"Nay, nay," quoth the merchant, "thou art not for me;"
"She," quoth the innholder, "my wife shall not be;"
"I loathe," said the gentleman, "a beggars degree,
Therefore, now farewell, my pretty Bessee."80
"Why then," quoth the knight, "happ 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 dear pretty Bessee.
"With thee to thy father forthwith I will go."85
"Nay, forbear," quoth his kinsman, "it must not be so:
A poor beggars daughter a lady sha'nt be;
Then take thy adieu of thy pretty Bessee."
As soon then as it was break of the day,
The knight had from Rumford stole Bessee away;90
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 unto Bednall Green,
And as the knight lighted most courteously,95
They fought against him for pretty Bessee.
But rescue came presently over the plain,
Or else the knight there for his love had been slain;
The fray being ended, they straightway did see
His kinsman come railing at pretty Bessee.100
Then bespoke the Blind Beggar, "Altho' I be poor,
Rail not against my child at my own door;
Though she be not decked in velvet and pearl,
Yet I will drop angels with thee for my girl;
"And then if my gold should better her birth,105
And equal the gold you lay on the earth,
Then neither rail you, nor grudge you to see
The Blind Beggars daughter a lady to be.
"But first, I will hear, and have it well known,
The gold that you drop it shall be all you own;"110
"With that," they replied, "contented we be;"
"Then heres," quoth the beggar, "for pretty Bessee."