Author Topic: Add: Lord Lovel


dmcg

Posted - 30 Oct 02 - 01:43 pm

Lord Lovel

Lord Lovel he stood by his own castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
When up came Lady Nancy Belle
To wish her lover good speed, good speed,
To wish her lover good speed.

O where are you going, Lord Lovel? she said,
O where are you going? cried she:
I'm going, my Lady Nancy Belle,
Strange countries for to see, see, see
Strange countries for to see.

How long you'll be gone Lord Lovel? she said;
How long you'll be gone? cried she.
In a year or two, or three at the most,
I'll return to my Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy
I'll return to my Lady Nancy.

He had not been gone but a year and a day
Strange countries for to see,
When a strange thought came into his head,
He'd go and see Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy,
He'd go and see Lady Nancy

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, around,
And the people all mourning around.

Ah! who is dead? Lord Lovel he cried,
Ah! Who is dead? cried he.
An old woman said: Some lady is dead,
They called her Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy
They called her Lady Nancy

He order'd the grave to be open'd a-wide,
And the shroud to be turned a-round;
And then he kiss'd her cold clay cheeks
Till the tears came trickling down, down, down,
Till the tears came trickling down.

Lady Nancy she died as it might be today,
Lord Lovel he died as tomorrow
Lady Nancy she died out of pure, pure grief,
Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow, row
Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow.

The one was buried in the lower chancel,
The other was buried in the high'r
For one sprang out a gallant red rose,
Form the other a gilly flower, flower
From the other a gilly flower.

And there they gre and turn'd and twined
Till they gain'd the chancel top
And there they grew and turn'd and twined
And tied in a true lover's knot, knot, knot
And tied in a true lover's knot.


Source: One Hundred English Folksongs, Ed C Sharp, ISBN 0-486-23192-5


Notes:

Cecil Sharp notes as follows:

I do not know of any publication in which the tune of this ballad is published. I have collected six versions, but only one complete set of words, the one given in the text (with the exception of the last two stanzas). Versions of the words are given in Child (English and Scottish Ballads);Bell's Early Ballads (p. 134); and Kintoch's Ancient Scottish Ballads.

Database entry is here


(HTML correction - JF)

Edited By Jon Freeman - 10/30/2002 2:08:22 PM




Jon Freeman

Posted - 30 Oct 02 - 02:11 pm

Interesting. I've not seen this one (like mny others here) but the lst 2 verses are very like the last ones in the version of Barbera Allen I know.

Jon




IanC

Posted - 30 Oct 02 - 04:09 pm

Jon

They're floaters ... attached to quite a few songs.

:-)



Jon Freeman

Posted - 30 Oct 02 - 04:23 pm

Thanks Ian - I will learn in time... Drifting but I am taking more notice of lyrics and notes on songs now than I used to. Part of that is trying to understand this place but I think the fact the forum is quiet is helping me - I tend to take my time and try to read every post rther than just skim and pick bits I think may interest me.

Jon




dmcg

Posted - 08 Jan 04 - 11:38 am

I've added two new versions here and here, both sung by Mrs Hollingworth of Thaxted, but noted ten years apart. The changes are quite interesting.




Guest Account
Posted - 22 Mar 06 - 09:41 pm

From: dblick

my grandmother sang a version of this, the words being somewhat different but substantially the same in flavor. We believe this came down through the family.



dmcg

Posted - 23 Mar 06 - 07:11 pm

If you can post the 'family version' of the lyrics, that would be great, especially if you can give any more details of how it has travelled down the family.




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