Lord Lovell- transcribed Miss Ina L. McDavitt; sung Caroline T. Graves (CT) pre1905 Barry A2 JOAFL
[From: Traditional Ballads in New England III by Phillips Barry; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 18, No. 71 (Oct. - Dec., 1905), pp. 291-304.
This is from the third and last part of Barry's Traditional Ballads in New England. All three parts were published in 1905 in three consecutive editions of the JOAFL. This part has some additional variants of ballads in the first two parts in the Addenda. These early ballads are fully preserved because Barry recognized that including the tune whenever possible was as important as including lyrics.
Names supplied by Barry's MS- Bronson.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
XIV. LORD LOVELL
A 2. Contributed August 1, 1905, by Ina L. McDavitt, Vineland, N. J., as derived from Caroline T. Graves, an aged resident of Brooklyn, Conn. [Derived from A 1]
1. Lord Lovell, he stood at his garden gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
When along came Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing her lover good speed, speed, speed,
A-wishing her lover good speed.
2. "Oh, where are you going, Lord Lovell?" she cried.
"Oh, where are you going?" cried she,
"I'm going, my dear Lady Nancy Bell,
Foreign countries for to see." [sim.]
3. "When will you be back, Lord Lovell?" she cried.
"When will you be back ?" cried she,
"In a year or two, or three at most,
I'll be back to my Lady Nancy."
4. He had been gone a year and a day,
Foreign countries for to see,
When languishing thoughts came into his head,
Lady Nancy Bell he'd go see.
5. So he rode and he rode on his milk-white steed,
Till he came to London town,
And then he see such a mournful sight,
And the people all gathered around.
6. "Oh, what is the matter? " Lord Lovell he cried,
"Oh, what is the matter?" said he,
"Oh, a lady is dead, and her lover is gone,
And they call her the Lady Nancy."
7. He ordered the grave to be opened wide,
The shroud to be turned down low,
And as he kissed her clay-cold lips,
The tears began to flow.
8. Lady Nancy, she died the same as to-day,
Lord Lovell he died as to-morrow,
Lady Nancy she died of pure grief,
Lord Lovell he died of sorrow.
9. They buried them both by the castle wall,
In a grave that was close by the spire,
And out of her breast there grew a red rose,
And out of Lord Lovell's a brier.
10. They grew, and they grew to the castle top,
And then they could grow no higher,
They twined themselves in a true lover's knot,
For all true lovers to admire