with tunes, see the Journal of the Folk-Song Society (volume i, pp. 119 and 192; volume ii, p. 6); English County Songs (p. 34); Songs of the West (p. 12, 2d ed.); and English Traditional Songs and Carols (p. 50). The words of the sixth stanza in the text refer to an ancient belief that a maiden betrothed to a man was pledged to him after his death, and was compelled to follow him into the spirit world unless she was able to perform certain tasks or solve certain riddles that he propounded. In this particular version the position is, of course, reversed, and it is the maiden who lies in the grave. Compare “Scarborough Fair” (No. 74).
No. 25. The Trees they do grow high
The singer varied his tune, which is in the Dorian mode, in a very remarkable way, a good example of the skill with which folksingers will alter their tune to fit various metrical irregularities in the words (see English Folk Song: Some Conclusions, p. 25). For versions with tunes, see the Journal of the Folk-Song Society (volume i, p. 214; volume ii, pp. 44, 95, 206, and 274); Songs of the West (No. 4, 2d ed.); English Traditional Songs and Carols (p. 56); Christie’s Traditional Ballad Airs (“Young Craigston”); and Johnson’s Scots Muisical Museum, volume iv (“Lady Mary Ann”). For some reason or other, Child makes no mention of this ballad. For particulars of the custom of wearing ribands to denote betrothal or marriage, see “Ribands” in Hazlitt’s Dictionary of Faiths and Folk-Lore.
No. 26. Lord Lovel
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). Version of the words are given in Child (English and Scottish Ballads); Bell’s Early Ballads (p. 134); and Kinloch’s Anciont Scottish Ballads.
No. 27. False Lamkin
Under the heading “Lamkin,” Child deals very fully with this ballad. There is a tradition in Northumberland that Lamkin and his tower were part of that county, and Miss Broadwood says that she has seen what is said to be the original tower close to the little village of Ovingham-on-Tyne, “now a mere shell overgrown with underwood.”
For other versions with tunes, see Christie’s Traditional Ballad Airs of Scotland and the Journal of the Folk-Song Society (volume i, p. 212; volume ii, p. 111; volume v, pp. 81–84). The ballad given here was collected in Cambrigdeshire, in which county it is still very generally known to folksingers.
No. 28. Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
This, of course, is a very common ballad. The words are on ballad-sheets and in most of the well-known collections, and are fully analyzed in Child’s English and Scottish Ballads. For versions with tunes, see the Journal of the Folk-Song Society (volume ii, pp.105–108); English County Songs (p. 42); Sandys’s Christmas Carols; Traditional Tunes (p. 40); Ritson’s Scottish Songs (Part iv, p. 228); etc.
The singer assured me that the three lines between the twentieth and twenty-first stanzas were always spoken and never sung. This is the only instance of the kind that I have come across (see English Folk Song: Some Conclusions, p. 6).
No. 29. The Death of Queen Jane
For other versions see Child (No. 170) and the Journal of the Folk-Song Society (volume ii, p. 221; volume iii, p.67).
Queen Jane Seymour gave birth to Prince Edward, afterwards Edward VI, on October 12, 1537, and died twelve days later. There is no evidence that hear death was brought about in the way narrated in the ballad.
No. 30. Farewell, Nancy
Version with tunes are given in the Journal of the Folk-Song Society (volume i, p. 130; volume ii, pp. 99 and 298); and in Joyce’s Ancient Irish Music (No. 93).
