THE
Blind BEGGAR
OF
BEDNAL-GREEN.
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IT was a blind Beggar that long lost his Sight,
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he had fair a Daughter most pleasant and bright,
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and many a gallant 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 seeing she was but a Beggar's Heir,
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of ancient House keepers dispised was she,
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who 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 my Way,
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to seek out my Fortune where ever it be,
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the Suit was then granted to pretty Bessee.
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Thus Bessee, 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 Bessee.
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She went till she came to Stratford near 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 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 King's Arms entertained was she,
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so fair and well favour'd was pretty Bessee.
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She had not been there one Month to an End,
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but Master and Mistress, and all was her Friend;
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and every brave Gallant that once did her see,
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where straitway 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 her Songs daily her Love they extoll'd,
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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 young Men in Rumford in her had their Joy:
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she shew'd herself courteous but never to coy;
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and at her Commandment still would they be,
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so fair and so comely was pretty 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 with 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 disguis'd in the Night;
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the second a Gentleman of good Degree,
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who woed and sued to pretty Bessee.
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A Merchant of London whose wealth was not small
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was then the third Suitor and proper withal;
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her Master's own Son the fourth Man must be,
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who swore he would die for pretty Bessee.
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And if thou wilt marry with me quoth the Knight
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I'll make the a Lady with Joy and Delight;
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my Heart is inthrall'd by thy fair 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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thou shalt live in London most gallant and gay,
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my Ships shall bring home rich Jewels to thee,
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and I will forever 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 faithful to me,
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and thou shalt 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 fulfil we all do agree,
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but where dwell, thy Father my pretty Bessee.
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My Father, quoth she, is plain to be seen,
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the silly blind Beggar of Rednal 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 always is led with a Dog and a Bell;
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a silly old 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 Bride shall not be;
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I loath, quoth the Gentleman, a Beggar's Degree;
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and so 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 Beggar's Daughter no Lady shall be,
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then take thy adieu of pretty Bessee.
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And 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 may be,
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rode after to fetch again pretty Bessee.
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As swift as the Wind to ride the were seen,
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until they came near 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 had been slain;
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the Fray being ended, then strait he did see,
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his Kinsman come railing at pretty Bessee.
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Then speak the blind Beggar, altho' I be poor,
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rail not against my Child at my own Door;
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though she be not deck'd with Velvet and Pearl,
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yet will I drop Angels for thee with my Girl.
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And then if my Gold will better her Birth,
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and equal the Gold that you lay on the Earth,
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then neither rail nor grudge you to see,
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the blind Beggar's 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 reply'd contented we be,
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then there's, quoth the Beggar, 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 Gentleman's one, the Beggar dropt twain.
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So as the Place where he 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, Beggar, hold, for I have no more.
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Thou hast fulfilled thy Promise aright,
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then marry my Girl, quoth he to the Knight:
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and here, quoth he, I'll throw thee 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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admir'd the Beggar of Bednal 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 a Match for a Knight,
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and made a Lady in others Despight;
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a fairer Lady there never was seen,
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than the Beggar's Daughter of Bednal Green.
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But of her sumptuous Marriage and Feast,
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and what brave Lords and Knights theither were,
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the second Part shall set forth to your Sight,
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with marvelous Pleasure and wished Delight.
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The Second PART.
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WIthin a gallant Palace most brave,
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adorn'd 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 most dilicate sweet,
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were brought to their Banquet as was thought meet;
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Patridge, Plover, and Veneson most free,
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against the brave Wedding of pretty Bessee.
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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 Gentles 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 follow'd after like a Lady most bright,
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with Troops of Ladies, the like was ne'er seen,
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as went wirh sweet Bessee to Bednal-Green.
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This Wedding being solemnized then,
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with Musick performed by skilful Men;
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the Nobles and Gentles sate down at that Tide,
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each one beholding the beautiful Bride.
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But after the sumptuous Dinner was done,
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to talk and to reason a Number begun;
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of the blind Beggar's Daughter most bright,
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and what his Daughter he gave to the Knight.
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Then spake the Nobles much marvel have we,
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the jolly blind Beggar we cannot here see;
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my Lords, quoth the Bride, my Father's so base,
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he's loath with his Presence these States to disgrace.
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The Praise of a Woman in question to bring,
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before her own Face were a flattering thing;
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we think thy Father's baseness(quoth they)
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might by thy beauty be clean put away.
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They had no sooner these pleasant Words spoke,
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but in comes 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 forsooth he would be.
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And being led in from catching of Harm,
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he touch'd his Strings which made such a Charm,
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said, please you to hear any Musick of me,
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a Song I'll sing of pretty Bessee.
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With that his Lute he twang'd straitway,
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and thereon began most sweetly to play,
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and after a Lesson was play'd two or three,
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he strain'd out his Song most delicately.
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A Beggar's Daughter did dwell on the Green,
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who for her Beauty might well be a Queen;
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a blith bonny Lass and dainty was she,
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and many one call'd her pretty Bessee.
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Her Father had no Goods nor Lands,
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but begg'd for a Penny all Day with his Hands;
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and yet in Marriage gave thousands three,
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yet still he has something for pretty Bessee.
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And if anyone 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 Degree,
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therefore let none flout my pretty Bessee.
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With that the Lords and Company round,
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with hearty Laughter were ready to sound;
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at last said the Lords full well may we see,
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the Bride and the Beggar's beholden to thee.
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With that the Bride all blushing did rise,
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with the fair Water all in her bright Eyes.
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Pardon my Father brave Nobles (quoth she)
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who through blind Affection thus doteth on me.
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If this be thy Father the Nobles did say,
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then may he be proud of this happy Day;
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Yet by his Countenance well may we see,
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his Birth with his Fortune did never agree.
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And therefore blind Beggar we pray the bewray,
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and look that the Truth to us thou dost 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, you Gentles each one,
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a Song for to sing and then I'll begone;
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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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and fought for his Title in delicate France;
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in many Places great Perils past he,
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but then 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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and with them young Monford of Courage so free,
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but then was not born my pretty Bessee.
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And there did young Monford with a Blow o' th' 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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Amongst the slain Men her Fancy doth move,
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to search and to seek for her own true Love;
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who seeing young Monford there gasping to die,
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she saved his Life through her Charity.
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And then all our Victuals in Beggar's Attire,
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at the Hands of good People we then did require;
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at last unto England. as now it seen.
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we came and remained at Bednal-Green.
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And thus we have lived in Fortune's Despight,
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though poor yet contented with humble Delight:
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and in my old Age a Comfort to be,
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God sent me a Daughter call'd pretty Bessee.
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And thus you, my Nobles my Song I do end,
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hopeing the same doth no Man offend;
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full forty long Winners thus I have been,
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a silly blind Beggar of Bednal-Green.
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Now when the Company had every one,
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heard the strange Tale in the Song he had 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 Bessee.
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With that the fair Bride they then did embrace,
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saying, your come of an honourable Race;
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thy Father likewise of high Degree,
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and thou art 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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