The Loving Ballad of Lord Bateman | Page 2

lady?As out of prisin would let you go free?"
VII.
"O I've got houses, and I've got land,?And half Northumberland belongs to me;?And I vill give it all to the fair young lady?As out of prisin vould let me go free."
[Illustration: The Turk's daughter, bidding his Lordship farewell, is impressed with a foreboding that she will see him no more!--]
VIII.
"O in sevin long years, I'll make a wow?For sevin long years, and keep it strong,[4]?That if you'll ved no other voman,?O I vill v-e-ed no other man."
IX.
O She took him to her father's harbour,?And guv to him a ship of fame,?Saying, "Farevell, Farevell to you, Lord Bateman,?I fear I ne-e-ever shall see you agen."
[Illustration: The Proud young Porter answers the door--]
X.
Now sevin long years is gone and past,?And fourteen days vell known to me;[5]?She packed up all her gay clouthing,?And swore Lord Bateman she would go see.
XI.
O ven she arrived at Lord Bateman's castle,?How bouldly then she rang the bell,?"Who's there! who's there!" cries the proud young porter, "O come, unto me pray quickly tell."
[Illustration: The Proud young Porter in Lord Bateman's State Apartment]
XII.
"O! is this here Lord Bateman's castle,?And is his lordship here vithin?"?"O Yes! O yes!" cries the proud young porter;?"He's just now takin' his young bride in."
XIII.
"O! bid him to send me a slice of bread,?And a bottle of the wery best vine,?And not forgettin' the fair young lady?As did release him ven close confine."
[Illustration: The young bride's Mother is heard (for the first time) to speak freely]
XIV.
O! avay and avay vent this proud young porter,?O! avay and avay and avay vent he,[6]?Until he come to Lord Bateman's charmber,?Ven he vent down on his bended knee.
XV.
"Vot news, vot news, my proud young porter,[7]?Vot news, vot news, come tell to me?"?"O there is the fairest young lady?As ever my two eyes did see.
[Illustration: The young bride comes on a horse and saddle]
XVI.
"She has got rings on ev'ry finger,?And on one finger she has got three:?Vith as much gay gould about her middle?As would buy half Northumberlee.
XVII.
"O she bids you to send her a slice of bread?And a bottle of the wery best vine,?And not forgettin' the fair young lady?As did release you ven close confine."
[Illustration:--And goes home in a coach and three----]
XVIII.
Lord Bateman then in passion flew,?And broke his sword in splinters three,[8]?Saying, "I vill give half my father's land?If so be as Sophia[9] has crossed the sea."
XIX.
Then up and spoke this young bride's mother,?Who never vos heerd to speak so free:[10]?Sayin, "You'll not forget my ounly darter,?If so be as Sophia has crossed the sea."
[Illustration: Lord Bateman, his other bride, and his favorite domestic, with all their hearts so full of glee.]
XX.
"O it's true I made a bride of your darter,?But she's neither the better nor the vorse for me;?She came to me with a horse and saddle,?But she may go home in a coach and three."
XXI.
Lord Bateman then prepared another marriage,?With both their hearts so full of glee,?Saying, "I vill roam no more to foreign countries?Now that Sophia has crossed the sea."[11]
THE END.
NOTES.
[Footnote 1:
Some foreign country for to see.
The reader is here in six words artfully made acquainted with Lord Bateman's character and temperament.--Of a roving, wandering, and unsettled spirit, his Lordship left his native country, bound he knew not whither. Some foreign country he wished to see, and that was the extent of his desire; any foreign country would answer his purpose--all foreign countries were alike to him. He was a citizen of the world, and upon the world of waters, sustained by the daring and reckless impulses of his heart, he boldly launched. For anything, from pitch-and-toss upwards to manslaughter, his Lordship was prepared. Lord Bateman's character at this time, and his expedition, would appear to Have borne a striking resemblance to those of Lord Byron.
His goblets brimmed with every costly wine,?And all that mote to luxury invite.?Without a sigh he left to cross the brine,?And traverse Paynim shores, and pass earth's central line.
CHILDE HAROLD, CANTO I.]
[Footnote 2:
This Turk he had, &c.
The poet has here, by that bold license which only genius can venture upon, surmounted the extreme difficulty of introducing any particular Turk, by assuming a fore-gone conclusion in the reader's mind, and adverting in a casual, careless way to a Turk unknown, as to an old acquaintance. "This Turk he had--" We have heard of no Turk before, and yet this familiar introduction satisfies us at once that we know him well. He was a pirate, no doubt, of a cruel and savage disposition, entertaining a hatred of the Christian race, and accustomed to garnish his trees and vines with such stray professors of Christianity as happened to fall into his hands. "This Turk he had--" is a master-stroke--a truly Shakspearian touch. There are few things like it in the language.]
[Footnote 3:
_And every holth