Lord Bateman- Hartlan (NS) pre1950 Creighton A
[From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia; Creighton and Senior, 1950. Creighton's notes follow. Creighton first collected ballads and songs from Enos in 1928. I can find no date this version was collected but it was probably 1937. Apparently an identical version was sung by Mrs. Duncan, although Enos is listed as the sole informant at the end of the ballad.
R. Matteson 2014]
Young Beichan
[ Child 53 ]
'The variant of this well-known ballad, as Mr. Hartlan sings it, is almost identical with one in Sharp's English Folksongs, vol. 1, and another in Professor Child's collection from a vagrant in London. Miss Karpeles' Newfoundland version is similar, too. On the other hand, Mrs. Ada Tanner, while singing the same theme, has put the story differently, and her text agrees almost word for word with MacKenzie, 5. The ballad, if not actually founded on the story of Gilbert Becket, father of St. Thomas the Martyr, has evidently been affected by it. Our Nova Scotia variants give no motive for Lord Bateman's travels. He may have suffered in the Holy Land for his Christian beliefs, or perhaps for love of the lady. It is noteworthy that in three of these variants her name was changed at the end of the ballad, suggesting that she was baptized. Lord Bateman's marriage may have been forced upon him since in all cases he was overjoyed when the Turkish lady appeared. Child suggests an affinity here with the ballad of Hind Horn. For further discussion, see Child, 53. A similar story is found in Norse, Spanish and Italian ballads and in the Gesta Romanorum, No. 5, Bohn edition.
Lord Bateman [A] Mrs. Duncan; Enos Hartlan, South East passage, NS
1. Lord Bateman was a noble lord
A noble lord of high degree,
He shipped himself aboard a ship
Some foreign country would go see.
2. He sailed east, he sailed west
Until he came to proud Turkey
Where he was taken and put in prison
Until his life grew quite weary.
3. And in that prison there grew a tree,
It grew so stout and it grew so strong
Where he was chained round his middle
Until his life was almost gone.
4. The Turk he had one only daughter
The fairest creature that ever eye did see,
She stole the keys of her father's prison
And swore Lord Bateman she would set free,
5. "HaveĀ you got houses, have you got land.
Or does Northumberland belong to thee?
What would you give to the first young lady
That out of prison would set you free?"
6. "I have got houses, I have got land,
And half of Northumberland belongs to me,
I'd give it all to the first young lady
That out of prison would set me free."
7. Then she takes him to her father's harbour
And gave to him a ship of fame
Saying, "Fare you well my own Lord Bateman,
I fear I ne'er shall see you a-gain."
8. It's seven long years they made a vow
And seven long years they kept it strong
Saying if you will wed with no other woman
Then I'll wed with no other man.
9. The seven long years are gone and past
And fourteen days well known to me,
She packed up all of her gay clothes,
And swore Lord Bateman she would go see."
10. Away, away and away went she
Until she came to Lord Bateman's door,
Now boldly then she rang the bell,
"Who's there? Who's there? come tell to me."
11. "Is this Lord Bateman's castle within,
Or is his lordship within?"
"Oh no, oh no," cried the young proud porter,
"He's just now taking his young bride in."
12. "Tell him to send me a slice of bread
And a bottle of the best of wine,
And every health I drink unto him
I wish Lord Bateman that you were mine."
13. "I did not make a bride of your daughter,
She's neither the worse nor the better for me,
She came to me in her horse and saddle,
She may go home in her coach and three."
74. It's now Lord Bateman prepared another marriage
with both their hearts so full of glee,
And not forgetting the fair young lady,
That St. Sofia is cross to see.[1]
1. Since Sophia has crossed the sea?