| |
I
LORD BATEMAN was a noble lord, | |
| A noble lord of high degree; | |
| He shipp’d himself all aboard of a ship, | |
| Some foreign country for to see. | |
| |
II
He sailèd east, he sailèd west, | 5 |
| Until he came to famed Turkey, | |
| Where he was taken and put to prison, | |
| Until his life was quite weary. | |
| |
III
All in this prison there grew a tree, | |
| O there it grew so stout and strong! | 10 |
| Where he was chain’d all by the middle, | |
| Until his life was almost gone. | |
| |
IV
This Turk he had one only daughter, | |
| The fairest my two eyes e’er see; | |
| She stole the keys of her father’s prison, | 15 |
| And swore Lord Bateman she would let go free. | |
| |
V
O she took him to her father’s cellar, | |
| And gave to him the best of wine; | |
| And every health she drank unto him | |
| Was, ‘I wish, Lord Bateman, as you was mine.’ | 20 |
| |
VI
‘O have you got houses, have you got land, | |
| And does Northumberland belong to thee? | |
| And what would you give to the fair young lady | |
| As out of prison would let you go free?’— | |
| |
VII
‘O I’ve got houses and I’ve got land, | 25 |
| And half Northumberland belongs to me; | |
| And I will give it all to the fair young lady | |
| As out of prison would let me go free.’— | |
| |
VIII
‘O in seven long years, I’ll make a vow | |
| For seven long years, and keep it strong, | 30 |
| That if you’ll wed no other woman, | |
| O I will wed no other man.’ | |
| |
IX
O she took him to her father’s harbour, | |
| And gave to him a ship of fame, | |
| Saying, ‘Farewell, farewell to you, Lord Bateman, | 35 |
| I fear I never shall see you again!’ | |
| |
X
Now seven long years is gone and past, | |
| And fourteen days, well known to me; | |
| She packèd up all her gay clothing, | |
| And swore Lord Bateman she would go see. | 40 |
| |
XI
O when she arrived at Lord Bateman’s castle, | |
| How boldly then she rang the bell! | |
| ‘Who’s there? who’s there?’ cries the proud young porter, | |
| ‘O come unto me pray quickly tell.’— | |
| |
XII
‘O is this here Lord Bateman’s castle, | 45 |
| And is his lordship here within?— | |
| ‘O yes, O yes,’ cries the proud young porter | |
| ‘He’s just now taking his young bride in.’— | |
| |
XIII
‘O bid him to send me a slice of bread, | |
| And a bottle of the very best wine, | 50 |
| And not forgetting the fair young lady | |
| As did release him when close confine.’ | |
| |
XIV
O away and away went this proud young porter, | |
| O away and away and away went he, | |
| Until he come to Lord Bateman’s chamber, | 55 |
| When he went down on his bended knee. | |
| |
XV
‘What news, what news, my proud young porter? | |
| What news, what news? Come tell to me.’— | |
| ‘O there is the fairest young lady | |
| As ever my two eyes did see. | 60 |
| |
XVI
‘She has got rings on every finger, | |
| And on one finger she has got three; | |
| With as much gay gold about her middle | |
| As would buy half Northumberlee. | |
| |
XVII
‘O she bids you to send her a slice of bread, | 65 |
| And a bottle of the very best wine, | |
| And not forgetting the fair young lady | |
| As did release you when close confine.’ | |
| |
XVIII
Lord Bateman then in passion flew, | |
| And broke his sword in splinters three, | 70 |
| Saying, ‘I will give half of my father’s land, | |
| If so be as Sophia has crossed the sea.’ | |
| |
XIX
Then up and spoke this young bride’s mother, | |
| Who never was heard to speak so free; | |
| Saying, ‘You’ll not forget my only daughter, | 75 |
| If so be as Sophia has crossed the sea.’— | |
| |
XX
‘O it’s true I made a bride of your daughter, | |
| But she’s neither the better nor the worse for me; | |
| She came to me with a horse and saddle, | |
| But she may go home in a coach and three.’ | 80 |
| |
XXI
Lord Bateman then prepared another marriage, | |
| With both their hearts so full of glee, | |
| Saying, ‘I’ll roam no more to foreign countries, | |
| Now that Sophia has crossed the sea.’ | |
| |
