The Rarest Old BALLAD that ever was seen,
Of the Blind Beggars Daughter of Bethnal-Green
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IT is of a blind Beggar that long lost his sight,
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He had a fair daughter of beauty most bright;
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And many a gallant brave suitor had she,
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For none was so comely as pretty Bessey.
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And tho she was of beauty most fair,
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Yet seeing she was but a beggars heir,
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Of ancient house-keepers despised was she,
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Who came as suitors to pretty Bessey.
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Then in great sorrow fair Bessey did say,
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Good father and mother, let me go away,
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To seek my fortune where ever it be,
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Thus suit was then granted ot pretty Bessey.
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Thus Bessy that was of beauty most bright,
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Then clad in grey russet, and late in the night,
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From father and mother alone parted she,
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Who sighed and sobbed for pretty Bessey.
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She went until she came to Stratford-le-Bow,
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Then she knew not whither nor which way to go,
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With tears she lamented her hard destiny,
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So sad and so heavy was pretty Bessey.
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She kept on her journey until it was day,
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And went into Rumford upon the highway.
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And at the Kings-Arms entertained was she,
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So fair and well favourd was pretty Bessey.
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She had not been there one month to an end,
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But master and all were her friend,
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And every brave gallant that once did her see,
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Was straitway in love with pretty Bessey.
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Great gifts they did give her of silver and gold;
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And in their songs her praises extold?
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She by them was praised in the highest degree,
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So fair and so comely was pretty Bessey.
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The young men of Rumford in her had their joy
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She behavd herself courteous, but never too coy;
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And at her commandment still would they be,
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So fair and so comely was pretty Bessey.
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Four suitors at once unto her did go,
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And craved her favour, but still she said no:
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I would not have a gentleman to marry me.
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But still they honoured pretty Bessey.
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The first of them was a gallant brisk knight,
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Who came unto her disguisd in theght,
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The second a gentlemen of good degree,
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Who wooed and sued for pretty Bessey.
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A merchant in London whose wealth was not small,
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He was the next suitor, and proper and tall;
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Her masters own son the fourth man must be,
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Who swore he would die for pretty Bessey.
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If thou wilt marry me, then quoth the knight,
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Ill make thee a lady of joy and delight,
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My hearts so enthrald with thy fair beauty,
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That soon I shall die for pretty Bessey.
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The gentleman said, Come wed with me,
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And as fine as a lady my Bessey shall be.
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My life is distracted, oh! hear me, quoth he.
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And grant me thy love, my pretty Bessey.
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Let me be thy husband, the merchant did say,
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Thou shalt live in London both gallant and gay,
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My ship shall bring home rich jewelst for thee,
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And I will for ever love pretty Bessey.
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Then Bessey she sighd, and thus she did say,
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My father and mother I mean to obey;
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First gain their consent, and be faithful to me,
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And you shall enjoy your pretty Bessey.
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Then Bessey she sighd, and thus she did say,
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My father and mother I mean to obey;
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First gain their consent, and be faithful to me,
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And you shall enjoy your pretty Bessey.
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To every one this answer she made,
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Hereupon they each unto her said.
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This thing to peaform we now do agree,
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But who is the father of pretty Bessey.
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My father, said she, is plain to be seen,
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The silly blind Begger of Bednal Green;
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That often sits begging for charity,
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Yet he is the father of pretty Bessey.
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His marks and tokens are known very well,
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He always is led by a dog and a bell
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A silly poor man, God knoweth, is he,
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Yet he is the father of pretty Bessey.
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Nay, then, said the merchant, she is not for me
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And, said the inn-keeper, my bride she shant be
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I loath, quoth be gentleman, a beggars degree,
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And therefore adieu my pretty Bessey.
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Why then, quoth the knight, hap better or worse
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I weigh not true love by the weight of the purse,
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For beauty is beauty in every degree,
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Then welcome to me my pretty Bessey.
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Now with thee unto thy father Ill go,
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No, soft, quoth his kinsman, it must not be so,
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A beggars daughter no lady must be.
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Then now bid adieu to pretty Bessey.
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And soon after this by break of the day,
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The knight rode to Rumford and stole Bessey away,
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The young men of Rumford so thick as might be,
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Rode after to fetch again pretty Bessey
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As swift as the wind to ride they were seen,
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Uniil they were come near to Bednal Green:
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And as the knight alighted must courteously,
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They fought agai him for pretty Bessey,
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But rescue came presently over the plain,
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Or else the knight for his love had been slain,
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The fray being ended, then strait he did see
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His kinsman come railing against pretty Bessey.
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Than, said the blind beggar, altho I be poor,
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Rail not thus against my child at my own door;
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Tho she be not deckd in velvet and pearl,
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Yet I will drop angels with you for my girl.
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And then if my gold will not better her birth,
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And equal the gold you drop on the earth,
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Then neither rail not grudge you to see
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The blind beggars daughter a lady to be.
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But first I will he[ar], and have it well known,
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That the gold you drop be all your own.
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With that he answerd Contented I be.
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Then theres, quoth the beggar, for prety Bessey.
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With that an angel he cast on the ground,
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And dropt in angels to three thousand pounds;
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And oftentimes it proved most plain,
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For the gentlemans one the beggar dropt twain.
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So that the place whereon they did sit
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With gold was covered every whit.
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The gentleman then having dropt all his store,
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Said, Beggar, hold, I have no more.
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Thou hast performed thy promise right,
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Then marry the girl, quoth he to the knight.
