stay with Mother at home.
Many may be my friend indeed
Many may be my foe,
But I'll not take warning from a kind friend
to Lord Thomas wedding I'll go.
She dress[ed] herself in scarlet all
in scarlet and in green,
and as she rode up through town
they thought she was some queen.
She rode home to Lord Thomas gate,
so loud she jangled and called
and no one so ready but Lord Thomas
to rise and bid her walk in.
He['s] taken her by the little white hand
and led her through the hall,
and seat her at the head of the table
among those ladies all.
Is this your bride, Lord Thomas? she said,
She is a wonderful Brown,
When you could have married a fair young girl
as ever rode through your town.
Throw none of your sneers at me, fair Ellen
Throw none of your sneers at me.
I love your little white hands better
than the Brown girl's body.
The Brown girl had a little pen knife
with the blade both long and sharp;
Between the long ribs and short
she stabbed poor Ellen through the heart.
He taken the Brown girl by the hand
and lead her through the hall,
he cut her head off short
and kicked it against the wall.
He turned the handle against the wall,
and the shard towards his breast,
saying, here is the end of three long lovers,
god send my soul to rest.
Go dig our grave both wide and deep
Bury fair Ellen in my arms and the Brown girl at my feet
and all around our slaughters graves
our fathers and mothers will weep.
1. originally "toun" - other errors from MS corrected and not footnoted.