Part the Second.

off a blind beggars daughter mofthright. That young king, twar astrothed unto a All the discourse ther of you did sel; But now comes of weddy. of pretty Bifree gushant palau

ANCIENT POE M S.,

one time

of

To return to the word FIT; it feems at fat to have pe-
culiarly fignified the pause, or breathing-time between the
feveral parts, (answering to PASSUS, in, the vifions Othevy Chase.
ang en 13948
7 (Vol. I. p.9.)

Pierce Plowman): thus in the old poom
, the first Part ends with this line,

I fynde

"The first IT bere foud wee:"

i. e. bere grees it came to fignify the whole part or division preceding (Sse Vol.the pause This fenfe it had obtained fo early as the time pag. 16A of Chaucer: who thus concludes the first part of his rhyme 173. of Sir Thopas (writ in ridicule of the old ballad romances)

come to the first pause or intermiffion. By de- [See also,

White Line

Sign

"Lo! lordis mine, here is a FITT;

if ye

66

swoll any more of it,

To tell it woll I fonde."

to have

The Word forinder appears originally I hat

domavill find further remarks on the quard Fey

bend of this Volume and in the Gloffaryta Vol I &

PART THE SECOND.

WITHIN

ITHIN a gorgeous palace most brave, kn
Adorned with all the coît they cold have,

This wedding was kept most sumptuouslìe,

And all for the creditt of pretty Beffee.

All kind of dainties,

and delicates sweete

Were bought for the

banquet, as it was meete; Partridge, and plover, and venifon moft free, Against the brave wedding of pretty Beffee.

As

marriage

This wedding through England was fpread by report,

So that a great number therto did resort
Of nobles and gentles in every degree;

And all for the fame of prettye Beffee."

To church then went this gallant young knight;
His bride followed after, an angell malt bright,
With troopes of ladyes, the like nee was feene
went with sweete Beffy of Bednall-greene.

This marryage being folemnized then,
With muficke performed by the skilfullest men,
The nobles and gentles fate downe at that tyde,
Each one admiring the beautifull bryde.

Now, after the fumptuous dinner was done,
To talke, and to reason a number begunn :

15

:20

13

20

25

They talkt of the blind beggars daughter moft bright,
And what with his daughter he gave to the knight,

Then fpake the nobles, "Much marveil have wee, 255

e

This jolly blind beggar we cannot here fee."

My lords, quoth the bride, my father's fo bafe,

He is loth with his prefence these states to disgrace.

30

"The prayse of a woman in queftyon to bringe
Before her own face, were a flattering thinge;

But wee thinke thy father's bafenefs, quoth they, 35
Might by thy bewtye be cleane put awaye."
4

They

And being led in for catch? of harms He huda dainty: Luto