Lyrics

[Verse] Lord Bateman was a noble lord A noble lord of some high degree Who shipped himself on board a ship Some foreign country would go see He sailed East, and he sailed West Until he came to proud Turkey Where he was taken and put in prison Until his life it grew quite weary And in that prison there grew a tree It grew so stout and it grew so strong; Where he was chained around the middle Until his life it was almost gone Now, the jailer had but one only daughter Oh, the fairest creature my eyes did see And she's stolen keys from her father's pillow And vowed Lord Bateman she would set free Then she took him to her marble parlour With sugar, cake and the best of wine Saying, "Adieu, adieu, my dear Lord Bateman I wish to God that you could be mine." "Have you got houses, have you got lands?" "I have Northumb'rland, belongs to me; And I'd give it all to that sweet young woman As out of prison would me free." Then she took him down to her father's harbour And smuggled him onto a ship of fame: Saying, "Adieu, adieu, my dear Lord Bateman I'm afraid I'll never see your face again." For seven long years we'll make a vow For seven long years, and keep it strong; If you do not wed to no other woman I will not wed to no other man." When seven long year and fourteen days When seven long years, well-known were gone; She then set foot in some noble ship And she sailed the seas in search of Lord Bateman She sailed East and she sailed West Till turf and stone she chanced to spy; And she went snapping her pretty slender fingers As for Lord Bateman she did cry "Oh, isn't this Lord Bateman's castle? And is the noble Lord within?" "O yes! O yes!" says the brisk young porter "He and his new wed bride have just gone in." "Tell him to send me down a piece of cake Tell him to send me down a glass of wine; And ask him if he does still remember That young woman who did release him when close confined." Lord Bateman flew into a passion He broke the table into pieces three; "I vow my life is that young Sophie's And now my new wed bride, fare well to thee." "I vow I made you my new wed wife You vow you're none the worse for me; You came to me on a horse and bridle I'll send you home in a coach and three." And they then prepared such another wedding With both their hearts so full of glee He says, "I'll sail no more in no foreign country Now that my Sophie she have crossed the sea."