The Rarest BALLAD that ever was seen,
Of the Blind BEGGER's DAUGHTER of Bednal-Green.
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IT was a blind beggar that long lost his sight,
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He had a fair 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 his heir,
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Of ancient house-keepers despised 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 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 gray russet, and late in the night,
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From father and mother alone parted she,
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Wo sighed and sobbed for pretty Bessee.
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She went till she came at Stratford near Bow,
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Then knew she 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 until it was day,
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And went unto Rumford along the high-way,
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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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Was straight-way 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 young men of Rumford in her had their joy,
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She shew'd herself courteous, but 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 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 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 disguis'd in the night;
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The second a gentleman of good degree,
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Who wooed and sued for 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 dye for pretty Bessee.
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And if thou wilt marry with me, quod the knight,
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I'll make thee a lady with joy and delight,
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My heart is inthralled 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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In silks 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 gallant and gay,
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My ships shall bring home rich jewels for 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 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 fulfil we all do agree,
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But where dwells thy father, my pritty Bessee?
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My father, quoth she, is plain to be seen,
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The silly blind beggar 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 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 wife shall not be;
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I loath (quoth the Gentleman) a beggar's degree,
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Therefore fare you well, my pretty Bessee.
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Why then (quod 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 they were seen,
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Until they came near to 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 been slain.
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The fray being ended, then straight 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 mine own door;
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Though she be not deckt with velvet and pearl,
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Yet will I drop angles with thee for 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 replyed, Contented we be;
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Then there's (quoth the beggar) for pretty Bessee,
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With that an angle he cast on the ground,
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And dropped in angles 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 whereas he did sit,
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With gold was covered evey 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 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 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 matcht to 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 thither was prest,
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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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Of a blind beggar's daughter most fair & bright
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That late was betrothed to 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 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 wedding thro' England was spread by report,
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So that a great number did thither 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 ne'r 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 performed by skilful men,
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The nobles and gentiles sat down at that tide,
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Each one beholding the beautiful bride.
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But after their 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 with 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 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 forfooth 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 songlong I'll sing you of pretty Bessee.
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With that his lute he twang'd 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 strained 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 may well be a queen,
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A blith bonny lass, and dainty was she,
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And many one called her pretty Bessee.
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Her father had no goods nor no lands,
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But begged for a penny all with his hands,
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And yet for her marriage gave thousands three,
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Yet still he hath somewhat 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 at my pretty Bessee.
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With that the lords and company round,
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With hearty laughter was ready to sound;
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At last said the Lords, Full well we may see
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The bride and the beggar's beholding 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, 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 happy 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 beggar, 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, you Gentles each one,
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A song more to sing, and then i'll 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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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 also had been gone with his sight,
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Had not a young woman come forth o'th' night,
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Amongst the slain men her fancy doth move
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To search and to seek her own true love,
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Who seeing young Monford there gashing to lie,
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She saved his life through her charity;
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And then all our victuals in beggars attire,
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At the 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 Fortune's despight,
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Though poor, yet contented, with humble delight,
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And in my old years a comfort to be,
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God sent me a daughter call'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 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 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, You're come of an honourable race,
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Thy father likewise of a 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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