Lord Bakeman- Tanner (NS) 1950 Creighton F
[From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia; Creighton and Senior, 1950. Creighton's notes follow. Although it says this version was "sung" it was more likely "sent in as sung." It has been copied from a print source. This is the Forget-Me Not Songster (c.1844) version reprinted in the New England area in various publications, they all have 26 measures. Creighton surely knows this and quotes Barry BBM in her footnotes- however, not to comment on her source is disingenuous.
R. Matteson 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.
1. In India lived a noble lord,[1]
His riches were beyond compare,
He was the darling of his parents,
And of their estate an only heir.
2. He had gold and he had silver,
And he had houses of high degree,
But still he never could be contented,
Until a voyage he had been to sea.
3. He sailed east, and he sailed west,
Until he came to the Turkish shore,
Where he was taken and put in prison,
Where he could neither see nor hear.
4. For seven long months he lay lamenting,
He laid lamenting in iron bands,
There happening to see a brisk young lady
Who set him free from his iron chains.
5. The jailor had one only daughter,
A brisk young lady gay was she,
As she was walking across the floor,
She chanced Lord Bakeman for to see.
6. She stole the keys of her father's prison,
And said Lord Bakeman she would set free,
She went into the prison door,
And opened it without delay.
7. "Have you got gold or have you got silver?
Have you got houses of high degree?
What will you give to the fair lady,
If she from bondage will set you free?"
8. "Yes, I've got gold, and I've got silver,
And I've got houses of high degree,
I'll give them all to the fair lady,
If she from bondage set me free."
9. "It's not your silver nor your gold,[2]
Nor yet your houses of high degree,
All that I want to make me happy,
And all I that crave is your fair body."
10. "Let us make a bargain, and make it strong,
For seven long years it shall stand,
For you shall not wed no other woman,
Nor I'll not wed no other man."
11. When seven long years were gone and past,
When seven long years were at an end,
She packed up all her richest clothing,
Saying, now I'll go and seek my friend.
12. She sailed east, she sailed west,
Until she came to the Indian shore,
And there she never could be contented,
Till for her true love she did enquire.
13. She did enquire for Lord Bakeman's palace
At every corner of the street,
She enquired after lord Bakeman's palace,
Of every person she chanced to meet.
14. And when she came to Lord Bakeman's palace
She knocked so loud upon the ring,
There's none so ready as the brisk young porter
To rise and let this fair lady in.
15. She asked if this was Lord Bakeman's palace,
"Or is the lord himself within?"
"Yes, yes," replied the brisk young porter,
"He and his bride have just entered in."
16. She wept and wept, and wrung her hands,
Crying, "Alas! I am undone;
I wish I was in my native country,
Across the seas there to remain."
17. "Ask him to send me one ounce of bread,
And a bottle of his wine so strong,
Ask him if he's forgot the lady,
That set him free from his iron 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 stands at your gate,
And she doth weep most bitterly.
I think she is as fine a creature,
As ever I wish my eyes to see.
20. "She's got more rings on her four fingers,
And round her waist has diamond strings,
She's got more gold about her clothing,
Than your new bride and all her kin.
21. "She wants you to send one ounce of bread,
And a bottle of your wine so strong,
And asks if you have forgot the lady,
That set you free from your prison chains."
22. He stamp'd his foot upon the floor,
He broke the table in pieces, three,
"Here's adieu to you my wedded bride,
For this fair lady I will go and see."
23. Then up spoke his new bride's mother,
And she was a lady of high degree,
" 'Tis you have married my only daughter,"
"Well she is none the worse for me."
24. But since my fair one has arrived,
A second wedding there shall be;
Your daughter came on a horse and saddle,
She may return in a coach and three.
25. He took this fair lady by the hand,
And led her over the marble stones;
He changed her name from Susannah fair,
And she now is the wife of Lord Bakeman.
26. He took her by her lily-white hand,
And led her through from room to room,
He changed her name from Susannah fair,
And she is called the wife of Lord Bakeman.
1. Barry B, p. 109.
2. Barry E, p. 120