Lord Bateman and the Turkish Lady- Pritt (VA) 1924 Davis D
[From Traditional Ballad of Virginia; Kyle Davis Jr.; 1929. His notes follow. The Moomaw family sang and collected ballads for the Virginia Folklore Society for many years.
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.
D. "Lord Bateman and the Turkish Lady" or "The Turkish Lady." collected by Mr. B.C. Moomaw Jr. Sung by Mr. Sam Pritt of Barber, Va., Alleghany County. November 28, 1924, with music.
1 There was a man in bondage brought,
And he was of some high degree,
Was captured by the Turkish nation,
They worked that man both night and day.
2 There was a young lady in that place,
And she was of the Turkish too,
She store the keys to her father's dwelling,
And so Lord Bateman's freedom bought.
3 She took him to her father's hall,
She treated him on the wine so strong,
And every health that she drank unto him,
She cried, "Lord Bateman, an' thou wert mine."
4 "Let's make a promise, let's make it strong,
Let's make it lasting seven years long.
If you no other woman's be,
No man on earth shall marry me."
5 Seven years had passed and almost three
Lord Bateman never a word had said,
He fell in love with a fair young damsel,
This very day made her his bride.
6 Seven years had passed and almost three
This lady never one word had heard,
She gathered up her gay rich clothing,
And for Lord Bateman's hall she sailed.
7 "Is this Lord Bateman's hall?" she cried,
"Is Lord Bateman on the inner side?"
"No interruptions are here permitted,[1]
This very day brought home his bride."
8 "O who is this that's at my door,
That knocks so loud and won't come in?
O open wide to this loud knocking;
And bid the opposite on the inner side."
9 "There is a lady at your door,
And she is of some high degree,
She wears a gold ring on each forefinger,
And on the others she wears three."
10. "She bids you mind of the wine so strong,
She bids you mind of the roaring sea,
She bids you mind of the Turkish Lady
That out of bondage set you free."
11. Lord Bateman rose on hearing this,
His table he did smash in three.
"I owe my life to this Turkish Lady,
Who out of bondage set me free.
12. "Go take my bride to her father's hall,
Oh, she is none the worse by me;
Oh, she came here on horse and saddle,
But take her back in coaches fine."
1. This line is clearly an interloper, not in ballad language at all.