The Turkish Lady, or Lord Bateman- Wynkoop (VA) 1914 Davis C
[From Traditional Ballad of Virginia; Kyle Davis Jr.; 1929. His notes follow. This is likely from an early print source (i.e. The Forget-Me-Not Songster but there are a dozen more), titled "Lord Bakeman." This was not collected as sung but rather copied from "print." In a footnote Davis says, "But the ballad is given as it was sent in, presumably as it was sung." Davis surely knew this was probably too long to be sung and was copied from print and possibly mixed with a few stanzas from oral transmission- but Davis doesn't find out. Later, (More Traditional Ballads, 1960) this would be a problem with ballads "sent in" by the Smith brothers that Davis published when he should have known they were forgeries.
R. Matteson 2012, 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 indeed 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.
C. "The Turkish Lady," or "Lord Bateman." Collected by Miss Corita G. Seoane. Sung by Mrs. Charles A. Wynkoop, of Fairfax Va., Fairfax County. January 10, 1914.
1 In India lived a noble Lord,
His riches were beyond compare;
He had the fortune of his parents,
Of their estates their only heir.
2 He had gold and he had silver,
He had houses of high degree'
But still h. ttvti could be contented
Until a voyage he'd been to sea.
3 He sailed east and 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.
4 For several months he lay,
Lamenting in iron chains;
He happened to see a brisk youns lady,
Who set him free from his iron chains.
5 The jailer had an only daughter,
A brisk young lady gay-w". .h.;
As she was walking .io;, ih. floor, '
She chanced Lord Bateman for to see.
6 She stold the_keys of her father's prison,
And said Lord Bateman she'd'set free.
She went to the prison door
And opened ii without delay,
7 S"yjF, "Have you gold and have you silverl
.-,. H*t-..you houses-of high degreei
Wh3j will you give to this"fair i"dy
If she from bondage should set you freel,,
B "Yes, I've_gold and I have silver,
I have houses of high degree.
I'll g-ive it-all to rhis fiir ta&y
If she from bondage shall'set me free.,,
9 "Then iet us make abargain,
F'or seven long years it shall stand;
You'11 not wed n6 other woman
And I'll not wed another man.,,
10 When seven years had come and gone,
When seven years were at an Jndr'
Packing tll- _h.r iichest clothing
Said, "Now I'll go and see"my friend."
11 She sailed east and she sailed west.
Till she came to England's shore,
She could not be .ont.nt.d"
Until Lord Bateman she did inquire,
Lord Bateman's palace and every corner of the street
Of every person she chanced to meet.
12 When she came to Lord Bateman's palace,
She knocked so loud upon the door,
There was no one so ready as the brisk young porter
As to rise and iet the fair one in.
13. She wrung her hands and tore her hair,
rJ "";;J;ii.d, "Alas! I am undone.
I wish I was in mY native country,
Across the sea there to remain.
14. "Tell him to send me an ounce of bread
And a bottle of his wine so strong,
And ask h; if he's forgot.the lady,
who ,.t ii;';';' ffi; his iron chains? "
15. The Porter went unto his.master'
I ) ^ ""Cni bo*ed low upon his knees'
"Aiir., arise, my brisk. younq.P-offe,I'
And tell me what the matter ts'
16 "There's a lady standing at your door'
And she does weeP mgst bitterlY'
I tttinf. she is as fair a IadY
As I would wish mY eyes to see'
17 " She has more g"l9 :l \:: stronger'
Around her watst ls dlamonds strung'
She has t*it gAa upon her clothing' '
Than il;i;;; dride and all her kin.
18 "She wants you to send' her an ounce of bread,
And a boitle of Your wine so strong'
And ask vo" ii Vootd forgot the lady r-
Who Jtt y"" free from your iron chatns'
19 He stamped his footupo.n the floor
- Ana ft"rtt ihe tabll in pieces 'httt1 --'
Said, " n*"y-*ith you' *y fuit young bride'
Since *y fui' o"t t'"' l'''''*i' a icond wedding there
shall be.''
20 "Your daughter came on a horse and saddle
She no* shall return ii u to"th and three"[1]
21 Up sPoke his new bride's mother'
nna tttt was a IadY of high-degr€e', ,. "
"'T is you that married -y olL9T9T't:t'
" But she is none the worse tor me'
1. Stanzas 20 and 21 are confused. 20 should, of course, follow 21. But the ballad is given as it was sent in, presumably as it was sung.