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And here, quoth the beggar, I will throw down
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One hundred pounds more to buy her a gown.
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The gentleman who this treasure had seen
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Admired the begger of Bethnal-Green.
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And those that were her suitors before,
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Even for anger their flesh they tore.
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Thus was their Bessey a match for a knight,
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And made a lady in others despight,
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Sure a fairer lady there never was seen,
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Than the blind beggars daughter of Bethnal-Gr[een]
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But of her sumptuous marriage and feast,
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And what brave nobles were thither prest.
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The second part must set forth in sight,
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With extreme pleasure and wished delight,
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With a blind beggars daughter so fair and bright[.]
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That married was unto a young Knight,
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All the discourse thereof you may see,
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But now comes the wedding of pretty Bessey.
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PART. II.
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WITHIN a sumptous place most brave,
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Adorned with all the cost they could have;
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This wedding wasikept most sumptuously,
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And all for the love of pretty Bessey.
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All kinds of dainties most delicate sweet
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Were bought for the banquet, as was thought meet,
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Partridge and plover, and venison most free,
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Against the wedding of pretty Bessey.
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This wedding thro England was spread by report,
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So that great numbers did thither resort,
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Of nobles and gentry in each degree,
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All for the fame of pretty Bessey.
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To [c]hurch then went this handsome young knight
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His bride went after like a lady bright.
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Such a troop of ladies as never was seen,
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Then went with Bessey of Bethnal-Green.
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This wedding was solemnized,
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With musick performed by handsome young men.
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The nobles and gentry sat down at that tide,
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Each one admiring the handsome bride.
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Now after the sumptuous dinner was done.
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To talk and to reason vast numbers began,
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Of the blind beggars daughter so bright,
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And what with his daughter he gave to the knight.
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Then spake the nobles, Much marvel we
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The jolly blind beggar that here we cant see.
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My lords, quoth the bride, My fathers so base,
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Hes loath with his presence these states to debase.
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The praise of a woman in question to bring
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Before her own face is a flattering thing.
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We think thy fathers baseness, quoth they,
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Might by thy baauty be quite thrown away.
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They had no sooner these pleasant words spoke,
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But in come the beggar with a silken cloak:
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A velvet cap and a feather had he,
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And now a musician for sooth he would be.
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And being led in from catching of harm,
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He touched the strings which made such a charm,
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And said, Please to hear some musick from me.
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A song I must sing of pretty Bessey.
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With that his lute he twangd straitway,
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And thereon began most sweetly to play:
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So after a lesson was playd two or three,
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He straind out his song most delicately.
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A beggars daughter did live on the green,
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Who for her beauty might well be a queen.
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For a brisk jolly lass and handsome was she,
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And she was called pretty Bessey.
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Her father had no goods nor no land,
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But beggd for a penny each day with his hand.
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And tho in marriage he gave thousands three,
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Yet still he has something for pretty Bessey.
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Now if any one her birth doth shine,
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Her fathr is ready with might and main;
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To prove she is come of a noble degree,
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Therefore let none flout my pretty Bessey.
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Hereupon the lords and gentlemen round,
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With a great laughter were ready to sound,
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At last said the lords, Too plain tis to see,
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Both bride and bridegroom are beholden to thee
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With that the fair bride blushing did rise,
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And the clear water did stands in her eyes;
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Pardon my father, dear nobles, said she
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Since thro blind affection he doateth on me,
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If this be thy father, the nobles did say,
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Well may he be proud of this happy day;
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Yet by his countenance well we may see,
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His Birth with his fortune doth not agree:
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Now prithee, blind beggar, unto us bewray,
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And look that the truth unto us you say.
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Your birth and your parentage what it may be,
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For the love that thou bearest to pretty Bessey.
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Now give me leave, ye gentles each one,
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A song for to sing, and then Ill be gone.
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Now if I dont win your good report,
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Pray do not give me a groat for my sport.
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When first our king his fame to advance,
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Sought for his title in delicate France:
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In many places great perils passd he,
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But then was not born my pretty Bessey.
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Now in these wars went forth to fight
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Many a brave lord, duke, and knight;
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And with them young Monford of courage so free
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But then was not born my pretty Bessey.
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And there did Monford, with a knock oth face,
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Lose both his eyes in a very short space,
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His life had also been gone with his sight,
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Had not a young woman come forth in the night.
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Among the slain men her fancy to move,
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To search for her true and only love;
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Who seeing young Monford there gasping to lie,
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Did save his life out of meer charity.
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And then all our victuals in beggars attire,
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At the hands of good Christians we did desire;
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At last in England, as now it is seen,
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We came, and remained in Bethnal-Green.
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And thus we have lived in fortunes despight.
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Tho poor, yet contented with humble delight;
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Now in my old years a comfort to be,
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God sent me a daughter calld pretty Bessey.
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And thus, brave nobles. my song I do end,
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Hoping the same no one to offend:
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Full forty long winters thus have I been
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The silly poor beggar of Bethnal-Green.
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Now when the company every one,
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Heard this strange tale unto them shown,
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They were all amazed, as well they might be,
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Both at the blind beggar and pretty Bessey.
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With that the fair maiden they did embrace,
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Saying, Yon are come of a comely race:
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Thy father likewise of a noble degree,
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And thou art right worthy a lady to be.
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Thus was the feast ended in joy and delight;
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A happy bridegroom was made the knight,
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Who lived in joy and felicity,
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All with his fair lady, the pretty Bessey
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