BEG (Callum), page to Fergus M’Ivor, in Waverley, a novel by sir W. Scott (time, George II.).

Beg (Toshach), MacGillie Chattanach’s second at the combat.—­Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

BEGGAR OF BETHNAL GREEN (The), a drama by S. Knowles (recast and produced, 1834).  Bess, daughter of Albert, “the blind beggar of Bethnal Green,” was intensely loved by Wilford, who first saw her in the streets of London, and subsequently, after diligent search, discovered her in the Queen’s Arms inn at Romford.  It turned out that her father Albert was brother to lord Woodville, and Wilford was his truant son, so that Bess was his cousin Queen Elizabeth sanctioned their nuptials, and took them under her own conduct. (See BLIND.)

BEGGARS (King of the), Bampfylde Moore Carew.  He succeeded Clause Patch (1693, 1730-1770).

BEGGAR’S DAUGHTER (The), “Bessee the beggar’s daughter of Bethnal Green,” was very beautiful, and was courted by four suitors at once—­a knight, a country squire, a rich merchant, and the son of an inn-keeper at Romford.  She told them all they must first obtain the consent of her poor blind father, the beggar of Bethnal Green, and all slunk off except the knight, who went and asked leave to marry “the pretty Bessee.”  The beggar gave her for a “dot,” L3000, and L100 for her trousseau, and informed the knight that he (the beggar) was Henry, son and heir of sir Simon de Montfort, and that he had disguised himself as a beggar to escape the vigilance of spies, who were in quest of all those engaged on the baron’s side in the battle of Evesham.—­Percy’s Reliques, II. ii 10.

The value of money was about twelve times more than its present purchase value, so that the “dot” given was equal to L36,000.

BEGGAR’S OPERA (The), by Gay (1727).  The beggar is captain Macheath.  (For plot, see MACHEATH.)

BEGGAR’S PETITION (The), a poem by the Rev. Thomas Moss, minister of Brierly Hill and Trentham, in Staffordshire.  It was given to Mr. Smart, the printer, of Wolverhampton.—­Gentleman’s Magazine, lxx. 41.  BEGUINES [Beg-wins], the earliest of all lay societies of women united for religious purposes.  Brabant says the order received its name from St. Begga, daughter of Pepin, who founded it at Namur’, in 696; but it is more likely to be derived from le Begue ("the Stammerer"); and if so, it was founded at Liege, in 1180.

BEH’RAM, captain of the ship which was to convey prince Assad to the “mountain of fire,” where he was to be offered up in sacrifice.  The ship being driven on the shores of queen Margia’na’s kingdom, Assad became her slave, but was recaptured by Behram’s crew, and carried back to the ship.  The queen next day gave the ship chase.  Assad was thrown overboard, and swam to the city whence he started.  Behram also was drifted to the same place.  Here the captain fell in with the prince, and reconducted him to the original dungeon.  Bosta’na, a daughter of the old fire-worshipper, taking pity on the prince, released him; and, at the end, Assad married queen Margiana, Bostana married prince Amgiad (half-brother of Assad), and Behram, renouncing his religion, became a mussulman, and entered the service of Amgiad, who became king of the city.—­Arabian Nights ("Amgiad and Assad").