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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 Bessie ?"

"My father," she said, "is soon to be

seen;

The silly blind beggar of Bethnal Green, That daily sits begging there for charitie,

He is the good father of pretty Bessie.

His marks and his tokens are known full well,

He always is led with a dog and a bell ; A silly old man, God knoweth, is he, Yet he is the father of pretty Bessie."

"Nay, then," quoth the merchant, thou art not for me;

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Nor yet," said the innholder, "my wife shalt thou be;

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"I loathe," said the gentle, "a beggar's degree,

And therefore adieu, my pretty Bessie!"

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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 pretty Bessie.

With thee to thy father forthwith I will go.

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"Nay, soft," said his kinsmen, "it must not be so.

A poor beggar's daughter no lady shall be,

Then take thy adieu of pretty Bessie.”

But soon after this, by break of the day,

The knight had from Rumford stole Bessie away;

The young men of Rumford, as thick as might be,

Rode after to fetch again pretty Bessie.

As swift as the wind to ride they were

seen,

Until they came near unto Bethnal
Green;

And as the knight lighted most court-
*eously,

They all fought against him for pretty
Bessie.

But rescue came speedily over the plain,

Or else the young knight for his love had been slain.

This fray being ended, then straight-
way, d'you see,

His kinsmen come railing at pretty
Bessie.

Then spake the blind beggar, "Although

I be poor,

Yet rail not 'gainst my child at my own door;

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And then, if my gold may better her birth, [the earth, And equal the gold that you lay on Then neither rail nor grudge you to

see

[be.

The blind beggar's daughter a lady to

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