Bows o London- Mrs Robert Fyfe (Ayr) c. 1827 Sloan
[My date. From Andrew Crawfurd's collection of ballads and songs, Volume 2, edited Lyle, Scottish Text Society, 1996. Notes from Lyle as per Crawfurd follow. This version is an extension of the "oot-takin" and "green grave makin" ending stanza of the shorter standard "Binorie" versions (stanza 18 in this version). According to Crawfurd, Andrew Sloan collected this fine ballad from Mrs Robert Fyfe, Kilbirnie, North Aryshire.
R. Matteson 2018]
The Bows o London- sung by Mrs. Robert Fyfe of Kilbirnie, North Aryshire in 1827. Collected by Andrew Sloan.
1 Thare leivit twa ladies in a bouir
Hey wi' a gey wi' a groundon
In cam to them a paramour
In the bonnie bouirs o London
2 He geid to the auldest a broutch and ring,
But he luvit the youngest abune aw things.
3. He geid to the auldest fork and knife,
But he luvit the youngest as his lyfe.
4 Oh sister, oh sister will ye gae to the brume,
And see our father's ships cumand sailand in?
5 The youngest sat down to wash her feit
And the auldest tumblit her into the deep.
6 Oh sister, oh sister will ye tak my haun
And bring my life into dry laun.
7. Oh sister, oh sister I'll no ye tak thy haun
And bring thy life into dry laun.
8 Oh sister, oh sister will ye tak my haun
An you sall hae my Sweit William.
9. Oh sister, oh sister I'll no ye tak thy haun
But I will hae thy Sweit William.
10 Whiles she sank an whiles she swam
Until she cam to yon mill dam
11 Out cam the miller's dochter o Tweed
To bring in water to bake his breid
12 Oh father, oh faither there is in your dam
It is aither a maid or a milk-white swan.
13. Oh in cam the miller o Tweed
Wi' a cleik to cleik her to the syde[1].
14. He couldna cleik[2] her by the neck,
Her yellow hair was sae weil plet
15 He couldna cleik her by the waist,
Her middle jimp was sae weil lacit
16 He couldna cleik her by the legs
Her silken stockings war sae neat
17 Whiles he cleikit and whiles he gaed,
Until he cam to the shore syde
18 Monie a ane was to tak her claes,
But there was not ane to make her grave
19 They tirrit (stripped) her as naked as she was born,
And hangit her __ upon a thorn[3]
20 And there cam an auld harper
An he teuk thrie plets o hir yellow hair
21 The harp began for to harp its lane,
Oh gude be wi my faither king.
22. The harp began for to harp its lane,
Oh gude be wi my mither queen.
23. The harp began for to harp its lane,
Gae burn my sister Eleson.
24. Then out they brought that gay ladie,
And they burnit her upon a tree.
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1. cleik='catch' as a verb and 'hook' as a noun: "With a hook to catch her at the side."
2. "He couldn't catch her by the neck,"
3. hang-ed her to dry upon a thorn (possibly).