They had no fooner these pleasant words fpoke,
But in comes the beggar clad in a filke cloke;
A faire velvet capp, and a fether had hee,
And now a muficyan forfooth he wold bee.

He had a daintye lute under his arme,

He touched the ftrings, which made fuch a charme,
Saies, Please you to heare any muficke of mee,
Ile fing you a fong of prettye Beffee.

With that his lute he twanged ftraightway,
And thereon begann most sweetlye to play ;
And after that leffons were playd two or three,
He ftrayn'd out this fong moft delicatelìe.

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40

"A poore beggars daughter did dwell on a greene, 45 "Who for her faireneffe might well be a queene: "A blithe bonny laffe, and a dainty was shee, "And many one called her prettye Beffee.

"Her father he had noe goods, nor noe land, "But beggd for a penny all day with his hand; "And yett to her marriage he gave thoufands three, "And ftill he hath fomewhat for prettye Beffee.

"And if any one here her birth doe disdaine,
"Her father is ready, with might and with maine,
"To prove thee is come of noble degree :
"Therfòre never flout at prettye Beffes."

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With

With that the lords and the company round
With hearty laughter were readye to fwound;
At laft fayd the lords, Full well wee may see,
The bride and the beggar's beholden to thee.

On this the bride all blushing did rife,
The pearlie dropps standing within her faire eyes,
O pardon my father, grave nobles, quoth shee,
That throughe blind affection thus doteth on mee.

If this be thy father, the nobles did say,
Well may he be proud of this happy day;
Yett by his countenance well may we see,
His birth and his fortune did never agree :

And therfore, blind man, we pray thee bewray,
(And looke that the truth thou to us doe fay)
Thy birth and thy parentage, what it may bee;
For the love that thou beareft to prettye Bessee,

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"Then give me leave, nobles and gentles, each one, "One fong more to fing, and then I have done; "And if that itt may not winn good report, "Then do not give me a GROAT for my sport.

"[Sir Simon de Montfort my fubject shal bee;
"Once chiefe of all the great barons was hee,
"Yet fortune fo cruelle this lorde did abase,
"Now lofte and forgotten are hee and his race.

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80 "When

"When the barons in armes did king Henrye oppose, "Sir Simon de Montfort their leader they chose; "A leader of courage undaunted was hee, "And oft-times hee made their enemyes flee.

"At length in the battle on Eveshame plaine "The barons were routed, and Montfort was flaine; "Mofte fatall that battel did prove unto thee,

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Thoughe thou waft not borne then, my prettye Beffee!

"Along with the nobles, that fell at that tyde,, "His eldest fon Henrye, who fought by his fide, 90 "Was fellde by a blowe, he receivde in the fight! "A blowe that deprivde him for ever of fight.

"Among the dead bodyes all lifeleffe he laye,
"Till evening drewe on of the following daye,
"When by a yong ladye discoverd was hee;
"And this was thy mother, my prettye Beffee!

"A barons faire daughter ftept forth in the nighte "To search for her father, who fell in the fight,

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And seeing yong Montfort, where gafping he laye, "Was moved with pitye, and brought him awaye, 100

"In fecrette fhe nurft him, and fwaged his paine, "While he throughe the realme was beleevd to be flaine: "At lengthe his faire bride the consented to bee, "And made him glad father of prettye Bessee.

" And

"And nowe left oure foes oure lives fholde betraye, 105

We clothed ourselves in beggars arraye;

"Her jewelles fhee folde, and hither came wee: "All our comfort and care was our prettye Beffee.]

"And here have we lived in fortunes defpite,

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Thoughe meane, yet contented with humble delighte: "Thus many longe winters nowe have I beene "The fillye blinde beggar of Bednall-greene.

"And here, noble lordes, is ended the fonge "Of one, that once to your own ranke did belong: "And thus have you learned a fecrette from mee, 115 "That ne'er had beene knowne, but for prettye Beffee."

Now when the faire companye everye one,

Had heard the strange tale in the fong he had fhowne,
They all were amazed, as well they might bee,
Both at the blinde beggar, and prettye Beffee.

With that the sweete maiden they all did embrace,
Saying, Sure thou art come of an honourable race,
Thy father likewise is of noble degree,

And thou art right worthy a ladye to bee.

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Thus was the feaft ended with joye, and delighte, 125 A bridegroome most happye then was the yong knighte, In joye and felicitie long lived hee,

All with his faire ladye, the prettye Beffee.

XI. FANCY

XI.

FANCY AND DESIRE.

BY THE EARL OF OXFORD.

Edward Vere Earl of Oxford was in high fame for his poetical talents in the reign of Elizabeth: perhaps it is no injury to his reputation that few of his compofitions are preferved for the infpection of impartial pofterity. To gratify curiofity, we have inferted a fonnet of his, which is quoted with great encomiums for its "excellencie and wit," in Puttenham's Arte of Eng. Poefie*, and found intire in the Garland of Good-will: A few more of his fonnets (diftinguished by the initial letters E. O.) may be feen in the Paradife of Daintie Devifes. One of thefe is intitled, "The Complaint of a Lover, wearing blacke and tawnie." The only

lines in it worth notice are thefe,

A crowne of baies fhall that man beare'

Who triumphs over me;

For black and tawnie will I weare,

Which mourning colours be.

We find in Hall's Chronicle, that when 2 Catharine of Arragon dyed Jan. 8. 1536; “ Queen Anne [Bullen] ware YELLOWE for the mourning." And when this unfortunate · princefs loft her head May 19. the fame year," on the afcen"cion day following, the kyng for mourning ware WHYTE." Fol. 227, 228. Edward,

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* Lond. 1589. p. 172,