Lord Bateman

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Lord Bateman was a noble lord He thought himself of a high degree He could not rest nor be contented Till he had sailed the old salt sea [Verse 2] Oh, he sailed east and he sailed to the westward He sailed all over to the Turkish shore There he got caught and put in prison Never to be released any more [Verse 3] There grew a tree inside of this prison There grеw a tree both broad and high And there they took and bound him prisonеr Till he grew weak and like to die [Verse 4] Now the Turk he had one only daughter And she was fair as she could be She stole the keys to her father's prison And declared Lord Bateman she'd set free [Verse 5] She took him down to the deepest cellar She give him a drink of the strongest wine She threw her loving little arms around him Crying, "Oh, Lord Bateman, if you were mine" [Verse 6] They made a vow, they made a promise For seven long years they made it to stand He vowed he'd marry no other woman She vowed she'd marry no other man [Verse 7] Well, seven long years has rolled around Seven years and they seem like twenty-nine Yes, she's packed up all of her gay clothing And declared Lord Bateman she'd go find [Verse 8] Well, she sailed east and she sailed to the westward She sailed all over to the England shore She rowed till she come to Lord Bateman's castle And she summonsed his porter right down to the door [Verse 9] "Oh, is this not Lord Bateman's castle And is his lordship not within?" "Oh yes, oh yes," cried the proud young porter "He's just now bringing his new bride in" [Verse 10] "Go bid him to send me a slice of bread Go bid him to send me a drink of wine And not to forget the Turkish lady That freed him from his close confines" [Verse 11] "What's the news, what's the news, you proud young porter? What's the news, what's the news that you've brung to me?" "There stands a lady outside of your castle She's the fairest one I ever did see [Verse 12] "She has got a gold ring on every finger And on one finger she has got three And enough gay gold all around her middle As to buy Northumberland of thee [Verse 13] "She bids you to send her a slice of bread She bids you to send her a drink of wine And not to forget the Turkish lady That freed you from your close confines" [Verse 14] Oh, up and spoke that new bride's mother She never was known to speak so free "Well, what's to become of my only daughter? She has just been made a bride to thee" [Verse 15] "Oh, I've done no harm to your only daughter And she is the none of the worse for me She came to me with a horse and saddle And she shall go home in coacharee" [Verse 16] Lord Bateman he pounded his fist on the table And he broke it in pieces one two three Says, "I'll forsake all for the Turkish lady She has crossed that old salt sea for me"