He being by this time in a warm condition, to add further to his joy,
his loving wife fell in labour, and was delivered of a daughter, whose
birth made him think he was the happiest man alive, and hundred times he
kissed her and dandled her in his arms, whom he christened by the name
of Elizabeth, and as she increased in years, so her beauty and modesty
caused her to be called "Pretty Betty." Some began to dote upon her
admirable perfections, and the better to qualify her gave her such
learning as was suitable to her degree, which she improved; so that her
beauty and wit, her skill in singing, dancing, and playing on
instruments of music, procured her the envy of the young maidens
thereabouts, who supposed themselves much superior in birth and fortune,
would often reflect upon her birth, and call her a beggar's brat. She
bore all their ill language without returning it, and endeavoured to win
them to her by gentle persuasions; but not prevailing, and her patience
spent, she said, "I never injured any of you, but have strove to do you
all the good offices which I was capable of doing; why, then, do you
envy and abuse me? What if my parents are in a mean station, yet they
pay for my education of dancing and singing which they bestow upon me,
and though, perhaps, I am not so well descended as some of you, though
you may be mistaken, yet Heaven might have made your case the same had
it thought fit." Yet, finding that they did not cease to rail at her,
and being by this time about fifteen years of age, she prevailed with
her parents to grant her leave to seek her fortune.
CHAPTER VI.
_How handsome Betty took Leave of her Parents, and
the Entertainment she met with._
Now the time of Betty's departure being come, her parents furnished her
with clothes and other necessaries, whereupon she fell upon her knees
and craved their blessing, which being given, with many prayers for her
prosperity, they took a sad farewell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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