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

Shee had not beene there a month to an end,
But mafter and mistres and all was her friend:
And every brave gallant, that once did her fee,
Was ftraight-way enamourd of pretty Beffee.

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 comelye was pretty Bessee.

25

30

The young men of Rumford in her had their joy;
Shee fhewed herself curteous, and modeftlye coye;
And at her commandment ftill wold they bee;
Soe fayre and foe comlye was pretty Beffee.

35

Foure fuitors att once unto her did goe;
They craved her favor, but ftill fhe fayd noe';
I wold not wifh gentles to marry with mee.
Yett ever they honored prettye Beffee.

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

40

A mer.

A merchant of London, whose wealth was not small, 45
He was the third fuiter, and proper withall :

Her masters own fonne the fourth man must bee,
Who fwore he would dye for pretty Beffee.

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 Beffee.

50

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

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

55

Let me bee thy husband, the merchant cold fay,
Thou shalt live in London both gallant and gay;
My fhippes fhall bring home rych jewells for thee,
And I will for ever love pretty Beffee.

60

Then Beffy thee 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 shall enjoye your prettye Beffee.

Το

every one this answer shee made, Wherfore unto her they joyfullye fayd,

This thing to fulfill wee all doe agree;
But where dwells thy father, my prettye Beffee?

65

My father, fhee faid, is foone to be seene:
The feely blind beggar of Bednall-greene,
That daylye fits begging for charitie,

He is the good father of pretty Beffee.

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

A feely olde man, God knoweth, is hee,

Yett hee is the father of pretty Beffee.

Nay then, quoth the merchant, thou art not for mee: Nor, quoth the innholder, my wiffe thou shalt bee: Ilothe, fayd the gentle, a beggars degree,

And therefore, adewe, my pretty Beffee!

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

Then welcome unto me, my pretty Bessee.

With thee to thy father forthwith I will goe.
Nay foft, quoth his kinfmen, it must not be foe;
A poor beggars daughter noe ladye flal bee,
Then take thy adew of pretty Beffee,

δρ

But foone after this, by breake of the day

The knight had from Rumford ftole Befly away.

ga

The younge men of Rumford, as thicke might bee,

Rode after to feitch againe pretty Bessee.

As

As fwifte as the winde to ryde they were seene,
Untill they came neare unto Bednall-greene;
And as the knight lighted most courteouslie,
They all fought against him for pretty Beffee.

But refcew came speedilye over the plaine,

Or else the young knight for his love had been flaine.
This fray being ended, then straitway he fee
His kinsmen come rayling at pretty Beffee.

Then fpake 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, Yett will I dropp angells with you for my girle.

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

105

Then neyther rayle nor grudge you to fee

The blind beggars daughter a lady to bee.

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 Beffee.

*

With that an angell he caft on the ground,
And dropped in angels full three thousand pound;
And oftentimes itt was proved most plaine,
For the gentlemens one the beggar dropt twayne:

* In the Editor's folio MS, it is 500%

M 4

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Soe

Soe that the place, wherin they did fitt,
With gold it was covered every whitt.

The gentlemen then having dropt all their flore,
Sayd, Now, beggar, hold, for wee have noe more.

Thou haft fulfilled thy promife arright.

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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 feene,
Admired the beggar of Bednall-greene:

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And all thofe, that were her fuitors before,
Their fleshe for very anger they tore.

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

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 FITT * shall set forth to your fight
With marvelous pleasure, and wished delight.

135

*See an Effay on the word FIT at the end of the SECOND PART.

PART