The rarest Ballad that ever was seen, Of the Blind beggar's daughter of bednal-green  

IT was a blind beggar that long lost his sight,  
He had a fair daughter most pleasant and brght  
And many a gallant brave Suitor had she,  
For none was so comely as pretty Bessée,  
And though she was of favour most fair,  
Yet seeind the was but a b●gger his heir,  
Of ancient house keepers despised was she,  
Whose sons came as suitors to pretty Bessée.  
Wherefore in great sorrow fair Bessée did say,  
Good Father and mother let me go away,  
To seek out my fortune where ever it be,  
This suit than they granted to pretty Bessée.  
Then Bessée that was of beauty most bright,  
They clad in grey Russet, and late in the night,  
From Father and mother alone parted she,  
Who sighed and sobbed for pretty Bessée.  
She went till she came to Straford at Bow,  
Then knew she not whether nor which way to go,  
With tears she lamented her hard Destiny.  
So sad and 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 Queen's arms entertained was she,  
So fair and well favoured was pretty Bessee.  
She had not been there one month to an end,  
But Master and Mistress and all was her friend.  
And every brave Gallant that once did her see,  
Was straightway in love with pretty Bessee.  
Great gifts they did send her of silver and gold,  
And in their songs daily her Love they extolled.  
Her beauty was blazed in every degree,  
So fair and so comely was pretty Bessée.  
The young men of Rumford in her had their joy  
She s●ew'd herself courteous and never too coy▪  
And at their commandment still would she be,  
So fair and so comely was prett Bessée.  
Four Suitors at once unto her did go,  
They craved ●er favour but still she said no.  
I would not wish Gentlemen to marry with me,  
Yet ever they honoured pretty Bessée  
The one of them was a gallant young Knight,  
And he came to her disguised in the night.  
The second a Gentleman of good degree.  
Who wood and sued for pretty Bessée.  
A merchant of Lon. whose wealth was not small  
Was then the third Suitor and proper withal  
Her Masters own Son the fourth man must be,  
Who swore he would die for pretty Bessee  
And if thou wilt marry with me qd. the Knight.  
I'll make thee a Lady with joy and delight  
My heart is enthralled by thy beauty.  
Then grant me thy favour my pretty Bessée.  
The gentleman said come marry with me,  
In silk and in velvet my Bessée shall be.  
My heart lives distressed O hear me quoth he  
And grant me thy love my pretty Bessée.  
Let me be thy husband the Merchant did say  
thou shalt live in London most gallnt and gay  
My Ship shall bring home rich jewels for thee  
And I will for ever love pretty Bessée  
than Bessée she sighed, and 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 fulfil we all do agree,  
and where dwells thy father my pretty Bessee,  
My Father quoth she is soon to be seen,  
The silly blind beggar of Bednal-green,  
That daily sits begging for charity,  
He is the good Father of pretty Bessée.  
His marks and his tokens are known full well,  
He always is led with a dog and a bell:  
A silly o●d mon 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 shalt thou be,  
I loath quoth the Gentleman a beggar's degree,  
A herefore far 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,  
The welcome to me my pretty Bessee,  
With thee to thy Father forthwith will I go,  
Nay soft quoth his Kinsman it must nor be so:  
A beggar's daughter no Lady shall be,  
Then take thy adieu of pretty Bessee.  
But soon after this by break of the day,  
The knight had from Rumford stole Bessee away  
The young men of Rumford so sick as may be,  
Road after to fetch again pretty Bessée  
As swift as the wind to ride they were seen,  
Until they came near unto Bednal-green.  
And as the Knight lighted most coveteousty,  
They sought 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 strait he did see,  
His Kinsman came calling for pretty Bessee  
Then speak the blind beggar although I be poor,  
Rail not against my child at mine own door  
Though she be not decked with Velvet and Pearls  
Yet will I drop angels with thee for my Girl  
and then if my Gold wilt better her birth,  
And equal thy gold you lay on the earth,  
Then neither rail nor grudge yond to see,  
The blind beggar's 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 here's quoth the beggar for pretty Bessee  
With that an angel be cast on the ground,  
and dropped in angels full three thousand pound  
and often times it proved most plain,  
For the Gentleman's one the beggar dropped twain  
So as the place whereas they did sit,  
With gold was covered every whit,  
the Gentleman having dropped all his store.  
Said Beggar hold for I have no more:  
Thou hast fulfilied thy promise arright,  
then marry my Girl quoth he to this Knight:  
and here quoth he I'll throw you down,  
A hundred pound more to buy her a Gown:  
the gentlemen all that this treasure had seen,  
Admired the beggar of bednal green  
And those that were her suitors before.  
their flesh for very anger they tore:  
thus was their bessée matched to the nKight:  
and made a Lady in others despite.  
A fairer Lady was never seen  
then the beggar's daughter of Bednal green  
But of her sumptuous marriage and feast  
and what brave Lords & Knights thither was pressed  
the Second part shall set forth to your sight  
With marvellous pleasure and wicked delight:   

