The stately stagge, that seemes so stout,
By yalping hounds at bay is set:

The swiftest bird, that flies about,

Is caught at length in fowlers net:
The greatest fish, in deepest brooke,
Is soon deceived by subtill hooke.
Yea man himselfe, unto whose will

All things are bounden to obey,
For all his wit and worthie skill,
Doth fade at length and fall away.

10

15

There is nothing but time doeth waste;

The heavens, the earth consume at last.

But vertue sits triumphing still

20

Upon the throne of glorious fame:
Though spiteful death mans body kill,

Yet hurts he not his vertuous name:
By life or death what so betides,
The state of vertue never slides.

X.

The Beggar's Daughter of Bednall-Green.

This popular old ballad was written in the reign of Elizabeth, as appears not only from ver. 23, where the arms of England are called the "Queenes Armes," but from its tunes being quoted in other old pieces, written in her time.-See the ballad on Mary Ambree in this volume. The late Mr. Guthrie assured the Editor, that he had formerly seen another old song on the same subject, composed in a different measure from this; which was truly beautiful, if we may judge from the only stanza he remembered. In this it was said of the old beggar, that "down his neck

his reverend lockes
In comelye curles did wave;
And on his aged temples grewe
The blossomes of the grave."

The following ballad is chiefly given from the Editor's folio MS. compared with two ancient printed copies; the concluding stanzas, which contain the old beggar's discovery of himself, are not, however,

given from any of these, being very different from those of the vulgar ballad. Nor yet does the Editor offer them as genuine, but as a modern attempt to remove the absurdities and inconsistencies which so remarkably prevailed in this part of the song as it stood before: whereas, by the alteration of a few lines, the story is rendered much more affecting, and is reconciled to probability and true history. For this informs us, that at the decisive battle of Evesham (fought August 4, 1265), when Simon de Montfort, the great Earl of Leicester, was slain at the head of the barons, his eldest son Henry fell by his side, and, in consequence of that defeat, his whole family sunk for ever, the king bestowing their great honours and possessions on his second son, Edmund, Earl of

Lancaster.

PART THE FIRST.

ITT was a blind beggar, had long lost his sight,
He had a faire daughter of bewty most bright;
And many a gallant brave suiter had shee,
For none was soe comelye as pretty Bessee.

And though shee was of favor most faire,
Yett seing shee was but a poor beggars heyre,
Of ancyent housekeepers despised was shee,
Whose sonnes came as suitors to prettye Bessee.

Wherefore in great sorrow faire Bessy did say,
"Good father, and mother, let me goe away
To seeke out my fortune, whatever itt bee."
This suite then they granted to prettye Bessee.

Then Bessy, that was of bewtye soe bright,
All cladd in gray russett, and late in the night
From father and mother alone parted shee,
Who sighed and sobbed for prettye Bessee.

Shee went till shee came to Stratford-le-Bow,
Then knew shee not whither, nor which way to goe;
With teares shee lamented her hard destinie,
Soe sadd and soe heavy was pretty Bessee.

Shee kept on her journey untill it was day,
And went unto Rumford along the hye way;
Where at the Queenes Armes entertained was shec,
Soe faire and wel favoured was pretty Bessee.

5

10

15

5

Shee had not beene there a month to an end,
But master and mistres and all was her friend;
And
every
brave gallant that once did her see
Was straight-way enamourd of pretty Bessee.

Great gifts they did send her of silver and gold,
And in their songs daylye her love was extold;
Her beawtye was blazed in every degree,
Soe faire and soe comelye was pretty Bessee.

The young men of Rumford in her had their joy ;
Shee shewed herself curteous, and modestlye coye,
And at her commandment still wold they bee,
Soe fayre and so comelye was pretty Bessee.

Foure suitors att once unto her did goe,
They craved her favor, but still she sayd noe;
"I wold not wish gentles to marry with mee,-
Yett ever they honored prettye Bessee.

