Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 6.djvu/211

 ii s. vi. AUG. si, 1912. j NOTES AND QUERIES.

171

Implies.

BALLAD OF LORD LOVEL. (11 S. v. 330; vi. 37, 115.)

THE history of this ballad, together with numerous analogues from other countries, will be found in the late Prof. Child's monumental work ' The English and Scot- tish Popular Ballads,' ii. 204-13. The earliest versions are Scottish ; but the ballad travelled down south, and was printed on broadsides by Catnach and his fraternity. One of these broadsides was given permanent life by the Percy Society in its nineteenth volume, Dixon's ' Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Pea- santry of England,' p. 78. Dixon's version became popular, and with the exception of the eighth stanza is identical, with a few verbal differences, with that given by MK. MAYCOCK. When I was a boy it was sung all over London to a tune that still lingers in my ears. The eighth stanza was then added by a minstrel of " The Cave of Har- mony " type. W. F. PRIDE AUX.

About the year 1850 this was a favourite song, which we used to sing to a rather monotonous tune. The chief charm of it was in the double repetition of the last syllable in the last line of each verse, on the former occasion of its occurrence. We certainly sometimes included the eighth stanza, for the mere sake of its ending in " struggle-uggle-uggle." But it was doubt- less an afterthought. The last stanza then took the following form : So they grew and they grew, to the church-top too,

Until they could grow no higher ; And there they entwined in a true lover's knot,

For all true " loveers'' to admire-ire-ire, For all true " loveers " to admire.

By repeating the last two of these five lines in chorus we obtained a most satisfactory effect out of " admire-ire-ire " ; especially out of the -ire. And it was important that we should say " loveers."

WAI/TER W. SKEAT.

May I offer a little amendment of the version of the ballad kindly supplied by MR. WILLOUGHBY MAYCOCK ? The last syllable of each fourth line was repeated twice. In the first stanza you print the second line should begin A-combing, and throughout " lovier " should be lover. The word " foreign " in the fourth and fifth

lines of the second stanza should be strange.

In stanza 3 the third and fourth lines were : In a year or two, or three at the most, I '11 return to my Lady Nancee-cee-cee, &c.

Stanza 4 ran He had not been gone but a year and a day

Strange countries for to see, When languishing thoughts came into his head,

Lady Nancy Bell he must see, see, see, &c.

In stanza 5 (and in the last but one also) " St. Pancridge's " should be St. Pancras's (three syllables). Stanza 8 is an unworthy intrusion, as suggested. In the last stanza but one bo - sum was pronounced, not " buzzum"; and in the final one it should be top, not "tops," the stanza being recited thus : They grew and they grew to the church-steeple top,

And then they could grow no higher : So there they entwined in a true lover's knot,

For all true lovers to admire-ire-ire, For all true lovers to admire.

May I also repeat my inquiry as to who this Lord Lovel was supposed to be, and what the time and circumstances of the ballad ? I shall be glad of any suggestion. SAML. COMPSTON.

Rawtenstall, Lanes.

There was also a comic parody, which began :

Joe Muggins he stood at his donkey's head

A-combin.<< his knotted mane ; and I rather think that stanza 8 of the version given ante, p. 115, is taken from this parody. G-. S. PARRY.

17, Ashley Mansions, S.W.

' The New Comic Minstrel,' published (by John Cameron, a well-known publisher, of Renfield Street, Glasgow) upwards pi half a century ago, contains this ballad in what I have reason to believe is the original version. That given ante, p. 1 15, seems to be a later one, and differs from the one published by Cameron ; stanza 8 does not appear in it. AJLFRED CHAS. JONAS.

NOTTINGHAM AS A SURNAME (11 S. v. 169, 237, 276, 373, 512). I have to thank the several correspondents who have shown that this surname is very far from being obsolete at the present day; although, curiously, it does not seem to have occurred in Nottingham city or county during modern times.

Since my query was penned, I have notic the two following instances in Nottingham parish registers of the name being bestowed