The rarest Ballad that ever was seen,
Of the Blind beggers daughter of Bednall-green
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IT was a blind begger that long lost his sight,
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He had a fair daughter most pleasant and brght
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And many agalant brave Suitor had she,
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For none was so comely as pretty Bessee,
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And though she was of favour most fair,
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Yet seeind the was but a begger his heir,
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Of ancient house keepers dispised was she,
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Whose Sons came as Suitors to pretty Bessee,
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Wherefore in great sorrow fair Bessee did say,
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Good Father and mother let me go away,
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To seek out my fortune whereever it be,
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This suit then they granted to pretty Bessee.
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Then Bessee that was of beauty most bright,
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They clad in gray Russet, and late in the night,
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From Father and mother alone parted shee,
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Who sighed and sobbed for pretty Bessee.
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She went till she came to Stratford at Bow,
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Then knew she not whether 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 Bessee;
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She kept on her journey untill it was day,
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and went unto Rumford along the highway,
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And at the Queens arms entertained was she,
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So fair and well favourd was pretty Bessee.
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She had not been there one month to an end,
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But Master and Mistris and all was her friend.
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And every brave Gallant that once did her see,
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Was straightway in love with pretty Bessee.
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Great gifts they did send her of silver and gold,
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And in their songs daily her Love they extold.
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Her beauty was blazed in every degree,
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So fair and so comely was pretty Bessee.
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The youngmen of Rumford in her had their joy
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She shewd herself courteous and never too coy.
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And at their commandment still would she be,
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So fair and so comely was prett Bessee.
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Four Suitors at once unto her did go,
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They craved her favour but still she said no.
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I would not wish Gentlemen to marry with me,
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Yet ever they honoured pretty Bessee
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The one of them was a gallant young Knight,
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And he came to her disguised in the night.
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The second a Gentleman of good degree.
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Who wood and sued for pretty Bessee.
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A merchant of Lon. whose wealth was not small
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Was then the third Suitor and proper withall
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Her Masters own Son the fourth man must be,
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Who swore he would dye for pretty Bessee
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And if thou wilt marry with me quod the Knight.
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Ile make thee a Lady with joy and delight
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My heart is inthralled by thy beauty.
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Then grant me thy favour my pretty Bessee.
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The Gentleman said come marry with me,
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In silk and in velvet my Bessee shall be
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My heart lives distressed O hear me quoth he
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And grant me thy love my pretty Bessee.
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Let me be thy husband the Merchant did say
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thou shalt live in London most galint and gay
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My Ship shall bring home rich Jewels for thee
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And I will for ever love pretty Bessee
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then Bessee she sighed, and thus she did say
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My Father and Mother I mean to obey
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First get their good will and be faithfull to me
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And you shall enjoy your pretty Bessee,
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To everyone this answer she made
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Wherefore unto her they joyfully said,
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this thing to fulfill we all do agree,
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and where dwells thy father my pretty Bessee,
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My Father quoth she is soon to be seen,
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The silly blind begger of Bednal-green.
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That daily sits begging for charity,
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He is the good Father of pretty Bessee.
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His marks and his tokens are known full well.
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He alwayes is led with a dog and a bel:
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A silly o[l]d man God knoweth is he,
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Yet he is the Father of pretty Bessee.
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Nay then quoth the merchant thou art not for me
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Nor quoth the Inholder my wife shalt thou be,
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I loath quoth the Gentleman a beggers degree,
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I herefore fare you well my pretty Bessee.
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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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and beauty is beauty in every degree,
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Then welcome to me my pretty Bessee.
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With thee to thy Father forthwith will I go,
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Nay soft quoth his Kinsman it must not be so:
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A beggers daughter no Lady shall be.
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Then take thy adieu of pretty Bessee.
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But soon after this by break of the day,
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The knight had from Rumford stole Bessee away
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The young men of Rumford so sick as maybe,
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Rode after to fetch again pretty Bessee.
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As swift as the wind to ride they were seen,
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Untill they came neer unto Bednal-green.
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And as the Knight lighted most courteously,
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They fought against him for pretty Bessee.
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But Rescue came presently over the plain,
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Or else the Knight for his Love there had bin slain
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The fray being ended then straight he did see,
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His Kinsman came railing for pretty Bessee
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Then speak the blind begger although I be poor,
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Raile not against my child at mine own door.
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Though she be not deckt with Velvet and Pearls
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Yet will I drop angels with thee for my Girle
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and then if my Gold wilt better her birth,
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And equal the gold you lay on the earth,
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Then neither raile nor grudge you to see,
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The blind beggers daughter a Lady to be,
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But first I will hear and have it well known,
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The gold that you drop shall be all your own.
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With that they replyed contented we be
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Then here's quoth the begger for pretty Bessee
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With that an angel he cast on the ground,
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and dropped in angels full three thousand pound
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and oftentimes it proved most plain,
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For the Gentlemans one the begger dropt twain
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So as the place whereas they did sit,
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With gold was covered every whit,
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the Gentleman having dropt all his store.
