"I drawe you to record, lords," he said,
With that he cast him a gods-pennie.
"Now by my fay," sayd the heire of Linne,
"And here, good John, is thy money."

And he pull'd forth three bagges of gold,
And layd them down upon the bord:
All woe begone was John o' the Scales,
Soe shent he cold say never a word.

He told him forth the good red gold,
He told it forth wi' mickle dinne.
"The gold is thine, the land is mine,

And now I'm againe the Lord of Linne."

Sayes, "Have thou here, thou good fellòwe,
Forty pence thou didst lend mee:
Now I am againe the Lord of Linne,
And forty pounds I will give thee.

"I'll make the keeper of my forrest,
Both of the wild deere and the tame;
For but I reward thy bounteous heart,
I wis, good fellowe, I were to blame."

"Now welladay!" sayth Joan o' the Scales;
"Now welladay! and woe is my life!
Yesterday I was Lady of Linne,

Now I'm but John of the Scales his wife."

"Now fare thee well," sayd the heire of Linne; "Farewell now, John o' the Scales," said hee: "Heaven's curse light on me, if ever again I bring my lands in jeopardy."

94

THE BEGGAR'S DAUGHTER OF BEDNALL-GREEN.

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 seeing shee was but a poor beggars heyre,
Of ancyent housekeepers despised was shee,
Whose sonnes came as suitors to pretty 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 destinìe,
So 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 shee:
Soe faire and wel favoured was pretty Bessee.

Shee had not been 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 enamoured 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 soe comlye 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.

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

Her masters own sonne the fourth man must bee,
Who vow'd he would dye for pretty Bessee.

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

My hart's so inthralled 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 mee," 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."

Then Bessy shee sighed, and thus she did say:
"My father and mother I meane to obey;
First gett their good will, and be faithfull to mee,
And you shall enjoye your prettye Bessee.'

To every one this answer shee made,
Wherefore unto her they joyfullye sayd,
"This thing to fulfill wee 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 alwayes is led with a dogg and a bell:

A seely olde man, God knoweth, is hee,

Yett hee is the father of pretty Bessee."

"Nay then," quoth the merchant, "thou art not for mee:" "Nor," quoth the innholder, "my wiffe thou shalt bee :" "I lothe," sayd the gentle, "a beggars degree, And therefore, adewe, my pretty Bessee!'

"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;

Then welcome unto me, my pretty Bessee.

"With thee to thy father forthwith I will goe."
"Nay soft," quoth his kinsmen, "it must not be soe;
A poor beggars daughter noe ladye shall 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.
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,
Untill they came neare unto Bednall-greene;
And as the knight lighted most courteouslìe
They all fought against him for pretty Bessie.

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,
Yett 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.

"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,
And dropped in angels full three thousand pound;
And oftentimes itt was proved most plaine,
For the gentlemens one the beggar droppt twayne:

Soe that the place, wherein 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,

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:

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

Thus was fair 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.

But of their sumptuous marriage and feast,
What brave lords and knights thither were prest,
The second fitt1 shall set forth to your sight

With marvellous pleasure and wished delight.

The word fit for part, often occurs in our ancient ballads and metrical romances; which being divided into several parts for the convenience of singing them at public entertainments, were in the intervals of the feast sung by fits, or intermissions.