Lord Thomas- Beverly (VA) pre1938 Henry B
[From Mellinger Henry: Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands, 1938. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2014]
LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET (Child, No. 7))
For American texts, see Barry, No. 2; Barry-Eckstorm-Smyth, p. 128; Belden, No. 4; Brown, p. 9; Campbell and Sharp, No. 16; Cox, No. 10; Davis, No. 18; Flanders and Brown, p. 209; Hudson, No. 10; Bradley Kincaid, My Favorite Mountain Ballads and Old-Time Songs, p. 36; McGill, p. 28; Mackenzie, Quest, p. 97; Mackenzie, Ballads, No. 6; Pound, Syllabus, p. 11; Pound, Ballads, No. 12; Raine, Land of the Saddle Bags, p. 112; Sandburg, p. 157; Shearin, p. 3; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Shoemaker, 2nd ed., p. 15 5; Reed Smith, No. 5; Reed Smith, Ballads, No. 5; Wyman and Brockway, Songs, p. 14; Journal, XVIII, 128 (Barry), 295 (Barry); XIX, 235 (Belden); XX, 254 (Kittredge); XXVII, 71 (Barry); XXVIII, 152 (Perrow); XXIX, 159 (Tolman); XXXIX, 94 (Hudson); XLII, 262 (Henry, the same text); Thomas, p. 88; Fuson, p. 49; PTFLS, No. 10, 144—146.
B. "Lord Thomas." The song was recorded by D. G. Tiller, a student in Lincoln Memorial University, from the singing of Nathan Beverley, Freeling, Virginia.
1. Lord Thomas he was a gay young man;
He was a lord of many a town;
He courted a girl called, pretty fair Ellen,
And another called, Sally Brown.
2. "Father and mother, I ask you both,
I ask you both as one,
Whether I must marry wi' pretty fair Ellen,
Or bring the Brown girl home."
3. "The Brown girl she has houses and lands;
Fair Ellen she has none;
If you'll take advice from such a kind friend,
You'll bring the Brown girl home."
4. He rode up to fair Ellen's hall;
So loud he called, it did ring;
No one was so ready as fair Ellen herself
To rise and bid him walk in.
5. "Bad news, bad news, fair Ellen," he said,
"Bad news, bad news, indeed;
I come to ask you to my wedding;
All on next Thursday it will be."
6. "Bad news, bad news, Lord Thomas", she said,
"Bad news, bad news, indeed;
I always intended to be your bride
And you the bridegroom for me.
7. "Father and mother, I ask you both,
I ask you both as one,
Should I go to Lord Thomas' wedding,
Or tarry wi' your mother at home?"
8. "Many there will be my[1] friend;
And many will be my[1] foe;
If you'll take advice from such a kind friend,
You'll tarry wi' your mother at home."
9. "Many there will be my friend;
And many will be my foe;
But little do I care for my friend or my foe;
To Lord Thomas' wedding I'll go."
10. She dressed herself in scarlet red,
And her mantle was white and green,
And every town she rode around
She was ta'en to be a queen.
11. She rode up to Lord Thomas' hall;
So loudly knocked, it did ring;
No one was so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To rise and bid her come in.
12. He took her by her lily white hand;
He led her across the hall;
She sat at the head of the table
Among those ladies all.
13. "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas," she said,
"Is this that wonderful Brown?
You once could have married the fairest lady
That ever came through this town."
14. The Brown girl had a little pen knife;
The blade was keen and sharp;
Between the long ribs and the short,
She pierced fair Ellen's heart.
15. He took the Brown girl by the hand;
He led her across the hall;
He cut her head off with his sword
And kicked it against the wall.
16. He turned his handle toward the wall,
The blade toward his breast;
This is the end of these young loves;
Lord, send our souls to rest!
17. "So dig my grave both wide and deep;
Lay pretty fair Ellen in my arms,
And lay the Brown girl
At my feet."
1. Mistake for "your."