第12章

Kind sir! it would be bad if none could be had Those tables for to wait upon;There is no lord, duke, nor squire, nor member for the shire, Can do without a servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

But, Jack! it would be worse if there was none of us To follow the plowing of the land;There is neither king, lord, nor squire, nor member for the shire, Can do without the husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

Kind sir! I must confess't, and I humbly protest I will give you the uppermost hand;Although your labour's painful, and mine it is so very gainful, I wish I were a husbandman.

HUSBANDMAN.

So come now, let us all, both great as well as small, Pray for the grain of our land;And let us, whatsoever, do all our best endeavour, For to maintain the good husbandman.

Poem: THE CATHOLICK.

[THE following ingenious production has been copied literally from a broadside posted against the 'parlour' wall of a country inn in Gloucestershire. The verses are susceptible of two interpretations, being Catholic if read in the columns, but Protestant if read across.]

I HOLD as faith What ENGLAND'S CHURCH alows What ROME'S church saithMy conscience disavows Where the KING'S head That CHURCH can have no shame The flocks misled That holds the POPE supreame.

Where the ALTARS drest There's service scarce divine The peoples blest With table, bread, and wine.

He's but an asseWho the COMMUNION flies Who shuns the MASSE Is CATHOLICK and wise.

London: printed for George Eversden, at the signe of the Maidenhead, in St. Powle's Church-yard, 1655. CUM PRIVILEGIO.

Ballad: THE THREE KNIGHTS. (TRADITIONAL.)[THE THREE KNIGHTS was first printed by the late Davies Gilbert, F.R.S., in the appendix to his work on CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Mr.

Gilbert thought that some verses were wanting after the eighth stanza; but we entertain a different opinion. A conjectural emendation made in the ninth verse, viz., the substitution of FARfor FOR, seems to render the ballad perfect. The ballad is still popular amongst the peasantry in the West of England. The tune is given by Gilbert. The refrain, in the second and fourth lines, printed with the first verse, should be repeated in recitation in every verse.]

THERE did three Knights come from the west, With the high and the lily oh!

And these three Knights courted one ladye, As the rose was so sweetly blown.

The first Knight came was all in white, And asked of her if she'd be his delight.

The next Knight came was all in green, And asked of her if she'd be his queen.

The third Knight came was all in red, And asked of her if she would wed.

'Then have you asked of my father dear?

Likewise of her who did me bear?

'And have you asked of my brother John?

And also of my sister Anne?'

'Yes, I've asked of your father dear, Likewise of her who did you bear.

'And I've asked of your sister Anne, But I've not asked of your brother John.'

Far on the road as they rode along, There did they meet with her brother John.

She stooped low to kiss him sweet, He to her heart did a dagger meet. 'Ride on, ride on,' cried the servingman, 'Methinks your bride she looks wondrous wan.'

'I wish I were on yonder hill, There I'd alight and make my will.'

'What would you give to your father dear?'

'The gallant steed which doth me bear.'

'What would you give to your mother dear?'

'My wedding shift which I do wear.

'But she must wash it very clean, For my heart's blood sticks in every seam.'

'What would you give to your sister Anne?'

'My gay gold ring, and my feathered fan.'

'What would you give to your brother John?'

'A rope, and a gallows to hang him on.'

'What would you give to your brother John's wife?'

'A widow's weeds, and a quiet life.'

Poem: THE BLIND BEGGAR OF BEDNALL GREEN. SHOWING HOW HIS DAUGHTERWAS MARRIED TO A KNIGHT, AND HAD THREE THOUSAND POUND TO HERPORTION.

[Percy's copy of THE BEGGAR'S DAUGHTER OF BEDNALL GREEN is known to be very incorrect: besides many alterations and improvements which it received at the hands of the Bishop, it contains no less than eight stanzas written by Robert Dodsley, the author of THE ECONOMYOF HUMAN LIFE. So far as poetry is concerned, there cannot be a question that the version in the RELIQUES IS far superior to the original, which is still a popular favourite, and a correct copy of which is now given, as it appears in all the common broadside editions that have been printed from 1672 to the present time.

Although the original copies have all perished, the ballad has been very satisfactorily proved by Percy to have been written in the reign of Elizabeth. The present reprint is from a modern copy, carefully collated with one in the Bagford Collection, entitled, 'The rarest ballad that ever was seen, Of the Blind Beggar's Daughter of Bednal Green.'

The imprint to it is, 'Printed by and for W. Onley; and are to be sold by C. Bates, at the sign of the Sun and Bible, in Pye Corner.'

The very antiquated orthography adopted in some editions does not rest on any authority. For two tunes to THE BLIND BEGGAR, see POPULAR MUSIC.]

PART I.

THIS song's of a beggar who long lost his sight, And had a fair daughter, most pleasant and bright, And many a gallant brave suitor had she, And none was so comely as pretty Bessee.

And though she was of complexion most fair, And seeing she was but a beggar his heir, Of ancient housekeepers 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 now go away, To seek out my fortune, whatever it be.'

This suit then was granted to pretty Bessee.

This Bessee, that was of a 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 Bessee.

She went till she came to Stratford-at-Bow, Then she know not whither or which way to go, With tears she lamented her sad destiny;So sad and so heavy was pretty Bessee.

She kept on her journey until it was day, And went unto Rumford, along the highway;And at the King's Arms entertained was she, So fair and well favoured was pretty Bessee.