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Lord Levett, he stood at his stable
door,
And he mounted his snow-white steed.
Lady Anne, sweet belle, stood by his side,
For to bid him his last God-speed.
Lady Anne, sweet belle, stood by his side,
For to bid him his last God-speed.
‘Oh, where are you going Lord Levett?’
she said.
‘Oh, where are you going from me?’
‘I’m going to a land beyond the sea;
Strange places I’d like to see.
I’m going to a land beyond the sea;
Strange places I’d like to see.’
‘How long will you be, Lord Levett?’ she
said.
‘How long will you be from me?’
‘It will be for the space of three long years,
Lady Anne, sweet belle', said he.
It will be for the space of three long years,
Lady Anne, sweet belle', said he.
‘Oh, that is too long, Lord Levett', she said;
‘Oh that is too long for me;
Oh that is too long for true lovers to part,
And never again to meet.
Oh that is too long for true lovers to part
And never again to meet.’
He wasn’t but gone scarcely one short year,
When a thought ran into his mind.
He knew he had a true lover at home,
And he dreamt that she had died.
He knew he had a true lover at home,
And he dreamt that she had died.
Lord Levett, he mounted his snow-white steed,
And he rode to St Mary’s Square.
And there he heard the ringing of bells,
And the people were mourning there.
And there he heard the ringing of bells,
And the people were mourning there.
‘Oh, what is the matter?’ Lord Levett he
cried,
‘Oh, what is the matter with thee?
Is it any of your friends that is going from home?
Or any of your friends have died?
Is it any of your friends that is going from home?
Or any of your friends have died?’
‘Oh yes, oh yes,’ the captain replied;
‘The king’s only daughter is dead,
She died for the sake of a noble young man,
And Lord Levett it is his name.
She died for the sake of a noble young man,
And Lord Levett it is his name.’
‘Will you open the coffin, kind sir,’
he said,
‘Will you open the coffin for me.
For I’ll never sleep three nights in my life
If I see that she died for me.
I’ll never sleep three nights in my life
If I see that she died for me.’
‘Stand back, stand back, fair ladies’,
he said.
And let the cold breeze to thee.’
‘Twas then he kissed her pale, cold lips,
As the tears rolled down his cheeks.
‘Twas then he kissed her pale, cold lips,
As the tears rolled down his cheeks.
One of them died supposing tonight,
The other one died tomorrow.
And out of one there grew a rose
And the other a bonny sweet briar.
And out of one there grew a rose
And the other a bonny sweet briar.
They grew, they grew for seven long years,
Till they could not grow any higher;
They grew, they grew to a true lover’s knot,
Till the red rose covered the briar.
They grew, they grew to a true lover’s knot,
Till the red rose covered the briar.
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Tom Lenihan