Lord Thomas- Spense (NC) 1939 Abrams- Brown L
[From Brown Collection of NC Folklore; Volume 2, 1952. Their notes follow. This was from Rachel Spense's grandmother, Mrs. J. E. Spense, who was born in Chatham County.
R. Matteson 2014]
Lord Thomas and Fair Annet (Child 73)
Of all the old ballads, this probably stands next to 'Barbara Allan' in popular favor. For its range in living tradition, both the old country and in America, see BSM 37-8 and add Tennessee (SFLQ XI 122-3), North Carolina (FSRA 23-4), Florida (SFLQ
VIII 147-50), Arkansas (OFS i 99-101, 106-8), Missouri (OFS 1 94-9, 1 01 -6), Ohio (BSO 29-34), Indiana (BSI 58-70), Illinois (JAFL Lii 75-6), and Michigan (BSSM 37-9). American texts follow one general pattern with various differences in detail — mostly cases of leaving out or putting in. Of the fourteen texts in the Brown Collection only a few are here given in full.
L. "Lord Thomas.' Contributed by W. A. Abrams in 1939 from the singing of Mrs. J. E. Spence of Siler City, Chatham county. An unusually full text, nineteen stanzas, yet it lacks entirely Ellen's scornful remark about her rival's complexion which motivates the brown girl's assault.
Lord Thomas was a very gay gentleman,
He was lord of many a town,
Fair Ellen was a very fair girl,
Lord Thomas loved her well.
Come father, come mother and riddle my riddle,
Come riddle it all at once,
Whether I marry Fair Ellen,
Or bring the Brown girl home.
The Brown girl had both house and land,
Fair Ellen she has none,
Therefore I advise you as a very great blessing,
To bring the brown girl home.
He dressed himself in rich array,
His merry men in green,
And every city that he rode through,
They took him to be some king.
He rode unto Fair Ellen's hall,
And lightly he knocked at the door,
And none was so ready as Fair Ellen,
To rise and let him come in.
"What news? What news?" Fair Ellen cried,
"What news do you bring to me?"
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