“The Lady of Carlisle”

Description

Two brothers court a lady. Unable to choose between them, she decides to find out who is braver. She throws her fan into a den of lions and says she will marry whoever recovers it. The sea captain does so; she offers herself as the prize

Notes

Kennedy notes, "Lions were kept at the Tower of London from the time of Henry III [reigned 1216-1272] until 1834." Sam Henry dates this to an actual event in the reign of Francis (I? -- reigned 1515-1547) of France. This is more probable than most of these derivations (how many people in the world are that silly?), but as usual, it cannot be proved.

The notes in Brown posit a different original, claiming (following Barry?) that it originated in Spain, spread to France and Italy, and inspired Schiller ("Der Handschuh"), Browning, and Leigh Hunt ("The Glove and the Lions"). Belden (_The Vulgar Ballad_, p. 6) thinks he finds traces of a broadside published between 1814 and 1834. Again, proof is lacking. - RBW

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Harding B 16(327a), "The Faithful Lover" or "The Hero Rewarded," J. Pitts (London), 1819-1844; also Firth c.19(28)[some words illegible], "The Faithful Lover" or "The Hero Rewarded"; Harding B 28(187), "Faithful Lover" ("Near to St. James's there lived a lady"); Harding B 17(167b), "The Lions' Den"; Firth c.13(35) View 1 of 2, "The Bold Lieutenant in the Lions' Den"; Harding B 16(29a), "Bold Lieutenant"
• LOCSinging, as102520, "The Faithful Lover" or "The Hero Rewarded," J. Catnach (London), 19C
• Murray, Mu23-y1:087, "The Bold Lieutenant in the Lion's Den," James Lindsay (Glasgow), 19C

Recordings

• Eddie Butcher, "The Fan" (on IREButcher01)
• Dillard Chandler, "Carolina Lady" (on Chandler01)
• Teresa Maguire, "The Lion's Den" (on FSB8)
• Basil May, "Lady of Carlisle" (LC-1587/AAFS 1702, rec. 1937)
• New Lost City Ramblers, "Lady of Carlisle" (on NLCR03, NLCR12, NLCRCD1) (on NLCR16)
• Pete Seeger, "Down in Carlisle" (on PeteSeeger16)
• Doug Wallin, "The Bold Lieutenant" (on Wallins1)

References

1. Laws O25, "The Lady of Carlisle"
2. Flanders/Olney, pp. 207-208, "In Castyle there Lived a Lady" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Cohen/Seeger/Wood, p. 36, "Lady of Carlisle" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. SharpAp 66, "The Bold Lieutenant" (4 texts, 4 tunes)
5. SHenry H474, pp. 488-489, "The Glove and the Lions" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. McBride 49, "London City" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. Karpeles-Newfoundland 36, "The Bold Lieutenant" (3 texts, 3 tunes)
8. Creighton-NovaScotia 43, "Lion's Den" (1 text, 1 tune)
9. Creighton-Maritime, pp. 34-35, "The Lady's Fan" (1 text, 1 tune)
10. Mackenzie 22, "The Lady's Fan" (1 text, 1 tune)
11. Kennedy 133, "The Lion's Den" (1 text, 1 tune)
12. Ord, pp. 393-394, "The Lion's Den" (1 text)
13. BrownII 89, "The Glove" (2 texts)
14. Hudson 29, pp. 139-141, "The Faithful Lover, or The Hero Rewarded" (1 text)
15. Brewster 59, "The Lady's Fan" (1 text)
16. Silber-FSWB, p. 146, "Lady Of Carlisle" (1 text)
17. Darling-NAS, pp. 130-131, "Carolina Lady" (1 text)
18. DT 335, LDYCRLIL* LDYCRL2*
19. Roud #396
20. BI, LO25