Bluegrass Messengers

Lord Batesman- Adkins (WV) 1916 Cox B
 
[From Folk Songs from the South; John Harrington Cox, 1925.

R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
 

8. YOUNG BEICHAN (Child, No. 53)

Three variants have been found in West Virginia under the titles: "Lord Bateman" and "Lord Batesman" (cf. Cox, XIV, 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.

B. "Lord Batesman." Communicated by Mr. John B. Adkins, Branchland,  Lincoln County, April 1, 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'll bet my land and all my living
That Susie Pines[2] has crossed the sea."