第13章

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 of silver and gold, And in their songs daily her love they extolled:

Her beauty was blazed in every decree, So fair and so comely was pretty Bessee.

The young men of Rumford in her had their joy, She showed 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, They craved her favour, but still she said no;I would not have gentlemen marry with me!

Yet ever they honoured pretty Bessee.

Now one of them was a gallant young knight, And he came unto her disguised in the night;The second, a gentleman of high degree, Who wooed and sued for pretty Bessee.

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.'

The gentleman said, 'Come marry with me, In silks and in velvet my Bessee shall be;My heart lies distracted, oh! hear me,' quoth he, 'And grant me thy love, my dear pretty Bessee.'

'Let me be thy husband,' the merchant did say, 'Thou shalt live in London most gallant and gay;My ships shall bring home rich jewels for thee, And I will for ever love pretty Bessee.'

Then Bessee she sighed 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 dear pretty Bessee.'

To every one of them that answer she made, Therefore unto her they joyfully said:

'This thing to fulfil we all now agree, 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's the true father of pretty Bessee.'

'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 beggar's degree, Therefore, now farewell, 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 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 beggar's daughter a lady shan't 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, Until they came near unto Bednall Green, And as the knight lighted most courteously, They fought against him for pretty Bessee.

But rescue came presently over the plain, Or else the knight there for his love had been slain;The fray being ended, they straightway did see His kinsman come railing at pretty Bessee.

Then bespoke the blind beggar, 'Although I be poor, Rail not against my child at my own door, Though she be not decked in velvet and pearl, Yet I will drop angels with thee for my girl;'And then if my gold should better her birth, And equal the gold you lay on the earth, Then neither rail you, nor grudge you to see The blind beggar's daughter a lady to be.

'But first, I will hear, and have it well known, The gold that you drop it shall be all your own.'

With that they replied, 'Contented we be!'

'Then here's,' quoth the beggar, 'for pretty Bessee!'

With that an angel he dropped on the ground, And dropped, in angels, full three thousand pound;And oftentimes it proved most plain, For the gentleman's one, the beggar dropped twain;So that the whole place wherein they did sit, With gold was covered every whit.

The gentleman having dropped all his store, Said, 'Beggar! your hand hold, for I have no more.'

'Thou hast fulfilled thy promise aright, Then marry my girl,' quoth he to the knight;'And then,' quoth he, 'I will throw you down, An hundred pound more to buy her a gown.'

The gentlemen all, who his treasure had seen, Admired the beggar of Bednall Green;And those that had been her suitors before, Their tender flesh for anger they tore.

Thus was the fair Bessee matched to a knight, And made a lady in other's despite.

A fairer lady there never was seen Than the blind beggar's daughter of Bednall Green.

But of her sumptuous marriage and feast, And what fine lords and ladies there prest, The second part shall set forth to your sight, With marvellous pleasure and wished-for delight.

Of a blind beggar's daughter so bright, That late was betrothed to a young knight, All the whole discourse therefore you may see;But now comes the wedding of pretty Bessee.

PART II.

It was in a gallant palace most brave, Adorned with all the cost they could have, This wedding it was kept most sumptuously, And all for the love of pretty Bessee.

And all kind of dainties and delicates sweet, Was brought to their banquet, as it was thought meet, Partridge, and plover, and venison most free, Against the brave wedding of pretty Bessee.

The wedding through England was spread by report, So that a great number thereto did resort Of nobles and gentles of every degree, And all for the fame of pretty Bessee.

To church then away went this gallant young knight, His bride followed after, an angel most bright, With troops of ladies, the like was ne'er seen, As went with sweet Bessee of Bednall Green.

This wedding being solemnized then, With music performed by skilfullest men, The nobles and gentlemen down at the side, Each one beholding the beautiful bride.