Lord Bakeman- Graham (CA) 1937 Robertson REC
[Date given by Bronson as 1937; From: UC-WPA Disk No. 3E-A1; Recorded at San Jose, California; October 1938; Sidney Robertson, collector; George Vinton Graham, singer; Ella Asmussen, transcriber of text. George Vinton Graham's family, on his father's side, came from Ohio.
This was memorized from Graham's MS text, which was transcribed (immediately below) by the LOC from his MS. The text is very similar to the Coverly broadside from 1810 which was printed in various forms (such as the Forget-Me-Not Songster- 1844) mainly in the the northeast (see Flanders A-K, Barry C).
R. Matteson 2014]
Lord Bakeman- Graham's MS, resembling the Coverly broadside (Forget-Me-Not Songster)
In India there lived a noble lord,
And he had houses of high degree,
But there he never could be contented
Until he had been a voyage at sea.
Then he sailed east and he sailed west,
Until he came to the Turkish shore.
And there he was taken and put in prison
Where he could neither see nor hear.
The jailor had an only daughter,
And she was a lady fair to see.
She had stole the keys to her father's prison,
And she said Lord Bakeman she would set free.
When she came to the prison gate,
She opened it without delay,
And stealing through its lonely way,
Soon came to where Lord Bakeman lay. *
She had pleaded with a cruel father.
Her pleadings, alas, were all in vain;
There on the cold damp prison floor,
Lord Bakeman lay in cruel chains. *
"If you have lands, if you have money,
And have you money of high degree, **
What will you give to the fair lady
If she will from bondage set you free?"
"Oh, I have houses and I have money,
And I have houses of high degree;
All these I give to the fair lady
If she'll from bondage set me free."
"Not for your silver or your gold,
Nor yet your houses of high degree;
I do not want them," said the lady,
"But all I crave is your fair body."
"Then we'll make a bargain, and we'll make it strong:
For seven long years that it shall end
That you won't wed no other woman,
And I won't wed no other man."
When seven long years were at an end,
When seven long years had passed and gone,
She packed up all her richest clothing,
Saying, "Now I'll go and seek my friend."
Then she sailed east and she sailed west,
Until she came to the India shore.
And there she never could be contented,
Until for Lord Bakeman she did inquire.
At every corner of the street,
She did inquire for Lord Bakeman's palace.
"Yes, yes," replied a brisk young porter,
"He and his bride have just stepped in."
She wrung her hands, she tore her hair,
Just like a lady in despair.
"Alas; I wish I was in my native land,
Across the seas there to remain.
"Take a message to your noble lord.
Tell him to send one ounce of bread,
And a bottle of his wine so strong,
And ask if he's forgot the lady
Who set him free from his prison chains."
The porter hastened to his lord,
"A lady sent me in to thee,
Or else my eyes have seen a vision,"
Unto Lord Bakeman thus spake he. *
"There is a lady stands at your gate,
And she does weep most bitterly.
I think she is the finest creature
That ever I wish my eyes to see.
"She wants you to send one ounce of bread,
And a bottle of your wine so strong,
And ask if he's forgot the lady
Who set him free from his prison chains."
He stomped so loud upon the floor,
He broke the table in pieces three.
"Here's adieu, adieu, my wedded bride,
For this fair one I'll go and see."
Then up spoke his new bride's mother,
And she was a lady of high degree.
"It is you have married my only daughter,"
"But she is none the worse for me."
"Your daughter came with a horse and saddle;
She shall return with a coach and three.
Here's adieu, adieu my wedded bride,
For this fair one, I'll go and see." ***
He took her by her lily white hand,
He led her through the marble halls, **1
He changed her name from Susannah fair,
She is now called the wife of Lord Bakeman.
* These stanzas have been taken from Mr. Graham's MS. copy.
** The first two verses of this stanza have been taken from Mr. Graham's MS. copy.
**1 The second verse of this stanza has been taken from Mr. Graham's MS. copy.
*** The last two verses of this stanza have been taken from
Mr. Graham's MS. copy.
---------------------------
40. "Lord Bakeman" [transcription Bronson]
Robertson, LC/ACFS, rec. 3811 A1 and 2, B1. Sung by George Vinton Graham, San. Jose, Calif., October 12, 1937.
aD/M
1. In India there lived a noble lord
And he had houses of high degree,
But there he never could be contented
Until he had been a voyage at sea.
2. Then he sailed east and he sailed west
Until he came to the Turkish shore
And, there he was taken and put in prison
Where he could neither see nor hear.
3.The jailor-had an only daughter
And she was a lady fair to see.
She had stole the key to her father's prison
And she said Lord Bakeman she would set free.
Spoken: Then she enters the prison yard and unlocks the gate and is speaking to Lord Bakeman, and she said to him:
4. 'What will you give to the fair lady
If she'll from bondage set you free?
5. 'Oh, I have houses and I have money
And I have houses of high degree,
All these I'll give to the fair lady,
If she'll from bondageĀ set me free.'
6. 'Then we'll make a bargain and we'll make it strong
For seven long years that it shall end,
That you won't wed no other woman
And I won't wed no other man.'
7. When seven long years were at an end,
When seven long years had passed and gone,
She packed up all her richest clothing,
Saying, 'Now I'll go and seek my friend.'
8. Then she sailed east and she sailed west
Until she came to the India shore:
And there she never could be contented
Until for Lord Bakeman she did inquire.
9. At every corner of the street
She did inquire for Lord Bakeman's palace.
'Yes, yes,' replied a base[1] young porter,
'He and his bride have just stepped in."
10. She wrung her hands and she tore her hair
Just like a lady in despair.
'Now and I wish I was in my native country,
Across the sea there to remain.
11. (Will you tell your noble lord To send)
'Take a message to your noble lord:
Tell him to send one ounce of bread
And a bottle of his wine so strong,
And ask if he's forgot the lady
Who set him free from his prison chains.'
12 There is a lady stands at your gates
And she does weep most bitterly.
I think she is the finest creature
That ever I wish my eyes to see.
13 She wants you to send one ounce of bread
And a bottle of your wine so strong,
And ask if he's forgot the lady
Who set him free from his prison chains.'
14. He stomped so loud upon the floor,
He broke the table in pieces three:
'Here's adieu, adieu, my wedded bride,
For this fair one I'll go and see.'
15. Then up spoke his new bride's mother
And she was a lady of high degree:
'And it's if you have married my only daughter
But she is none the worse for thee.'
16. 'Your daughter came with a horse and saddle,
She shall return with a coach and three.'
17. He took her by the lily-white hand,
He changed her-
Spoken: He changed her name from Susanna fair,
She is now called the wife of Lord Bakeman.
1. brisk