%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Rarest BALLAD that ever was seen, / Of the Blind BEGGER's DAUGHTER of Bednal-Green. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1686-1686 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/11/2011 30014

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

R214077 IT was a blind Beggar that long lost his sight, / He had a fair Daughter most pleasant & bright, Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 10 1: 11 The Rarest BALLAD that ever was seen, / Of the Blind BEGGER's DAUGHTER of Bednal-Green. The Rarest BALLAD that ever was seen, Of the Blind BEGGER’s DAUGHTER of Bednal-Green. The Rarest BALLAD that ever was seen, Of the Blind beggar's DAUGHTER of Bednal-Green. Printer A. Milbourn 1686-1686 A. Milbourn

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/11/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America affliction/ health class economics/ commerce family love marriage nobility/ court travel trickery/ deceit violence Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/11/2011 3:36:31 PM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 4/11/2011 3:36:31 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/11/2011 3:36:31 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Zusky, Cahterine Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/11/2011 3:36:31 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/11/2011 3:36:31 PM Transcriptionist One Fadel, Meghan Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/16/2010 Checker EBBA Staff Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 7/16/2010 Checker EBBA Staff Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 7/1/2008 Bibliographer Giles Bergel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 10/27/2008 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/24/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/10/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Rarest BALLAD that ever was seen,</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Of the Blind BEGGERs DAUGHTER of <hi rend="bold">Bednal-Green.</hi></hi></seg>
IT was a blind Beggar that long lost his sight, He had a fair Daughter most pleasant & bright, And many a gallant brave suitor had she, For none was so comely as pretty Bessee. And though she was of favour most fair, Yet seeing she was but a Begger his heir, Of ancient house-keepers Despised was she, Whose sons came as suitors to pretty Bessee. Wherefore in great sorrow fair Bessee did say: Good father and mother let me go away, To seek out my fortune where-ever it be; The su[i]t was then granted to pretty Bessee. Thus Bessee that was of beauty most bright, Then clad in gray russet, & late in the night From father & mother alone parted she, Who sighed & sobbed for pretty Bessee. She went till she came at Stratford at Bow, Then knew she not whither nor which way to go, With tears she lamented her hard Destiny, So sad & so heavy was pretty Bessee. She kept on her journey until it was Day, And went unto Rumford along the high-way, And at the Kings-arms entertained was she, So fair & well-favoured was pretty Bessee. She had not been there one month to an end, But master, & mistress, & all was her friend, And every brave gallant that once did her see, Was straight-way in love with pretty Bessee. Great Gifts they did send her of silver & gold, And in their songs Daily her love they extold; Her beauty was blazed in every degree, So fair & so comely was pretty Bessee. The young-men of Rumford in her had their joy She shewd herself courteous, but never too coy, And at their commandment still would she be, So fair & so comely is pretty Bessee. Four suitors at once unto her did go, They craved her favour, but still she said no; I would not wish Gentlemen to marry with me, Yet ever they honoured pretty Bessee. The one of them was a gallant young knight, And he came to her Disguisd in the night; The second a Gentleman of good Degree, Who wooed & sued for pretty Bessee. A Merchant of Lond. whose wealth was not small, Was then the third suitor, & proper withal; Her masters own son the fourth man must be, Who swore he would Dye for pretty Bessee. And if thou wilt marry with me, quod the Knight, Ill make thee a Lady with joy and delight, My heart is inthralled by thy 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 distressed, O hear me, quoth he, And grant me thy love my 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 & 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 pretty Bessee: To every one this answer she made, Wherefore unto her they joyfully said, This thing to fulfill we all do agree, But where dwells thy father[?] my pretty Bessee My father (quoth she) is plain to be seen, The silly blind begger of Bednal-green.
That daily sits begging for Charity, He is the good father of pretty Bessee: His marks and his tokens are known full well, He alwaies is led with a dog and a bell, A silly Old man God knoweth is he, Yet he is the Father of pretty Bessee. Nay then (quoth the Merchant) thou art not for me Nor (quoth the Inholder) my wife shall not be; I loath (quoth the Gentleman) a beggers degree, Therefore fare you well 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 pretty Bessee With thee to thy father forthwith will I go; Nay soft (quoth his kinsman) it must not be so, A beggers daughter no Lady shall be, Then take thy adieu of pretty Bessee And soon after this by break of the Day, The knight had from Rumford stole Betty 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 to Bednal-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 for his love there had been slain The fray being ended, then straight he did see His kinsman come railing at pretty Bessee. Then speak the blind begger, altho I be poor, Rail not against my child at mine own door, Tho she be not deckt with velvet and pearl, Yet will I drop angels with thee for my Girl; And then if my gold will better her birth, And equal the gold that you lay on the earth, Then neither rail nor grudge you to see The blind beggers daughter a lady to be; But first I will hear, and have it well known, The gold that you drop shall be all your own. With