Lord Bateman
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1964.3.A1
Original Tape ID
Summary
In this ballad, Lord Bateman goes to sea for adventure, but is imprisoned by a Turkish king. The king's daughter, Rosanna, steals the prison keys and releases Lord Bateman, whom she has discovered has lands in Northumbria, on the condition that he marry her in seven years' time. She then helps him to escape by leading him to a harbour. After seven years, she travels to Lord Bateman's castle and tells the porter to take him bread and wine, and remind him of the Turkish lady who helped him when he was imprisoned. Lord Bateman is inside with his new bride; on learning that Rosanna has come, he decides to honour his vow to her, despite the protests of his new mother-in-law. He and Rosanna are married and he promises never again to travel on the sea.
Item Notes
21 verses of 4 lines.
See:
'Tocher' 39 (1985) pp. 138-142
Greig-Duncan vol. 5, pp. 344-358, no. 1023
'Scottish Ballads' (E. Lyle, 1994) pp. 88-91
'Traditional Tunes' (F. Kidson, 1891) pp. 32-36
'The Scottish Ballads' (R. Chambers, 1829) pp. 103-110
'Scottish Ballad Book' (N. Buchan, 1973) pp. 26-33, 210
'Book of Scottish Ballads' (A. Whitelaw, 1845) pp. 23-27
'Traditional Ballad Airs' vol. 1 (W. Christie, 1876) pp. 30-31
'Everyman's Book of British Ballads' (R. Palmer, 1980) pp. 180-183
'Sam Henry's Songs of the People' (G. Huntington, 1990) pp. 491-492
'Ballads of Scotland' vol. 2 (W. E. Aytoun, 1858) pp. 21-28, 193-298
Murray Collection (Broadsides), Glasgow University Library, mu23-y1:030
'Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads' (A. Keith, G. Greig, 1925) pp. 40-43
'Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland' (E. MacColl & P. Seeger, 1977) pp. 66-69
'Folk-Song of the North-East' (G. Greig, K. Goldstein, A. Argo, 1963 reprint) art. LXXVIII
'Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads' vol. 1 (B. H. Bronson, F. J. Child, 1959) pp. 412-465
Language
English
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Fair