 depiction of the blind beggar of Bednal Green  
Of a blind beggar's daughter most fair & bright  
That late was betrothed unto a young knight  
All the discourses thereof you may see.  
But now comes the wedding of pretty bessée.  
Within a gallant Palace most brave,  
Adorned with all the cost they could have,  
This wedding was kept most sumptuously.  
And all for the love of pretty Bessée.  
All kind of dainties and delicates sweet,  
Was brought to their banquet as was thought meet,  
Partridge, Plover and Venison most free.  
Against the brave wedding of pretty Bessée.  
This wedding through England was spread by report  
So that a great number there so did resort,  
Of Nobles and 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 ne'er seen,  
As went with sweet Bessee of Bednal-green.  
This wedding being solemnizal ●●en,  
With music performed by skilful men.  
The Nobles and Gentiles sat down at that Tide,  
Each one beholding the beautiful bride.  
But after this sumptuous d … e● was done.  
To talk and to reasons a number begun.  
Of the blind beggar's daughter most bright,  
and what with his daughter he gave to the Knight.  
Then speak the Nobles much marvel have we.  
The tolly blind beggar we cannot here see.  
My Lords quoth the bride my father●● so base,  
He's loath with his presence these states to disgrace,  
The praise of a woman in question to brin●.  
Before her own face here were a flattering thing.  
We think thy father's baseness quoth they,  
Might by thy beauty be clean put away.  
They had no sooner those picasant words spoke,  
But in comes the beggar in a silken Cloak.  
A Velvet cap and a feather had he,  
and now a musician for sooth he would be.  
and being led in from catching of harm,  
He had a dainty Lute under his arm,  
Said please you hear any music of me,  
a song I will sing you of pretty Bessee.  
With that his Lute he twanged straightway,  
and thereon began most sweetly to play.  
and after a Lesson was played two ●o three,  
he strained out this song most delicately.  
A Beggar's daughter did dwell on a green  
Who for her beauty may well be a Queen  
A blithe boony lass and dainty was she,  
And many a 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 he gave thousand three  
Yet still hath some what for pretty Bessee.  
And if any one her birth do disdain  
Her Father is ready with might and with main  
To prove she is come of a noble degree  
Therefore let none flout at my pretty Bessée,  
With that the Lords and company round  
With hearty laughter was ready to sound,  
At last said the Lords full well we may see  
The bride and the beggars beholding to thee.  
With that the bride all blushing did rise,  
With the salt water within 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 beggar we pray thee bewray  
And look that the truth to us thou do say,  
Thy birth and thy parentage what it might be  
Even for the love thou bearest to pretty B●ssee.  
Then give me leave you Gentiles each one,  
A Song more to sing and then I'll be gone,  
And if that I do not win good report,  
then do not give me a groat for my sport  
WHen fi●st our King his fame did advance.  
& fought for his title delicate France  
In many places great perils past he,  
Buth th●n was not born my pretty bessee  
And in those wars went over to fight,  
M●ny a brave Duke a Lord and a Knight.  
& with ●hem young Monford of courage so free,  
but then was not born my pretty bessee,  
& there did young Monford by a blow o'th' face  
Lose both his eyes in a very short space,  
His life had also been gone with his sight,  
Had not a vong woman come fo●th in the night  
Among the slain men her fancy did move,  
To search and to seek for her own true love  
Who seeing young Montford there gasping to lie  
she saved his life through her charity.  
And then all our victuals in beggar's attire,  
At hands of go●d people we then did require,  
At last into England as now it is seen,  
We came and remained at bednal green.  
And thus we have lived in fortune's despite  
Though poor yet conented 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 beggar 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 beggar and pretty Bessee.  
With that the fair bride they then did embrace  
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 and delight.  
A happy Bridegroom was made the young Knight  
Who lived in joy and felicity.  
With his fair Lady pretty Bessee.    

Printed for F. Coles,. T Vere, and W. Gilbertson.