PART THE FIRST.
It was a blind beggar, had long lost his sight,
He had a fair daughter of beauty most bright;
And many a gallant brave suitor had she,
For none was so comely as pretty Bessee.
And though she was truly of favour most fair,
Yet seeing she was but a poor beggar's heir,
Of ancient housekeepers despis-ed was she,
Whose sons came as suitors to pretty Bessee.
Wherefore in great sorrow fair Bessy did say,
"Good father, and mother, let me go away
To seek out my fortune, whatever it be."
This suit then they granted to pretty Bessee.
Then Bessy, that was of a beauty so bright,
All clad in grey russet, and late in the night
From father and mother alone parted she;
Who sigh-ed and sobb-ed for pretty Bessee.
She went till she came into Stratford-le-Bow;
Then knew she not whither, nor which way to go:
With tears she lamented her hard destin-ie,
So sad and so heavy was pretty Bessee.
She kept on her journey until it was day,
And went unto Rumford along the highway;
Where at the Queen's Arms entertain-ed was she:
So fair and well-favoured was pretty Bessee.
She had not been there a month to an end,
But master and mistress and all was her friend:
And every brave gallant, that once did her see,
Was straightway enamoured of pretty Bessee.
Great gifts they did send her of silver and gold,
And in their songs daily her love was extolled;
Her beauty was blaz-ed in every degree,
So fair and so comely was pretty Bessee.
The young men of Rumford in her had their joy;
She showed herself courteous, and modestly coy,
And at her command-ement still would they be;
So fair and so comely was pretty Bessee.
Four suitors at once unto her did go;
They crav-ed her favour, but still she said no;
I would not wish gentles to marry with me;
Yet ever they honour-ed pretty Bessee.
The first of them was a gallant young knight,
And he came unto her disguised in the night:
The second a gentleman of good degree,
Who woo-ed and su-ed for pretty Bessee:
A merchant of London, whose wealth was not small,
He was the third suitor, and proper withal:
Her master's own son the fourth man must be,
Who swore he would die for pretty Bessee.
"And, if thou wilt marry with me," quoth the knight,
"I'll make thee a lady with joy and delight;
My heart's so inthrall-ed by thy beaut-ie,
That soon I shall die for pretty Bessee."
The gentleman said, "Come, marry with me,
As fine as a lady my Bessy shall be:
My life is distress-ed: O hear me," quoth he;
"And grant me thy love, my pretty Bessee."
"Let me be thy husband," the merchant could say,
"Thou shalt live in London both gallant and gay;
My ships shall bring home rich jewels for thee,
And I will for ever love pretty Bessee."
Then Bessy she sigh-ed, and thus she did say,
"My father and mother I mean to obey;
First get their good will, and be faithful to me,
And you shall enjoy your pretty Bessee."
To every one this answer she made,
Wherefore unto her they joyfully said,—
"This thing to fulfil we all do agree:
But where dwells thy father, my pretty Bessee?"
"My father," she said, "is soon to be seen:
The seely blind beggar of Bethnal Green,
That daily sits begging for charit-ie,
He is the good father of pretty Bessee."
"His marks and his tokens are known very well;
He always is led with a dog and a bell:
A seely old man, God knoweth, is he,
Yet he is the father of pretty Bessee."
"Nay then," quoth the merchant, "thou art not for me:"
"Nor," quoth the innholder, "my wife thou shalt be:"
"I loathe," said the gentle, "a beggar's degree,
And therefore adieu, my pretty Bessee!"
"Why then," quoth the knight, "hap better or worse,
I weigh not true love by the weight of the purse,
And beauty is beauty in every degree;
Then welcome unto me, my pretty Bessee:
"With thee to thy father forthwith I will go."
"Nay soft," quoth his kinsmen, "it must not be so;
A poor beggar's daughter no lady shall be;
Then take thy adieu of pretty Bessee."
But soon after this, by the break of the day,
The knight had from Rumford stole Bessy away.
The young men of Rumford, as thick as might be,
Rode after to fetch again pretty Bessee.
As swift as the wind to ride they were seen,
Until they came near unto Bethnal Green;
And as the knight lighted most courteouslie,
They all fought against him for pretty Bessee.
But rescue came speedily over the plain,
Or else the young knight for his love had been slain.
This fray being ended, then straightway he see
His kinsmen come railing at pretty Bessee.
Then spake the blind beggar, "Although I be poor,
Yet rail not against my child at my own door:
Though she be not deck-ed in velvet and pearl,
Yet will I drop angels with you for my girl.
"And then, if my gold may better her birth,
And equal the gold that you lay on the earth,
Then neither rail nor grudge you to see
The blind beggar's daughter a lady to be.
"But first you shall promise, and have it well known,
The gold that you drop shall all be your own."
With that they repli-ed, "Contented be we."
"Then here's," quoth the beggar, "for pretty Bessee!"
And with that an angel he cast on the ground,
And dropp-ed in angels full three thousand pound;
And oftentimes it was prov-ed most plain,
For the gentlemen's one the beggar dropped twain:
So that the place, wherein they did sit,
With gold it was cover-ed every whit.
The gentlemen then having dropt all their store,
Said, "Now, beggar, hold; for we have no more.
"Thou hast fulfill-ed thy promise aright."
"Then marry," quoth he, "my girl to this knight;
And here," added he, "I will now throw you down
A hundred pounds more to buy her a gown."
The gentlemen all, that this treasure had seen,
Admir-ed the beggar of Bethnal Green:
And all those, that were her suitors before,
Their flesh for very anger they tore.
Thus the fair Bess was matched to the knight,
And then made a lady in others' despite:
A fairer lady there never was seen
Than the blind beggar's daughter of Bethnal Green.
But of their sumptuous marriage and feast,
What brave lords and knights thither were prest,
The SECOND FITT shall set forth to your sight
With marvellous pleasure, and wish-ed delight.
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