Lord Bateman was a noble lord
A noble lord of high degree
Imprisoned in some foreign country
To spend his life in captivity

He is a captain in the King's own Navy
He'd spent his life upon the cold grey sea
What would he give now for a plate of meat and gravy
Or for an angel to appear and set him free

Full seven years he lives on bread and dirty water
A single candle in his prison room for light
Into the cell will walk the pretty jailer's daughter
The cloak she's wearing is as black as any night

She is a creature of captivating beauty
As this bold captain's hungry eyes would ever see
She looks upon him with the eye of love's desire
And so he begs her, "Lady, will ye set me free?"

"What can you offer if you gain your freedom?
I'll lose my heart if I should ever set you free
I have the keys if you'll deliver me a promise
Should I release you, then you'll vow to marry me"

"You are a creature of captivating beauty
We could run and make a life beyond the sea"
He takes her hand in his and makes a solemn promise
"Unchain me now and I will vow to marry thee"

Beneath the city walls and down into the harbour
She'll throw his chains into the wine-dark sea
They'll find a ship, but now his hand is forced to stay her
"In truth, I never could have married thee"

She was a creature of captivating beauty
He still has many miles of ocean to traverse
His broken promises will move the gods to anger
All broken promises will render matters worse

She sees the black storm clouds on the horizon
His solemn promises lie broken
And whispered on the wind, as if it's spoken
He'll hear a maiden's curse