THE sturdy rock for all his strength
By raging seas is rent in twaine :
The marble stone is pearst at length,

With little drops of drizling rain :
The oxe doth yeeld unto the yoke,

The steele obeyeth the hammer stroke.

The stately stagge, that seemes so stout,
By yalping hounds at bay is set:

The swiftest bird, that flies about,

Is caught at length in fowlers net : The greatest fish, in deepest brooke, Is soon deceived by subtill hooke.

Yea man himselfe, unto whose will

All things are bounden to obey,

For all his wit and worthie skill,

Doth fade at length, and fall away.

There is nothing but time doeth waste;
The heavens, the earth consume at last.

But vertue sits triumphing still

Upon the throne of glorious fame: Though spiteful death mans body kill,

Yet hurts he not his vertuous name:

By life or death what so betides,
The state of vertue never slides.

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X.

The Beggar's Daughter of Bednall-green.

This popular old ballad was written in the reign of Elizabeth, as appears not only from ver. 23, where the arms of England are called the "Queenes armes ;" but from its tune's being quoted in other old pieces, written in her time. See the ballad on Mary Ambree in this volume. The late Mr. Guthrie assured the Editor, that he had formerly seen another old song on the same subject, composed in a different measure from this; which was truly beautiful, if we may judge from the only stanza he remembered. In this it was said of the old beggar, that "down his neck

his reverend lockes

In comelye curles did wave;
And on his aged temples grewe
The blossomes of the grave."

The following ballad is chiefly given from the Editor's folio MS. compared with two ancient printed copies: the concluding stanzas, which contain the old beggar's discovery of himself, are not, however, given from any of these, being very different from those of the vulgar ballad. Nor yet does the Editor offer them as genuine, but as a modern attempt to remove the absurdities and inconsistencies, which so remarkably prevailed in this part of the song as it stood before: whereas by the alteration of a few lines, the story is rendered much more affecting, and is reconciled to probability and true history. For this informs us, that at the decisive battle of Evesham, (fought August 4, 1265,) when Simon de Montfort, the great Earl of Leices

ter, was slain at the head of the barons, his eldest son Henry fell by his side, and, in consequence of that defeat, his whole family sunk for ever, the king bestowing their great honours and possessions on his second son, Edmund Earl of Lancaster.

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 prettye 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.

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10

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;

15

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 destinie,

Soe sadd and soe heavy was pretty Bessee.

25

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 enamourd 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 comelye 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.

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20

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, 45
He was the third suiter, and proper withall:

Her masters owne sonne the fourth man must bee,
Who swore he would dye for pretty Bessee.

And, if thou wilt marry with mee, quoth the knight,
Ile make thee a ladye with joy and delight;

My hart's so inthralled by thy bewtie,
That soone I shall dye for prettye Bessee.

50

The gentleman sayd, Come, marry with mee,
As fine as a ladye my Bessy shal bee:

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

55

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 shee 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.

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