Lord Bayham- Waterman (Ind.) pre-1860s Pound
[From: American Ballads and Songs- Louise Pound, 1922.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
14. Lord Bayham
Compare Young Beichan, Child, No. 53. Text from a manuscript book of songs, made from oral transcription in Indiana before the Civil War, in the possession of Edna Fulton Waterman of Lincoln, Nebraska. The American variants of this ballad have many titles, "Young Bakeman," "Lord Batesman," "Lord Bateman," "Lord Bacon," "Lord Benham," "The Turkish Lady," etc. This ballad was a favorite with Dickens. Much of its currency is due to the fact that it was utilized with effect in the once popular play of Rosedale. See G. L. Kittredge in Harvard Library Notes, January, 1921, p. 62.
14. LORD BAYHAM
Lord Bayham was a brave young man,
He was as brave as brave could be;
He grew oneasy and discontented
Till he had taken a voyage to sea.
He was blown east, he was blown west,
He was blown to some Turkish shore,
Where the Turks they got him and sorely used him;
He vowed for freedom any more.
They bored a hole through his left shoulder,
And bound him fast unto a tree,
And gave him nothing but bread and water,
Bread and water once a day.
The Turks they had one only daughter,
She was as fair as fair could be;
She stole the keys of her father's prison,
And vowed Lord Bayham she would set free.
"O have you land, or have you living,
Or have you houses, many, free,
That you could give to a Turkish lady
If out of prison she'd set you free?"
"Yes, I have land and I have living,
And I have houses, many free,
I'll give them all to you, pretty creature,
If out of prison you'll set me free."
She led him down to her father's cellar,
And drawed to him the best port wine,
And drank a health; those words did follow,
"Lord Bayham, if you were but mine!"
O now the notes of love were drawn,
And seven years they were to stand;
He was to marry no other woman,
Unless she married some other man.
She led him down to the sea shore,
And sat him sailing on the main.
"Farewell, farewell, my own dear jewel,
When shall I see your fair face again!"
Seven years were gone and past,
And seven weeks and almost three,
She bundled up her silks and rubies,
And vowed Lord Bayham she would see.
And when she got to Lord Bayham's gate,
She knocked so loud she made it ring.
"Who's there? Who's there?" cried the young proud porter,
"That knocks so loud and won't come in."
"Is this Lord Bayham's land and living?
Or is Lord Bayham himself at home?"
"This is Lord Bayham's land and living.
He has this day fetched a young bride home."
"I've a gold ring on every finger,
And on my middle finger three.
I'll give them all to you, young proud porter,
If you will do one thing for me. . . .
"Go down into your father's cellar,
And draw to me the best port wine,
And drink a health to a prince's daughter,
Who freed you from your prison bound."
He went unto his master dear,
And fell low down upon his knees.
"Rise up, rise up, you young proud porter,
What news have you brought unto me?"
"This seven weeks I kept your gates,
And seven weeks and almost three,
There's the fairest lady stands at your gates
That ever my two eyes did see.
"She has a gold ring on every finger,
And on the middle finger three;
She has more fine gold around her waist
Than would buy old England, France, and thee."
Lord Bayham rose upon his feet,
And split his table in pieces three,
Saying, "I'll forfeit all my land and living
That the Turkish lady has crossed the sea."
Then up bespoke the young bride's mother,
Those words in anger she did say;
"Would you forsake my own dear daughter,
And marry a Turkish lady?"
He says, "Here is your daughter as I got her,
I'm sure she is none the worse of me.
She came to me on a horse and saddle,
I'll send her home in her coach and three."
He took Susan by her little white hands,
And led her down the golden stream,
And changed her name from lovely Susan,
And called her Lord Bayham's queen.
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Traditional Ballads in Nebraska
by Louise Pound
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 26, No. 102 (Oct. - Dec., 1913), pp. 351-366
In the ballad "Lord Bakeman" (Bacon, Bateman, - Young Beichan in Child, 53), the hero is rescued from his Turkish prison by his captor's daughter. She follows him, seven years later, to his own country, arrives on the eve of his wedding to another, and herself becomes his bride. With this piece seems to be identical the "Lord Bayham" of a manuscript book of ballads coming to Nebraska from Indiana.
The Turks they had one only daughter,
She was as fair as fair could be;
She stole the keys of her father's prison
And vowed Lord Bayham she would set free.