Lord Bateman- Stanley (ME) c.1854 Barry B
[From British Ballads from Maine; Barry, Eckstorm, Smyth; 1929. The date postulated is when Mrs. Stanley was 12 years old (a child) and would be c. 1854. It's likely this is based on an early print version, which there were many.
Cf. Coverly broadside c. 1810.
R. Matteson 2014]
LORD BATEMAN
(Young Beichan, Child 53)
This is clearly a traditional rendering of the text known as the Cloverly broadside, in the Isaiah Thomas Collection, in the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Mass. The characteristic of that text is the first line, "In India lived a noble lord;" but Mrs. Young says she never heard it sung so, but always "In England, lived a noble lord. . ." Tnis point of difference may carry Mrs. Young's version well back into the eighteenth century, as will be seen later. It has been supposed that all copies derived from the Coverly text would show the word "India" in the first line; but, considering the age of other ballads which have descended in the Soper-Carr families, this variation may point to an original in this country long before Coverly's day. Our B-text of "Lord Bateman" is closely related to the Coverly print and was probably reinforced by that, if not learned from it. Our C-text is a hitherto unknown broadside, from which Coverly must have copied his, unless he took it traditionally. Coverly has two lines (compare B, stanza 13, lines 1, 2), lacking in the old broadside, and a variant line (compare B, 23).
B."Lord Bateman." Taken down in August, 1924, from the recitation of Mrs. Nathan S. Stanley of Islesford. Mrs. Stanley was eighty-two years old and learned the song as a child.
1. In India lived a noble lord,
His riches were beyond compare;
He was the darling of his parents,
Of their estate the only heir.
2. He had gold and he had silver,
He had houses of high degree;
Still he could not be contented
Until a voyage he'd been to sea.
3. 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.
4. For seven long months he lay lamenting,
He lay lamenting in iron bands,
Until there was a brisk young lady
Who set him free from his prison chains.
5. As she was walking across the floor,
She chanced Lord Bateman for to see;
She went unto the prison door,
Said Lord Bateman she would set free.
6. She stole the keys of her father's prison,
She said Lord Bateman she would set free;
She went unto the prison door
And opened it without delay.
7. Says she, "Have you got gold, or have you got silver,
Have you got houses of high degree?
What will you give to this fair lady
If she from bondage will set you free?"
8. "Yes, I have gold and I have silver,
And I have houses of high degree,
I'll give them all to thee, fair lady,
If you from bondage will set me free."
9. "It's not your silver or your gold,
Nor yet your houses of high degree,
All I'd want is to make me happy
All I crave is your family."
10. Says she, "We'11make a bargain and make it strong,
For seven long years it shall stand,
You shall not wed with no other woman,
For I will wed with no other man."
11. When seven long years were gone and past,
And seven years was at an end,
She packed up all her jewels,
Says she, "Now I'll go and seek my friend."
12. She sailed east and she sailed west,
Till she came to an Indian shore,
There she could not be contented
Until her true love she did inquire.
13. She inquired for Lord Bateman's palace
Of every person she chanced to meet,
She inquired for Lord Bateman's palace
At every corner of the street.
14. When she came to Lord Bateman's palace
She knocked loud upon the ring,
Who was so ready-as the brisk young porter
To let this fair lady in?
15. "Is this the palace of Lord Bateman,
Or is Lord Bateman himself within?"
"Yes, yes," replied the brisk young porter,
"He and his bride is just entered in."
16. She wrung her hands and she wept aloud,
Crying, "Alas! I am undone,
Wish I was back in my own country,
Across the seas there to remain. ''
17 "Tell him to send me one ounce of bread,
A bottle of his wine so strong,
Ask him if he's forgot the lady
That set him free from his prison chains."
18. The porter went unto his master,
And bowed low upon his knees.
"Arise, arise, my brisk young porter,
And tell me what the matter is."
19. There is a lady at your gate,
And she does mourn most fearfully,
I think she is as fair a creature
As ever I wish my eyes to see.
20. "She has more rings on her fore-fingers,
Around her waist more diamond strings,
She's got more jewels about her clothing
Than your new bride and all her kin.
21. She wants you to send her an ounce of bread,
A bottle of your wine so strong,
And asks if you forgot the lady
That set you free from your prison chains."
22. He stamped his foot upon the floor,
He broke the table in pieces three,
Saying, "There's adieu to you, my wedded wife,
For this young lady I'll go and see."
23. Now up spoke his new bride's mother,
Who was a lady of high degree,
"Will you forsake my dear daughter
To marry a Turkish lady?"
24. He says, "Here is your daughter as I got her;"
"Well, she's none the worse for thee."
"Since my fair one has arrived,
A second wedding there shall be.
Your daughter came with a horse and saddle,
She can go back with a coach and three."
25. He took her by the lily-white hand,
He led her through from room to room,
[He changed her name from Susannah Fair]
And now she's the wife of Lord Bateman.