Lord Bateman- mountain woman (VA) 1914 Davis G
[From Traditional Ballad of Virginia; Kyle Davis Jr.; 1929. His notes follow. This is a compilation from the same informant as Davis F.
R. Matteson 2014]
YOUNG BEICHAN
(Child, No. 53)
In Virginia the ballad is known as "Lord Bateman," "The Turkish Lady," or as "Lord Bateman and the Turkish Lady." This would indicate, what is indeecl the case, that the Virgina variants are closely related to Child L, "The Loving Ballad of Lord Bateman." The story is well known, Lord Bateman, an Englishman of high degree is discontented and must take a sea voyage. He is captured by the Turks and imprisoned. A lady, daughter of his Turkish captor, sees him in prison and is enamored of him. The attraction is mutual, and after they have vowed that for seven long years neither would wed another, she sets him free and he returns home. At the end of this period, having heard nothing of him, lover, she sets out to find him. Lord Bateman has just brought home his bride but when his Turkish love appears he bids the bride's mother take back her daughter, who is none the worse for him, and forthwith he marries the Turkish lady. The Virginia variants, in the main, follow Child L fairly closely, but often they show traces not found in the Child version, such as the hole bored in the captive's shoulder (see other child versions), the lady's statement that she wants not his gold and silver but only his body, and the naming of India rather than England as the home of the noble lord. There are also certain fairly persistent exclusions, such as the stanza about the tree in the prison (Child L3) and that about the harbor and the ship of fame (Child L 9). But the likenesses are quite sufficient to prove
a common source.
Child says that, " 'Young Beichan,' is a favorite ballad, and most deservedly. There are beautiful repetitions of the story in the ballads of other nations, and it has secondary affinities with the extensive cycle of 'Hind Horn,' the parts of the principal actors in the one being inverted in the other." The story of the ballad he points out, agrees in general outline, and also in some details, with a well-known legend about Gilbert Beket, father of St. Thomas, which legend he recounts at length. but his conclusion is, "That our ballad has been affected by the legend of Gilbert Beket is altogether likely. . . But the ballad is not derived from the legend."
For American texts, see Barry, No. 12; Brown, p. 9 (North Carolina); Bulletin,Nos. 2, 3, 5-9, 12; Campbell and Sharp, No. 12 (North Carolina, Kentucky); Cox No.8; Hudson, No. 8 (Mississippi); Journal, XVIII, 209 (Barry, Mass.); XX, 251 (Kittredge, Kentucky); XXVI, 64 (Beatty, Kentucky), 78 (Barry, Pennsylvania, melody only) XXIII, 451 (Barry, Pennsylvania, melody; the Forget-me-not Songster text); XXVI, 353 (Pound, Nebraska, fragment); XXVII, 149, (Perrow, North Carolina); XXX, 294 (Kittredge, Indiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, all fragments); Mackenzie, p. 115; Mackenzie, Ballads, No. 5, p. 392 (melody); Pound, Syllabus, p. 9 (fragment); Pound Ballads no. 14; Shearin p. 4 (fragment); Shearin and Combs p. 7; Reed Smith No. 3 (text and melody) Reed Smith, No. 3; Wyman and Brockway, p. 54. For additional references, see Journal XXX, 294.
G. "Lord Bateman." Coilected by Miss Martha M. Davis. From a mountain woman' of Elkton,va. .Rockilgham_county. January 20, 1014. "This is a supplement to the version of 'Lord Bateman' sent in November [Nov. 22, 19I3]. The mountain woman of Elkton who contributed the version already submitted thought some of her friends knew more of Lord Bateman than she did.'
Accordingly, she sent the enclosed version without explanation (Miss Davis). lt will be noted that this version takes up the story at the third stanza, evidently assuming the first two stanzas of the earlier version. And in addition to being more complete, it differs materially from the earlier version, even in the girl's name - sophia in place of susan or susanna.
[Lord Bateman sailed east, and he sailed west,[1]
He sailed to the Turkey shore.
And there he was Put in Prison
And expected his freedom no more.
The jailor had as fine a daughter
As ever your two eyes did see.
She stole the keys of her father's treasure,
And said, "Lord Bateman I'll set free."]
1 She took him to her father's palace
And gave to him the best of wine,
And every health that she drank to him
Was, "I wish, Lord Bateman, you were mine."
2 "For seven long years I'll make a vow,
And seven long years I'll keep it strong,
If you will wed no other woman,
I will wed no other man."
3 Then she took him to her father's harbor
And gave him a ship of fame.
"Farewell, farewell to you, Lord Bateman,
I fear I never shall see you again."
4 When seven long years were gone and past,
And fourteen days well known to me,
She packed up her gay gold and clothing
And said Lord Bateman she would see.
5 When she came to Lord Bateman's castle,
So boldly there she rang the bell.
"Who's there, who's there " cried the young porter,
"Who's there, who's there, unto me tell."
6 "Oh, is this Lord Bateman's castle,
And is his lordship within?"
"Oh, yes, oh, yes," cried the proud young porter,
"He has just now taken his young bride in."
7 "Tell him to send me a slice of cake
And a bottle of the best of wine,
And not forget the fair young lady
That did release him when close confined."
8 Away, away went this proud young Porter,
Away, away, away, went he,
Until he came unto Lord Bateman,
When on his bended knees fell he.
9 "What news, what news, my proud young porter?
What news, what news have you brought unto me?"
"Oh, there is the fairest of all young ladies
That ever my two eyes did see."
10. "She has got rings on every finger,
And on"one of-them she has got three,
And she has as much gold around her middle
As would buy Northumberland of thee.
11. "She tells you to send her a slice of cake,
And a bottle of the best of wine,
And not to forget the fair young lady
That released you when close confined."
12. Lord Bateman in a passion few,
He broke his sword in splinters three,
"I'll give all my father's wealth and riches
Now if Sophia has crossed the sea."
13. Then up spoke his young bride's mother,
Who never was heard to speak so free,
"Don't you forget my only daughter,
Although Sophia has crossed the sea."
14. "I own I've made a bride of your daughter,
She's none the better or worse for me,
She came to me on a horse and saddle,
And she may go back in a carriage and three."
15. Then another marriage was prepared
With both their hearts so full of glee,
"I'll range no more to foreign countries
Since Sophia has crossed the sea."
1. The first two measures are from the same informant as Davis F and were left off this version.