Lord Bateman- Smith (Nova Scotia) 1937; Recorded in 1943; Pub. 1950 Creighton and Senior B
[From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia; Creighton and Senior, collected first in 1937; 1943 LOC recording; published 1950. This version is likely much older than the date as Smith was born in the 1800s. Creighton's notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 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.
B. Lord Bateman. Sung by Dennis Smith (Chezzelcook, Nova Scotia) Pub. 1950
1. In India lived a noble lord,
His riches they were beyond compare;
But still he would not be contented
Until a voyage he had been to sea.
2. He sailed east he sailed west
Until he came to the Turkish shore,
There he was taken and put in prison,
Where he could neither see nor hear.
3. The jailor had one only daughter,
A nice young lady fair was she,
She stole the keys of her father's prison
And swore Lord Bateman she would set free.
4. "Let us make a bargain and make it strong,
For seven long years oh it shall stand
You'll never wed with no other woman
Or me with any other man."
5. When seven long year was gone and past,
When seven long-years was to an end,
She packed up all her rich clothing,
Saying, "Now I'll go and seek my friend."
6. Then she sailed East and she sailed West
Enquired for Lord Bateman's palace
Every person she chanced to meet,
. . . .
7. . . .
She knocked upon the door,
There was none so ready as the brisk young porter
To rise and let this fair lady in.
8. "Oh is this Lord Bateman's palace,
And is the lord himself within?
And ask him if he knows the lady,
That set him free from yon iron claws?"
9. "There is a lady at your door
And she does weep most bitterlee,
I think she is the finest lady,
That ever my two eyes did see.
10. "She's got more gold on her four fingers
And around her waist a diamond chain,
She's got more gold about her clothing
Than your new bride and all her kin.
11. "She wants you to send her an ounce of bread
And a bottle of your wine so strong,
And ask her if she knows the lady
That let you free from yon iron strong."
12. He stamped his feet upon the floor
And broke the table in pieces three,
"Here's adieu to you my wedded bride
For this fair lady I must go see."
13. He took her by the lily white hand
And led her through from room to room,
And he changed her name for Susannah fair[1]
And she's now called the wife of Lord Bateman.
1. Susannah Fair