They had no fooner these pleasant words fpoke, He had a daintye lute under his arme, He touched the ftrings, which made fuch a charme, With that his lute he twanged ftraightway, 35 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, 50 55 With With that the lords and the company round On this the bride all blushing did rife, If this be thy father, the nobles did say, And therfore, blind man, we pray thee bewray, 60 65 "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; 75 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, 85 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, "A barons faire daughter ftept forth in the nighte "To search for her father, who fell in the fight, 95 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, ་་ 109 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, With that the sweete maiden they all did embrace, And thou art right worthy a ladye to bee. 120 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, 66 * Lond. 1589. p. 172, |