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 grew 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.
abc | midi | pdf
Source: Sharp, C (ed),1916,One Hundred English Folksongs,Boston,Oliver Ditson Co
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.
Roud: 95 (Search Roud index at VWML)
Laws:
Child: 75
Related Songs: Lord Lovell (I) (thematic) Lord Lovell (II) (thematic)