Lord Bateman- Collected Martin (VA) 1916 Davis E
[From Traditional Ballad of Virginia; Kyle Davis Jr.; 1929. His notes follow. This is rare African-American version of this ballad.
R. Matteson 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 indeecl 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.
E. "Lord Bateman." Collected by Miss Roxie Martin and Mr. J. M. McManaway. Sung by Negro woman. Albemarle county. August 4, 1916. "A 'religious' Negro woman sings 'Lord Bateman' but says 'The Lord will forgive me for it,' (Miss Martin). Religious antagonism to the ballads is not always removed by such sublime confidence of forgiveness. Moody and Sankey[1] are among the ballad hunter's chief obstacles.
I Lord Bateman was a noble lord,
A lord of high degree,
He shipped himself on board a ship
To some far country he'd go see.
2 They sailed him east, they sailed him west,
Until he came to a private[2] Turk,
There he was taken in prison
Until his life was almost gone.
3 In this prison there grew a tree,
It grew so stout and strong;
Lord Bateman was chained about the tree
Until his life was almost gone.
4 Now this Turk had a daughter,
The fairest creature his eyes could see;
She stole her father's prison keys
And said, "Lord Bateman I'll set free."
5 She took him to her father's hall,
Gave him drink and favor of wine,
Said, "Farewell, Lord Bateman,
I'll never see you again."
6 "But seven long years I'll make a vow,
Seven long years I'll keep it strong,
If you'll marry no other woman,
I'll marry no other man."
7 Seven years and fourteen clays had past,
Since Lord Bateman went to sea.
She gathered all her gay clothing,
And said, "Lord Bateman I'll go see."
8 She walked up to Lord Bateman's gate
And proudly rang the bell,
"Who's there, who's there?" cried the reporter,[3]
"Who's there?" as she appeared within.
9. "Is this Lord Bateman's castle
In which I'll question him?"
"Yes, he's just taken a new bride,
A new bride he's taken in."
"Go bid him send me a slice of cake
And a bottle of his very best wine;
Tell him, 'Never forget the fair girl
Who released him from close confine.' "
11. He went.to Lord Bateman's room,
Told him there was a lady at the gate.
With a ring on every finger,
And on one, there was three,
With enough gay clothing upon her,
To buy the whole Northumberland.
12 Lord Bateman into a great rage flew,
Broke his sword in splinters three.
He said, "I'll give all my father's riches,
Since Sophia has crossed the sea."
13 Out spoke the new bride's mother,
Who was never known to speak so free,
"Don't forget my only daughter,
If Sophia has crossed the sea."
14 "I've only made a bride of your daughter,
She's nothing more to me;
She came to me on horse and saddle,
She goes back on a coach and three."
15 They prepared for another marriage,
Both their hearts were full of glee,
He said, " I'll roam no more in foreign countries
Since Sophia has crossed the sea."
1. Charles Moody and Ira Sankey were leading hymn composers of the 1920s.
2. For pirate.
3. For porter.