THE BLIND BEGGAR'S DAUGHTER OF BEDNALL GREEN. The copy here given of this favourite popular ballad is printed from a modern broadside, "carefully collated," with a copy in the Bagford collection. 6 “Pepys, in his diary, 25th June, 1663, speaks of going with Sir William and Lady Batten, and Sir J. Minnes, to Sir W. Rider's at Bednall Green, to dinner, a fine place;' and adds, This very house was built by the blind beggar of Bednall Green, so much talked of and sung in ballads; but they say it was only some outhouses of it.”—CHAPPEll. 'HIS song's of a beggar who long lost sight, And had a fair daughter, most pleasant and bright; And many a gallant brave suitor had she, And none was so comely as pretty Bessee. And though she was of complexion most fair, Wherefore in great sorrow fair Bessee did say, This Bessee, that was of a beauty most bright, She went till she came to Stratford-a-Bow, She kept on her journey until it was day, She had not been there one month at an end, But master and mistress and all was her friend; And every brave gallant that once did her see Was straightway in love with pretty Bessee. Great gifts they did send her in silver and gold, The young men of Rumford in her had their joy ; She shewed herself courteous, but never too coy, And at their commandment still she would be, So fair and so comely was pretty Bessee. Four suitors at once unto her did go, Now one of them was a gallant young knight, A merchant of London, whose wealth was not small, Was then the third suitor, and proper withal; Her master's own son the fourth man must be, Who swore he would die for pretty Bessee. "If that thou wilt marry with me," quoth the knight, "I'll make thee a lady with joy and delight; My heart is enthralled in thy fair beauty, Then grant me thy favour, my pretty Bessee." BB The gentleman said, "Come marry with me, "Let me be thy husband," the merchant did say, Then Bessee she sighed, and thus she did say; To every one of them that answer she made; But where dwells thy father, my pretty Bessee?" "My father," quoth she, "is soon to be seen; The silly blind beggar of Bednall Green, That daily sits begging for charity, He is the kind father of pretty Bessee. "His marks and his token are knowen full well; He always is led by a dog and a bell; A poor silly old man, God knoweth, is he, Yet he is the true father of pretty Bessee." 66 Nay, nay," quoth the merchant, "thou art not for me;" "She," quoth the innholder, "my wife shall not be;" "I loathe," said the gentleman, "a beggars degree, Therefore, now farewell, my pretty Bessee." "Why then," quoth the knight, "happ better or worse, I weigh not true love by the weight of the purse, And beauty is beauty in every degree; Then welcome to me, my dear pretty Bessee." "With thee to thy father forthwith I will go." "Nay, forbear," quoth his kinsman, " it must not be so : A poor beggars daughter a lady sha'nt be; Then take thy adieu of thy pretty Bessee. As soon then as it was break of the day, The knight had from Rumford stole Bessee away; The young men of Rumford, so sick as may be, Rode after to fetch again pretty Bessee. As swift as the wind to ride they were seen, But rescue came presently over the plain, Or else the knight there for his love had been slain; Then bespoke the Blind Beggar, " Altho' I be poor, "And then if my gold should better her birth, "But first, I will hear, and have it well known, The gold that you drop it shall be all you own;" "With that," they replied, "contented we be;" "Then heres," quoth the beggar, "for pretty Bessee." With that an angel he dropped on the ground, For the gentlemans one, the beggar dropped twain. So that the whole place wherein they did sit With gold was covered every whit; The gentleman having dropt all his store, Said, "Beggar, your hand hold, for I have no more. "Thou hast fulfilled thy promise aright;" The gentlemen all, who his treasure had seen, Thus was fair Bessee matched to a knight, And made a lady in others despite : A fairer lady there never was seen Than the Blind Beggars daughter of Bednall Green. But of her sumptuous marriage and feast, The second part shall set forth to your sight, With marvellous pleasure, and wished for delight. PART II. OF a blind beggars daughter so bright, It was in a gallant palace most brave, |