Lord Bateman was a noble lord,
A noble lord of some high degree,
He's set his foot all on board a ship,
Some foreign lands he would go see.

Now he's sailed East, and he's sailed West,
Until he came to proud Turkey.
Where he was taken and put in prison
Until his life was quite weary.

This Turk he had one only daughter
The daughter's name it was Susie Pye
And every morning as she did go walking
Lord Bateman’s prison she passed by.

One day she heard Lord Bateman sing,
He sang both loudly and bitterly:
‘My hounds they all do go without a master
My hawks do fly from tree to tree
My younger brother he will have my lands
Fair Northumberland I’ll never see!’

All that long night she could get no rest
Still thinking of Lord Bateman’s song
She’s stolen the keys to her father's prison
And to the prison she has gone.

“Have you got houses, have you got lands?
And does Northumberland belong to thee?
And what would you give to that fair young lady
Who out of prison would set you free?”

“Oh I’ve got houses and I’ve got lands,
And half Northumberland belongs to me;
And I would give it all to that fair young lady,
Who out of prison would set me free.”

‘Give me the truth of your right hand
The truth of it now give to me
That these seven years you’ll wed with no lady
Unless it be along of me.’

‘I’ll give you the truth of my right hand
The truth of it I’ll give to thee
That these seven years I’ll wed with no other
For the kindness you have done to me.’

She’s sent for him a piece of bread
Likewise a bottle of the very best wine.
“Now don’t you forget that fair young lady
That did release you when close confined.”

'Now set your foot on board a ship
And haste you back to your own country
But ere seven years they are past and gone
Come back, my love, and marry me.’

She’s taken him to her father’s harbour,
She's found for him a ship of fame:
“Farewell, farewell to you, Lord Bateman,
I fear I never shall see you again.”

Lord Bateman's turned him round about
He's bowed low down all to his knee:
‘Ere these seven years they are past and gone
I'll come back, my love, and marry thee.’

But when he came to Northumberland
I vow a happy man was he;
All the ladies they did about him flock
All to see him come from slavery.

His hall was hung with silk so fine
His table rung with mirth and glee
And soon he did forget that fair young lady
Who out of prison had set him free.

Lord Bateman's courted a lady fair,
A lady fair of some high degree
And little did he think of that fair lady
Who waited for him in proud Turkey.

But Susie Pye she could get no rest
Nor day nor night could she happy be
Still thinking of her own true love Lord Bateman
Until her life was quite weary.

Ere seven years they were past and gone
She longed so sorely her love to see
That she has set her foot on board a ship
And so she’s left her own country.

But when she came to Northumberland
The bells they rang so merrily
For that very day it was Lord Bateman’s wedding
To a lady fair of high degree.

And when she came to Bateman’s hall,
So loudly she did ring the bell.
“Who’s there?” cried the proud porter,
“O who is there, now to me tell.”

“Tell me, is this Lord Bateman’s hall?
And is Lord Bateman here within?”
“Why yes, why yes!” cried that proud porter,
“He’s just now taken his new bride in.”

“Tell him to send me a piece of bread,
Likewise a bottle of the very best wine;
And not to forget that fair young lady
Who did release him when close confined.”

The porter came to Lord Bateman’s chamber
He bowed low down all to his knee:
‘O say, what ails thee now, my proud porter,
You are so full of courtesy?’

‘I’ve been a porter at these your gates
Full thirty years, thirty years and three,
And there is standing now the fairest lady
That ever these two eyes did see.

‘On every finger she wears a ring
On her mid-finger she wears three
And there’s enough red gold about her brow
As would buy an earldom clear for me.’

“She says to send her a piece of bread,
Likewise a bottle of the very best wine;
And not to forget that fair young lady,
Who did release you when close confined.”

Lord Bateman arose all in a passion,
He’s broken his sword in splinters three;
“O I’d give up all my lands and riches
If my Susie Pye has crossed the sea.”

So quickly he's hied him down the stair;
Of fifteen steps he has made but three;
He’s taken his true love all in his arms
And he has kissed her tenderly.

‘O have you taken another bride?
And have you quite forgotten me?
And have you quite forgot that fair young lady
Who out of prison did set you free?’

‘O never, never, Susie Pye
O surely this can never be
And never will I wed another lady
Than her who’s done so much for me.’

Then up and spoke the young bride’s mother
Who never was heard to speak so free:
“What will you give to my only daughter
If your Susie Pye has crossed the sea?”

“I own I wed your only daughter;
She’s neither the better nor the worse for me.
She came here on a horse and saddle
Well, she’ll go home in a carriage and three.”

Lord Bateman’s arranged another wedding,
With both their hearts so full of glee.
“O ne'er again shall I range the ocean
Now my Susie Pye has crossed the sea.”

He’s taken her by the milk-white hand
He’s led her through the garden green;
He changed her name away from Susie Pye
And he’s made her lovely Lady Jean.

‘O tell our cooks all to make ready
O tell our pipers to loudly play
Tell the trumpeters to run through all the town
Lord Bateman’s wed twice in one day!’