8. Young Beichan (Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)
8. YOUNG BEICHAN (Child, No. 53)
Three variants have been found in West Virginia under the titles: "Lord Bateman" and "Lord Batesman" (cf. Cox, xlv, 160). These three are so similar in language and story that they must needs have a common source. Lord Bateman, an Englishman of high degree, grows discontented and takes a sea journey. He is captured by the Turks, put into prison, has a hole bored through his left shoulder, and is set at hard labor. The King's daughter steals the keys to the prison, takes him to her father's hall, and regales him with the finest wine. He promises to bestow upon her house and lands if she will set him free. Thereupon
they mutually vow that for seven years he is to marry no other lady and she is to marry no other man. After seven years and almost three, she crosses the ocean to find him and comes to his hall upon his wedding day. When the porter announces her arrival, Lord Bateman leaps from his chair, vows he will have the Turkish lady, and peremptorily sends the bride home.
The similarities of this version to Child L are so striking that there must be some connection between them. There is also a notable differentiation. Stanza A 3, substantially the same in B and C, does not appear in Child L, while Child L 3, a striking stanza telling of the tree which grew in the prison, to which Lord Bateman was chained, is not found in the West Virginia version. It would seem that Child L and the West Virginia version have a common source, in which occurred the boring of the hole in his shoulder and the growing of the tree in the prison.
For a list of American texts, with English and American references and discussion, see Kittredge, Journal, xxx, 294. Add Campbell and Sharp, No. 12 (North Carolina, Kentucky); Mackenzie, p. 115 (Nova Scotia); Pound, No. 14 (Indiana); cf. Journal, xxxv, 340; Bulletin, Nos. 6-9.
A. "Lord Bateman." Communicated by Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, December 26, 1915; learned by her brothers and Mr. Luther Burwell about thirty-five years previously from Mr. James Forbes.
1 Lord Bateman was in England born,
And he was of a high degree;
He grew uneasy and discontented
And made a vow he would go to sea.
2 He sailed east and he sailed west,
Until he came to the Turkish shore,
And there was taken and put in prison,
3 Through his left shoulder a hole they bore,
And through the same a rope was tied,
And he was made to drag cold iron,
Till he was sick and like to died.
4 The Turkish king had a daughter fair,
And she was of a high degree;
She stole the keys of her father's prison
And vowed Lord Bateman she would set free.
5 She took him into her father's hall,
And drew for him the best of wine;
And every health she drank unto him,
She said, "Lord Bateman, I wish you were mine.
6 "O have you lands and have you living,
And have you houses of high degree?
And would you give to a Turkish lady,
Who out of prison set you free?"
7 "0 1 have lands and I have living,
And I have houses of high degree;
And I would give to a fair lady,
Who out of prison set me free.' ,
8 "Let's make a vow, let's make a strong one,
Let's make a vow seven years to stand:
If you never will marry no other woman,
I never will wed no other man."
9. . . . . . .
Seven years had gone and almost three,
She gathered up her gay clothing,
And vowed Lord Bateman she would go see.
10 She rode till she came to Lord Bateman's hall
And there did knock and loud did call.
"Who's there? Who's there?" cried the proud porter,
"Who knocks so loud and don't come in?"
11 "Is this Lord Bateman's hall?" she said,
"Or is he here himself within?"
"O yes, O yes," cried the proud porter,
"He has this day his bride brought in."
12 "Go bid him mind of the wine so strong;
Go bid him mind of the roaring sea;
Go bid him mind of the Turkish lady
Who out of prison set him free."
13 "There is a lady at yonders hall,
And she is of a high degree;
She wears a gold ring on her fourth finger
And round her waist has diamonds three.
14 "She bids you mind the wine so strong;
She bids you mind the roaring sea;
She bids you mind of a Turkish lady
Who out of prison set you free."
15 He rose from the chair wherein he sat
And bursted the table in pieces three,
Saying, "I'll lose my life for the Turkish lady
Who out of prison set me free.
