But of their sumptuous marriage and feast,What brave lords and knights thither were prest,The SECOND FITT shall set forth to your sight With marvellous pleasure,and wish-ed delight.
THE SECOND FYTTE.
Of a blind beggar's daughter most bright,That late was betroth-ed unto a young knight;
All the discourse thereof you did see;
But now comes the wedding of pretty Bessee.
Within a gorgeous palace most brave,Adorn-ed with all the cost they could have,This wedding was kept most sumptuousl-ie,And all for the credit of pretty Bessee.
All kind of dainties,and delicates sweet Were bought for the banquet,as it was most meet;
Partridge,and plover,and venison most free,Against the brave wedding of pretty Bessee.
This marriage through England was spread by report,So that a great number thereto did resort Of nobles and gentles in every degree;
And all for the fame of pretty Bessee.
To church then went this gallant young knight,His bride followed after,an angel most bright,With gay troops of ladies,the like ne'er was seen As went with sweet Bessy of Bethnal Green.
This marriage being sol-emniz-ed then,With music performed by the skilfullest men,The nobles and gentles sate down at that tide,Each one admiring the beautiful bride.
Now,after the sumptuous dinner was done,To talk and to reason a number begun;
They talked of the blind beggar's daughter most bright,And what with his daughter he gave to the knight.
Then spake the nobles,"Much marvel have we,This jolly blind beggar we cannot here see."
"My lords,"quoth the bride,"my father's so base,He is loth with his presence these states to disgrace."
"The praise of a woman in question to bring Before her own face,were a flattering thing;
But we think thy father's baseness,"quoth they,"Might by thy beauty be clean put away."
They had no sooner these pleasant words spoke,But in comes the beggar clad in a silk cloak;
A fair velvet cap and a feather had he,And now a musician forsooth he would be.
He had a dainty lute under his arm,He touch-ed the strings,which made such a charm,Says,"Please you to hear any music of me,I'll sing you a song of pretty Bessee."