The first of them was a gallant young knight,
And he came unto her disguisde in the night;
The second a gentleman of good degree,
Who wooed and sued for prettye Bessee.

25

30

35

40

A merchant of London, whose wealth was not small,
He was the third suiter, and proper withall;
Her masters owne sonne the fourth man must bee,
Who swore he would dye for pretty Bessee.

46

66

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

50

My hart's so enthralled by thy bewtìe,

That soone I shall dye for prettye Bessee."

The gentleman sayd, "Come marry with mee,
As fine as a ladye my Bessy shal bee;
My life is distressed, O heare me," quoth hee,
"And grant me thy love, my prettye Bessee."

"Let me bee thy husband," the merchant cold say,
"Thou shalt live in London both gallant and gay;
My shippes shall bring home rych jewells for thee,
And I will for ever love pretty Bessee."

55

60

Then Bessy shee sighed, and thus shee did say;
My father and mother I meane to obey;

66

First gett their good will, and be faithfull to mee,
And you shall enjoye your prettye Bessee."

To every one this answer shee made;
Wherfore unto her they joyfullye sayd,
"This thing to fulfill we all doe agree;

But where dwells thy father, my prettye Bessee?

"My father," shee said, "is soone to be seene; The seely blind beggar of Bednall-greene, That daylye sits begging for charitìe,

He is the good father of pretty Bessee.

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

A seely olde man, God knoweth, is hee,
Yet hee is the father of pretty Bessee."

66

66

Nay then," quoth the merchant, "thou art not for mee;" Nor," quoth the innholder, "my wiffe thou shalt bee;' Ilothe," sayd the gentle, "a beggars degree,

And therefore, adewe, my pretty Bessee!"

66

Why then," quoth the knight, "hap better or worse, I waighe not true love by the waight of the pursse, And bewtye is bewtye in every degree;

80

Then welcome unto me, my pretty Bessee.

"With thee to thy father forthwith I will goe."

85

"Nay soft," quoth his kinsmen," it must not be soe:

A poor beggars daughter noe ladye shal bee;
Then take thy adew of pretty Bessee."

But soone after this, by breake of the day,
The knight had from Rumford stole Bessy away;

90

The younge men of Rumford, as thicke might bee,
Rode after to feitch againe pretty Bessee.

As swifte as the winde to ryde they were seene,
Until they came neare unto Bednall-greene,
And as the knight lighted most courteouslìe,
They all fought against him for pretty Bessee.

95

But rescew came speedilye over the plaine,

Or else the young knight for his love had been slaine;
This fray being ended, then straitway he see
His kinsmen come rayling at pretty Bessee.
Then spake the blind beggar, "Although I bee poore,
Yett rayle not against my child at my own doore;
Though shee be not decked in velvett and pearle,
Yet will I dropp angells with you for my girle;
"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 see
The blind beggars daughter a lady to bee.

100

105

"But first you shall promise, and have itt well knowne, The gold that you drop shall all be your owne." With that they replyed, "Contented bee wee.' "Then here's," quoth the beggar, "for pretty Bessee." With that an angell he cast on the ground,

110

And dropped, in angels, full three thousand pound;
And oftentimes itt was proved most plaine,

115

For the gentlemens one, the beggar droppt twayne:

Soe that the place wherin they did sitt
With gold it was covered every whitt;
The gentlemen then having dropt all their store,
Sayd, "Now, beggar, hold, for wee have noe more.
"Thou hast fulfilled thy promise arright;"

120

"Then marry," quoth he, "my girle to this knight;

And heere," added hee, "I will now throwe you downe, A hundred pounds more to buy her a gowne.'

The gentlemen all, that this treasure had seene,
Admired the beggar of Bednall-greene.

125

And all those that were her suitors before,
There fleshe for very anger they tore.

Thus was faire Besse matched to the knight,
And then made a ladye in others despite :

A fairer ladye there never was seene,

Than the blind beggars daughter of Bednall-greene.

1 In the Editor's folio MS. it is 5007.

130