She kept on her journey untill it was day,

And went unto Rumford along the hye way;

Where at the Queenes armes entertained was shee;
So faire and wel favoured was prettye Befsee.

Shee had not beene there a month to an end,
But master and miftres and all was her friend :
And every
brave gallant, that once did her see,
Was ftrait-way enamourd of prettye Befsee.

Great gifts they did fend her of filver and gold,
And in their fongs daylye her love was extold;
Her beawtye was blazed in every degree;
Soe faire and foe comlye was prettye Befsee.

25

30

The yong men of Rumford in her had their joy;
Shee fhewd herfelfe curteous, and modeftlye coye;
And at her commandment ftill wold they bee;
Soe faire and fo comly was prettye Befsee.

35

Foure fuitors att once unto her did goe;

They craved her favor, but ftill shee fayd noe:
I wold not wish gentles to marry with mee.
Yett ever they honoured prettye Befsee.

The first of them was a gallant yong knight,
And he came unto her disguifde in the night:
The fecond a gentleman of good degree,
Who wooed and fued for prettye Bcfsee.

40

A

A merchant of London, whose wealth was not fmall, 45
He was the third fuiter, and proper withall :
Her masters own fonne the fourth man must bee,
Who fwore he wold dye for prettye Befsee.

And, if thou wilt marry with mee, quoth the knight,
Ile make thee a ladye with joy and delight:

My hart's fo inthralled by thy bewtìe,
That foone I shall dye for prettye Befsee.

50

The gentleman fayd, Come, marry with mee,
As fine as a ladye my Befsy fhal bee :

My life is diftreffed: O heare me, quoth hee;
And grant me thy love, my prettye Befsce.

55

Let me bee thy hufband, the merchant could fay,
Thou shalt live in London both gallant and gay;
My fhippes fhall bring home rych jewels for thee,
And I will for ever love
Befsee.
prettye

Then Beffy fhee fighed, and thus fhee did fay,
My father and mother I meane to obey ;

First gett their good will, and be faithfull to mee,
And you fhall enjoye your pretty Befsee.

60

To every one this anfwer fhee made,
Wherfore unto her they joyfullye fayd,

This thing to fulfill wee all doe agree;

But where dwells thy father, my prettye Befsee?

65

My

My father, she fayd, is foone to be feene;
The feely blind beggar of Bednall-greene,
That daylye fits begging for charitìe,
He is the good father of prettye Befsee.

His markes and his tokens are knowen very
He always is led with a dogg and a bell :

A feely olde man God knoweth is hee,
Yett hee is the father of prettye Befsee.

well;

70

75

Nay then, quoth the merchant, thou art not for mee:
Nor, quoth the inholder, my wiffe fhalt thou bee:
I lothe, fayd the gentle, a beggars degree,
And therfore, adewe, my prettye Bessee!

Why then, quoth the knight, hap better or worse,
I weighe not true love by the weight of the purse,
And bewtye is bewtye in every degree;

Then welcome unto mee, my pretty Befsee.

80

With thee to thy father forthwith I will goe.
Nay fcft, quoth his kinfmen, it must not be foe;

85

A poor beggars daughter noe ladye fhal bee,
Then take thy adewe of prettye Befsee.

But foone after this, by breake of the day

The yonge men of Rumford, as thicke as might bee,

Rode after to feitch againe prettye Befsee.

As

As fwift as the winde to ryde they were seene,
Untill they came neare unto Bednall-greene;
And as the knight lighted moft curteouflìe,
They all fought against him for prettye Befsee.

But refcu came fpeedilye over the plaine,

Or else the young knight for his love had beene flaine.
This fray being ended, then straightway he fee
His kinsmen come rayling at prettye Bessee.

Then spake the blind beggar, Although I be poore, Yett rayle not against my child at my owne door : Though fhee be not decked in velvett and pearle, Yett I will dropp angells with you for my girle,

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100

And then, if my gold may better her birthe,
And equall the gold that you lay on the earth,

Then neyther rayle nor grudge you to fee

The blind beggars daughter a lady to bee,

But firft you shall promife, and have itt well knowne,
The gold that you drop fhall all be your owne.
With that they replyed, Contented bee wee.
Then here's, quoth the beggar, for prettye Befsee.

110

With that an angell he caft on the ground,

And dropped in angels full three thousand pound;
And oftentimes it was proved moft plaine,
For the gentlemens one the beggar dropt twayne:

115

Sa

Soe that the place, wherein they did fitt,

With gold was covered every whitt.

The gentlemen then having dropt all their store,
Sayd, Beggar, hold, for wee have no more.

Thou haft fulfilled thy promife aright.

downe

Then marry my girle, quoth he to the knight;
And heere, added hee, I will throwe you
A hundred pounds more to buy her a gowne.

The gentlemen all, that this treasure had seene,
Admired the beggar of Bednall-greene:
And those, that were her fuitors before,

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125

Their fleshe for very anger they tore.

Thus was faire Befsy a match for the knight,

And made a ladye in others despite :

130

A fairer ladye there never was feene,

Than the blind beggars daughter of Bednall-greene.

But of their fumptuous marriage and feaft,

What brave lords and knights thither were preft,

The SECOND FIT * fhall fett forth to your fight
With marvelous pleasure, and wifhed delight.

135

*The word FIT, for PART, often occurs in our ancient ballads and metrical romances; which being divided into Several parts for the convenience of finging them at public entertainments, were in the intervals of the feaft fung by

VOL. II.