that they replied, Contented we be; Then theres (quoth the begger) for pretty Bessee With that an angel be cast on the ground And dropped in angels full three thousand pound, And oftentimes it proved most plain, For the gentlemans one the begger drove twain, So as the place whereas he did sit, With gold was covered every whit: The Gentleman having dropt all his store, Said, Begger hold, for I have no more, Thou hast fulfilled thy promise aright; Then marry my girl, quoth he to the knight, And here, quoth he, Ill throw you down A hundred pound more to buy her a gown: The Gentlemen all that this treasure had seen, Admired the Begger of Bednal-green. And those that were her suitors before, Their flesh for very anger they tore: Thus was their Bessee matcht to a knight, And made a lady in others Despight; A fairer Lady there never was seen, Than the beggers Daughter of Bednal-green. But of her sumptuous marriage & feast, And what brave Lords & Knights thither was prest, The second part shall set forth to your sight, With marvelous pleasure & wished Delight, Of a blind beggers Daughter most fair & bright; That late was betrothed to a young knight, All the Discourse thereof you may see, But now comes the wedding of pretty Bessee.
WIthin a gallant Palace most brave, Adorned with all the cost they could have, This wedding was kept most sumptuo[u]sly And all for the love of pretty Bessee. All kind of Dainties & Delicates sweet Was brought to their banquet as was thought meet, Patridge, plover, & vension most free, Against the brave wedding of pretty Bessee, This wedding thro England was spread by report, So that a great number did thither res[or]t, Of Nobles & Gentiles of every Degree, And all for the fame of pretty Bessee. To church then went this gallant young Knight His bride followed after like a Lady most bright, With troops of Ladies the Like was never seen, As we[n]t with sweet Bessee of Bednal-green. This wedding being solemnized, then With mu[s]ick performed by skilful men, The Nobles & Gentiles sat down at that tide, Each one beholding the beautiful bride. But after their sumptuous Dinner was done. [T]o talk & to reason a number begun, of the blind beggers Daughter most bright, And what with his Daughter he gave to the Knight. Then speak the Nobles, Much marvel have we, The jolly blind begger we cannot here see: My Lords, quoth the bride, my fathers so base, Hes loth with his presence these states to disgrace The praise of a woman in quest on to bring, Before her own face were a flattering thing, We think thy fathers baseness (quoth they) Might by thy beauty be clean put away; They had no sooner these pleasant words spoke, But in comes the begger with a silken cloak, A velvet cap & a feather had he, And now a Musician forsooth he would be: And being led in from catching of harm, He had a Dainty Lute under his arm, Said, Please you hear any musick of me, A song I will sing you of pretty Bessee. With that his Lute he twangd straightway, And thereon began most sweetly to play, And after a lesson was plaid two or three, H[e] straind out this song most Delicately: A beggers daughter did dwell on the green, Who for her beauty may well be a queen, A blith bonay Lass and dainty was she, And many one called her pretty Bessee. Her father had no goods nor no lands, But begged for a penny all day with his hands, And yet for her marriage gave thousands three, [Y]et still hath somewhat for pretty Bessee.
And if any one her birth do disdain, Her father is ready with might & main, To prove s[h]e is come of a noble degree, Therefore let none flout at my pretty Bessee With that the Lords & company round, with hearty laughter was [r]eady to sound, At last said the Lords, Full well wo may see, The bride and the beggers beholden to thee. with that the bride all blushing did rise, with the fair water all in her fair eyes: Pardon my father, grave Nobles (quoth she) That through blind affection thus doteth on me. If this be thy father, the Nobles did say, Well may he be proud of this happy Day; Yet by his countenance well we may see, His birth with his fortune did never agree, And therefore blind begger we pray thee bewray, And look that the truth to us thou do say; Thy birth & thy parentage what it might be. Even for the love thou bearest to pretty Bessee. Then give me leave you Gentiles each one, A song more to sing and then Ill be gone; And if that I do not win good report, Then do not give me a groat for my sport. When first our King his fame did advance, And fought for his title in delicate France: In many places great perils past he, But then was not born my pretty Bessee, And in those wars went over to fight Many a brave Duke, a Lord, and a Knight, And with em young Monford of courage so free But then was not born my pretty Bessee And there did yong Monford with a blow oth face Lose both his eyes in a very short space, His life also had been gone with his sight, Had not a young woman come forth ith night, Amongst the slain men her fancy did move, To search and to seek for her own true love; Who seeing Young Monford there gasping lie, She saved his life thro her charity. And then all our victuals in beggers attire, At hands of good people we then did require: At last into England, as now is seen, We came and remained at Bednal-green: And thus we have lived in fortunes d[e]spite Tho poor yet contented with humble delight: And in my old Years a comfort to be, God sent me a daughter called pretty Bessee. And thus you Nobles my song I do end, Hoping the same no man doth offend; Full forty long winters thus have I been, A silly blind begger of Bednal-green. Now when the company every one, Did hear the strange tale in song he had shown, They were all amazed, as well they might be, Both at the blind begger and pretty Bessee. With that the fair Bride they then did imbrace, Saying, You are come of an honourable race, Thy father likewise of a high degree, And thou as worthy a Lady to be. Thus was the feast ended with Joy & Delight, A happy Bridegroom was made the Young Knight who lived in Joy and Felicity, with his fair Lady pretty Bessee.
Printed by and for A. Milbourn, and sold by the Booksellers of Pye-corner and London-Bridge.