Lord Lover- Gear (WY) 1914 Pound B
[From American Ballads and Songs- Louise Pound 1922.
R. Matteson 2012- 2014]
B) LORD LOVER- Text obtained from Mrs. Jeanetta Gear of Junction, Wyoming, in 1914.
"O where are you going, Lord Lover," said she,
"O where are you going?" said she.
"I am going, my Lady Nancy Bell,
Foreign countries for to see."
"How long will you be gone, Lord Lover?" said she,
"How long will you be gone?" said she.
"A year or two or, the fartherest, three,
Then return to my Lady Nancy."
He had not been gone but a year and a day,
Foreign countries for to see,
Till wondering thoughts came over him,
"Lady Nancy Bell I must go see."
He rode and he rode on his mule quite stay,
Till he come to London town.
And there he heard St. Patrick's bells
And the people all morning around.
"O what is the matter?" Lord Lover, said he,
"O what is the matter?" said he.
"Lord, a lady is dead," an old lady said,
"And her name was Lady Nancy."
He ordered her grave to be opened wide,
Her shroud to be torn down,
And there he kissed her cold pale lips,
Till the tears came trinkling down.
Lady Nancy was buried in the cold church ground,
Lord Lover was buried close by her;
And out of her bosom there grew a rose,
And out of Lord Lover's a briar.
They grew and they grew to the church steeple high,
Till they could grow no higher.
And there they tied in a true lover's knot
For all true lovers to admire.