16 "Take away, take away this bride of mine,
For she is none the worse for me;
She came to me on a horse and saddle,
I'll send her away in coaches three."
B. "Lord Batesman." Communicated by Mr. John B. Adkins, Branchland, Lincoln County, April i, 1916; dictated by Mr. Marvel Adkins, who learned it several years before from Mandy Conley. Printed by Cox, xlvi, 20.
1. In England lived an English lord,
And he was of some high degree;
He grew, he grew so discontented,
He vowed some girl he'd go and see.
2 So he sailed east and he sailed west,
He sailed till he came to the Turkish shore,
And there he was caught and put in prison,
His freedom never to enjoy no more.
3 They bored a hole through his left shoulder,
And through the same a rope did tie;
They made him load cold calks [1] of iron,
Till he took sick and like to 'a' died.
4 The Turkish king had a fair young lady,
And she was of some high degree;
She stoled the keys from her father's dwelling
And out of prison set him free.
5 She taken him through her father's hall,
And there was drinking of strong wine,
And every health she drank unto him,
She devowed, "Lord Bateman, if you was mine!
6 "Let's make a vow and make it strong,
Let's make it seven years to stand:
If you won't marry no other woman,
I won't marry no other man."
7 Seven years had passed and almost three,
Then she vowed her mate she would go and see;
She sailed till she came to Lord Bateman's hall,
She first did knock and then did call.
8 She says, "Is this Lord Bateman's hall,
And is he in there all alone?"
"O no, O no," cried the proud porter,
"To-day a bride he's just brought home."
9 "Go remind him of the wine so strong,
And remind him of the roaring sea;
Go remind him of the Turkish lady,
Who out of prison set him free."
10 "Here is a lady at your gate,
And she is of some high degree;
She wears a ring on her left forefinger
And on the rest of them wears three."
11 He arose from where he sat
And burst his table in pieces three,
Saying," I '11 bet my land and all my living
That Susie Pines has crossed the sea."
1 Cf. the word cards of C 3; mistakes, possibly for the word carts.
C. "Lord Bateman." Contributed by Mr. F. E. Smith, Dothan, Fayette County, January, 191 7; learned from an older brother several years before in Roane County.
1 Lord Bateman was of England born,
And he was of some high degree;
He grew uneasy and discontented,
Until one voyage he took to sea.
2 He sailed east, he sailed west,
He sailed to the Turkish shore,
And there they caught him and put him in prison,
And he lived in hopes of freedom no more.
3 Through his left shoulder they bored a hole,
And through that hole they tied a string;
They made him pull cold cards of iron,
Till he was tired, sick, and sore.
4 The Turkish king had a lady fair,
And she was of some high degree;
She stoled the keys of her father's prison,
Saying, "Lord Bateman I'll set free."
5 She took him down into the cellar
And drew unto him the strong wine,
And every health she drank unto him,
Saying, "Lord Bateman, if you will be mine,
6 "I'll make a vow, I'll make it strong,
For seven long years or more to stand,
If you won't marry no other woman,
I won't marry no other man."
7 Seven long years had passed and gone,
Seven long years and almost three;
She gathered up her rich clothing,
Saying, "Lord Bateman I'll go to see."
8 She sailed east, she sailed west,
She sailed to Lord Bateman's home.
. . . . .
. . . . .
9. . . . . .
She knocked and jingled at the rings,
When none was so ready as the proud porter
To rise and let this lady in.
10 "There is a lady at your gate,
The finest lady you ever did see;
She has enough gold around her neck, sir,
To buy your bride and company."
11 Young Bateman rose up from his table
And split it into splinters three,
Saying, "Since I've met this Irish lady,
You are none the worst by me."
D. "Lord Thomas." Contributed by Mr. Sam Turman, Buchanan, Boyd County, Kentucky, July, 1918. Nineteen stanzas.