Lord Lovel- Hench/Carter (VA) 1937 Wilkinson B / Davis AA (dated 1930 by Davis)
[From: Wilkinson MSS., 1936-37, p. 12(B). Bronson TTCB, No. 28. This is also found as Davis AA, from More Ballads, 1960 where it is dated 1930 as collected by Hench. Apparently Hench, the original collector, sang this for Wilkinson to get the tune but it's Carter's version. See Davis notes below- the text is the same.
R. Matteson 2015]
LORD LOVEL - The tune and the first stanza of text were sung by Atcheson L. Hench, University, Va., April 8, 1937. The full text was contributed by Mrs. E. Wilson Carter.
1. Lord Lovel he stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk white steed,
When down came his Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing her lover good speed, good speed,
A-wishing her lover good speed.
2. O where are you going, Lord Lovel? she said,
O where are you going? said she.
I'm going, my 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 oi two more, or at least three or four,
I'll return to my Lady Nancy, Nancy,
I'll return to my Lady Nancy.
4. He hadn't been gone but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see,
When languishing thoughts came into his head,
Concerning his Lady Nancy, Nancy,
Concerning his Lady Nancy.
5. So he rode and he rode on his milk white steed,
Till he came to London town;
And there he heard the church bells ring,
And the people all mourning around, 'round, 'round,
And the people all mourning around.
6. O what is the matter? Lord Lovel he said,
O what is the matter? said he.
A beautiful lady, my lord, is dead,
Some call her the Lady Nancy, Nancy,
Some call her the Lady Nancy.
7. So he ordered the coffin to be opened wide,
And the shroud to be turn-ed down;
And there he kissed her cold clay lips,
While tears came raining down, down, down,
While tears came raining down.
8. Lady Nancy she died it might be today,
Lord Lovel he died tomorrow;
Lady Nancy she died of pure, pure grief,
Lord Lovel he died of sorrow, sorrow, sorrow,
Lord Lovel he died of sorrow.
9. Lady Nancy was laid[1] in the nave of the church,
Lord Lovel was laid in the choir;
And out of her bosom there grew a white rose,
And out of her lover's a brier, brier, brier,
And out of her lover's a brier.
10. They grew and they grew till they reached the
church top,
And there they could grow no higher;
And so they entwined in a true lover's knot,
For all true lovers to admire, 'mire, 'mire,
For all truc lovers to admire.
1 Mr. Hench sang "placed." [MS. note.]
________________________
[Davis; More Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1960. This is Wilkinson B (above)]
AA. "Lord Lovel." Phonograph record (aluminum) made by A. K. Davis, Jr. Sung by Mrs. Margaret Michie Carter, of Charlottesville, Va., and Winston-Salem, N. C. It was taught to her by her grandfather, George Perkins. Albemarle County, 1936. Text transcribed by P. C. Worthington. Tune noted by G. W. Williams and E. C. Mead. Text independently collected by A. L. Hench, of the University of Virginia. Albemarle County. 1930. "An interesting tune and a definite alternation of 6/8 and 9/8" (E. C. Mead).
1. Lord Lovel he stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk white steed,
When down came his Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing her lover good speed, good speed,
A-wishing her lover good speed.
2. "Oh where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"Oh where are you going ?" said she.
"I'm going, my lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see, see, see,
Strange countries for to see."
3 "When will you be back, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"When will you be back ?" said she.
"In a year or two more, or at least three or four,
I'll return to my lady Nancy, Nancy,
I'll return to my lady Nancy."
4 He hadn't been gone but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see,
When languishing thoughts came into his head,
Concerning his lady Nancy, Nancy,
Concerning his lady Nancy.
5 So he rode and he rode on his milk-white steed,
Till he came to London town,
And there he heard the church bells ring,
And the people all mourning around, 'round, 'round,
And the people all mourning around.
6 "Oh what is the matter?" Lord Lovel he said,
"Oh what is the matter?" said he,
"A beautiful lady, my lord, is dead,
Some call her the Lady Nancy, Nancy,
Some call her the Lady Nancy."
7 So he ordered the coffin to be opened wide'
And the shroud to be turn-ed down,
And there he kissed her clay-cold lips,
While tears came raining down, down' down'
While tears came raining down'
8 Lady Nancy she died it might be today,
Lord Lovel he died tomorrow,
Lady Nancy she died of pure, pure grief,
Lord Lovel he died of sorrow, sorrow, sorrow,
Lord Lovel he died of sorrow'
9 Lady Nancy was laid in the nave of the church,
Lord Lovel was laid in the choir;
And out of her bosom there grew a white rose,
And out of her lover's a briar, briar, briar,
And out of her lover's a briar.
10 They grew and they grew till they reached the church top,
And then they could grow no higher,
And so they entwined in a true lovers' knot,
For all true lovers to admire, 'mire, 'mire,
For all true lovers to admire.