Lord Lovel

Lord Lovel stood at his castle gate,

A-combing his milk-white steed

Along comes Lady Nancy Bell,

Wishing her lover good speed

Wishing her lover good speed

"Where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said,

"O where are you going?" said she

"I'm going, my dear Nancy Bell,

Strange countries for to see

Strange countries for to see."

"And Will you return, Lord Lovel?" she said,

"Oh, will you return to me?"

"In a year or two or three

I'll return to my Lady Nancy

Return to my Lady Nancy."

He hadn't been gone but a year and a day,

Strange countries for to see,

When a stranger thought came to his head

To go to his Lady Nancy

Go to his Lady Nancy

He rode and he rode upon his white horse,

Till he came to his town

And there he heard the old church bell,

And the people all mourning round

People all mourning round

"Is someone dead?" Lord Lovel said,

A-gazing on the spire

"It's Nancy, Lady Nancy's died

For a discourteous squire

For a discourteous squire

He ordered "Open up the grave

And pull the shroud down low

Nancy died for me today

I'll die for her tomorrow

I'll die for her tomorrow

And from her grave grew a red rose

And from his heart a briar

They grew and grew till they reached the church top

And there could grow no higher

And there they twined in a true lover's knot

For lovers to admire.