Lord Lovel- Huffman (IN) 1936 Brewster B
[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.
B. "Lord Lovel." Contributed by Mrs. Alidore Cassidy Huffman, of Tell City, Indiana. Perry County. March 15, 1936.
1. Lord Lovel was standing in his stable door,
Combing down his milk-white steed;
And who should come but Lady Nancy,
A-wishing her lover great speed?
2. "Where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said;
"Where are you going from me?"
"I'm a-going," Lord Lovel said,
"To sail awhile on the sea."
3. "How long will you be gone, Lord Lovel?" she said;
"How long will you be gone from me?"
"How long will I be gone?" Lord Lovel said;
"I'll be gone about two months or three."
4. Lord Lovel had not been gone so long,
Neither two months nor three,
Before his lover came into his mind:
"Lady Nancy I must see.
5. "Go saddle me up my milk-white horse;
Go saddle me the brown;
Go saddle me up the swiftest horse
That ever set foot on ground." [1]
6. Lord Lovel rode many a night and day;
He rode till he came to town,
Where the death-bells were ringing and organs a-singing
And the ladies were mourning around.
7. "Is there anybody dead?" Lord Lovel he said;
"Is there anybody dead, pray tell?"
"Yes," they replied, "'tis the king's own daughter,
And the name it is Nancy Belle."
8. "She died for the sake of an English lord,
Lord Lovel was his name;
And he has gone to some foreign land,
Never to return again."
9. "O open unto me those milk-white sheets
That are made so whole and fine";
And kissing then the cold, cold lips,
His tears came rolling down.
10. "Once more I'll kiss your cold, cold lips
Although you can't kiss mine;
I'll make it a vow by the powers above
I'll never kiss lips but thine."
1. Cf. Sargent and Kittredge 76A, 3.