Lord Bateman- Graham (SC) 1924 Reed Smith
[From: South Carolina Ballads by Reed Smith, 1928. Smith left blank stanzas that he thought were left out. However he doesn't mention the version he based the numbers of stanzas on.
R. Matteson 2014]
III. YOUNG BEICHAN
(CHILD, No. 53)
Campbell and Sharp give five variants and five tunes; Cox gives four variants and refers to a fifth,; Sharp prints a good text and tune remarking (Notes p. XIX), "This, again, is a very popular ballad with English folk-singers and I have noted down nineteen different versions of it." His discussion of the origin and history of the plot may be interestingly compared with the account given by Kittredge's head-note, P.95; For English references, see Sharp, p. XIX and for American references, Cox's head-note, p. 36.
"Lord Bateman," communicated by Miss Ada Taylor Graham, of Columbia, S. C., Dec. 28, 1924. "I have never seen it in any collection," writes Miss Graham," not have I ever heard it sung except by my mother and grandmother, who had learned it from my grandfather's mother."
[music]
1. Lord Bateman lived in London Town,
And was of high degree!
He swore he could not rest a minute
Till he had sailed o'er the sea.
2. He sailed east, he sailed west;
He sailed to a far countree,
Where he was taken and put in prison
Where he could neither hear nor see.
3. His keeper had an only daughter,
And she was of a high degree.
She stole the key's of her father's prison
And swore she'd set Lord Bateman tree.
4. . . .
5. And there they made a solemn vow,
For seven long years they let it stand;
That he should marry no other woman,
And she should marry no other man.
6. . .
7. When seven long years had rolled away,
And another year had fully come,
She packed up all her gay rich clothing
And went to seek for Lord Bateman.
8. . . .
9. She knocked so loud, she knocked so clearly
She made the castle gates to ring.
"Oh, who is there?" cried the brisk young porter,
"Who's there a-waiting to come in?"
10. She asked, "Is this Lord Bateman's castle?
And is Lord Bateman now within?"
"Ah yes! ah yes!" cried the brisk young porter,
"He and his bride have just come in."
11. "Go ask him for a piece of bread,
And ask him for some wine so strong,
And ask him if he still remembers
Who freed him from his iron bonds."
12. . . .
. . . .
"At your gate stands the fairest lady
That my two eyes have ever seen.
13. "She has a ring on every finger,
And on the middle one she has three,
And round her neck is a golden necklace
Fit for the bride and company.
14. "She asks you for a piece of bread,
She asks you for some wine so strong,
She asks you if you still remember
Who freed you from your iron bonds."
15. . . . .
16. He smote his fist upon the table,
And broke it into Pieces three,
Crying, "Ah I know, I know that lady,
Her name it must be Susy Free."
17. . . .
18. . . .
I brought her here on a horse and saddle,
I'll send her away in a coach and three."
19. Then he took Susie Free by the lily-white hand,
And he led her o'er the threshold stone,
Saying, "Now your name it shall be changed
Your name shall now be Lady Bateman."