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Said Begger hold for I have no more:
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thou hast fulfilled thy promise arright,
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then marry my Girle quoth he to this Knight:
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and here quoth he Ile throw you down,
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A hundred pound more to buy her a Gown:
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the gentlemen all that this treasure had seen,
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Admired the begger of Bednall green
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And those that were her suitors before-
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their flesh for very anger they tore:
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thus was their bessee matcht to the Knight:
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and made a Lady in others despight.
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A fairer Lady was never seen
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then the beggers daughter of Bednal green
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But of her sumptuous marriage and feast
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and what brave Lords & Knighds thither was prest
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the Second part shall set forth to your sight
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With marvellous pleasure and wished delight:
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OF a blind beggers daughter most fair & bright
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That late was betrothed unto a young knight
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All the discourses thereof you may see.
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But now comes the wedding of pretty Bessee.
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Within a gallant Palace most brave,
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Adorned with all the cost they could have,
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This wedding was kept most sumptuously.
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And all for the love of pretty Bessee.
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All kind of dainties and delicates sweet,
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Was brought to their banquet as was thought meet,
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Partridge, Plover and Venison most free.
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Against the brave wedding of pretty Bessee.
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This weding through England was spread by report
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So that a great number thereto did resort,
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Of Nobles and Gentiles of every degree,
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And all for the fame of pretty Bessee.
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To Church then went this gallant young Knight,
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His bride followed after like a Lady most bright,
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With Troops of Ladies the like was nere seen,
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As went with sweet Bessee of Bednal-green.
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This wedding being solemnized then,
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With musick perform[']d by skilfull men.
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The Nobles and Gentiles sate down at that Tide,
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Each one beholding the beautifull bride.
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But after this sumptudus dinner was done.
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To talk and to reason a number begun,
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Of the blind beggers daughter most bright,
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and what with his daughter he gave to the Knight.
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Then speak the Nobles much marveil have we,
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The jolly blind begger we cannot here 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 disgrace.
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The praise of a woman in question to brin[g].
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Before her own face here were a flattering thing.
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We think thy fathers basenesse quoth they,
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Might by thy beauty be clean put away.
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They had no sooner those pleasant words spoke,
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But in comes the begger in a silken Cloke.
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A Velvet cap and a feather had he,
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and now a musitian for sooth he would be.
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and being led in from catching of harm,
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He had a dainty Lute under his arm,
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Said please you hear any musick of me,
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a song I will sing you of pretty Bessee,
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With that his Lute he twanged straightway,
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and thereon began most sweetly to play.
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and after a Lesson was plaid two or three,
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he straind out this song most delicately.
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A Beggers daughter did dwell on a green
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Who for her beauty may well be a Queen
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A blyth boony lass and dainty was she,
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And many a one called her pretty Bessee,
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Her Father had no goods nor no lands,
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But begd for a penny all day with his hands
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and yet for her marriage he gave thousand three
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Yet still hath some what for pretty Bessee.
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And if any one her birth do disdain
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Her Father is ready with might and with main
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To prove she is come of a noble degre
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Therefore let none flout at my prety Bessee.
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With that the Lords and company round
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With hearty laughter was ready to soun,
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At last said the Lords full well we may see
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The bride and the beggers beholding to thee.
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With that the bride all blushing did rise,
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With the salt water within her fair eyes
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Pardon my Father grave Nobles quoth she,
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That through blind affection thus doteth 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 haypy day,
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Yet by his countenance well we may see,
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His birth with his fortune did never agree.
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And therefore blind begger we pray thee bewray
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And look that the truth to us thou do say,
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Thy birth and thy parentage what it might be
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Even for the love thou bearest to pretty Bessee.
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Then give me leave yon Gentiles each one,
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A Song more to sing and then Ile be gone,
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And if that I do not win good report,
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then do not give me a groat for my sport
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WHen first our King his fame did advance,
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& fought for his title in delicate France
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In many places great perils past he,
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But th[e]n was not born my pretty bessee
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And in those wars went over to fight,
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Many a brave Duke a Lord and a Knight.
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& with them yong Monford of courage so free,
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but then was not born my pretty bessee,
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& there did yong Monford by a blow oth face
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Loose both his eyes in a very short space,
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His life had also been gone with his fight,
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Had not a yong woman come forth in the night
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Among the slain men her fancy did move,
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To search and to seek for her own true love
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Who seeing yong Montford there gasping to ly
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she saved his life through her charity.
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And then all our victuals in beggers attire,
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At hands of good people we then did require,
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At last into England as now it is seen,
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We came and remained at bednal green.
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And thus we have lived in fortunes despight
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Though poor yet conented with humble delite
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And in my old years a comfort to be
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God sent me a daughter cal[]d pretty bessee,
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And thus you nobles my song I do end,
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Hoping the same no man doth offend,
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Full forty long winters thus have I been
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A silly blind begger of bednal green
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Now when the company every one
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Did hear the strange tale in song he had shown
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They were all amazed as well they migh be,
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Both at the blind begger and pretty Bessee.
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With that the fair bride they then did imbrace
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saying, you are come of an honourable Race,
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Thy Father likewise of a high degree.
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And thou as worthy a Lady to be,
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Thus was the feast ended with joy and delight
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A happy Bridegroom was made the young Knight
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Who lived in joy and felicity.
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With his fair Lady pretty Bessee.
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