The Bonny Bows o' London- Christie pre1866, Child Ob.
[From Traditional Ballad Airs, edited by W. Christie, I, 42 (see Christie's notes below after Child's text). Text modified from Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 128, 1828.
R. Matteson 2014, 2018]
The Bonny Bows o' London- from the singing of an old woman in Buckie, (Enzie, Banffshire,) who died in 1866; Child Ob.
1. There were twa sisters in a bower,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
And ae king's son has courted them baith.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
2. He courted the youngest wi broach and ring,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
He courted the eldest wi some other thing.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
3 It fell ance upon a day
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
The eldest to the youngest did say,
At the bonny bonny bows o London
4 'Will ye gae to yon Tweed mill-dam,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
And see our father's ships come to land?'
At the bonny bonny bows o London
5 They baith stood up upon a stane,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
The eldest dang the youngest in.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
6 She swimmed up, sae did she down,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
Till she came to the Tweed mill-dam.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
7 The miller's servant he came out,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
And saw the lady floating about.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
8 'O master, master, set your mill,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
There is a fish, or a milk-white swan.'
At the bonny bonny bows o London
9 They could not ken her yellow hair,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
[For] the scales o gowd that were laid there.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
10 They could not ken her fingers sae white,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
The rings o gowd they were sae bright.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
11 They could not ken her middle sae jimp,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
The stays o gowd were so well laced.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
12 They could not ken her foot sae fair,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
The shoes o gowd they were so rare.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
13 Her father's fiddler he came by,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
Upstarted her ghaist before his eye.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
14 'Ye'll take a lock o my yellow hair,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
Ye'll make a string to your fiddle there.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
15 'Ye'll take a lith o my little finger bane,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
And ye'll make a pin to your fiddle then.'
At the bonny bonny bows o London
16 He's taen a lock o her yellow hair,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
And made a string to his fiddle there.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
17 He's taen a lith o her little finger bane,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
And he's made a pin to his fiddle then.
At the bonny bonny bows o London
18 The firstand spring the fiddle did play,
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
Said, 'Ye'll drown my sister, as she's dune me.'
At the bonny bonny bows o London
______________________
Traditional ballad airs, Volume 1 By William Christie
William Christie - 1876 -
This copy of the air was arranged by the Editor from the singing of an old woman in Buckie, (Enzie, Banffshire,) from whose singing he arranged a great number of old Airs and Ballads. She died in the year 1866 at the age of nearly 80 years Her father, long resident in Buckie, where fishermen and labourers have "tee-names"had the "sobriqluet'l"Meesic" (Music)— given to him in the end of the last century by the populace, thus indicating his fame as a ballad-singer. The copy of the Ballad sung by the old woman was almost the same as that given by Buchan n. 128. The Editor has epitomized Mr. Buchan's copy, with a few slight alterations from the way it was sung by her.
The Bonny Bows o' London
THERE were twa sisters in a bower,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
And ae king's son has courted them baith,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
He courted the youngest wi' broach and ring,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
And he courted the eldest wi' mony other thing,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
But it fell ance upon a day,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The eldest to the youngest did say,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London:
*' Will ye gae to yon Tweed mill dam?
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
And see our father's ships come to lan',
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London."
They baith stood up upon a stane,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; And the eldest dang the youngest in,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London. She swimmed up, sae did she down,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; Till she came to the Tweed mill-dam,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
The miller's servant he came out,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding, And saw the lady floating about,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London. "O master, master, set your mill,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; There is a fish, or a milk-white swan,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
Her father's fiddler he came by,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; Upstarted her ghaist before his eye,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London. "Ye'll tak' a lock o' my yellow hair,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; Ye'll mak' a string to your fiddle there,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
"Ye'll tak' a lith o' my little finger bane,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; And ye'll make a pin to your fiddle then,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London." He's ta'en a lock o' her yellow hair,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; And made a string to his fiddle there,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
He's ta'en a lith o' her little finger bane,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; And he's made a pin to his fiddle then,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London. The firsten spring the fiddle did play,
It's hey wi' the gay and the grinding; Said, "Ye'll drown my sister as she's dune me,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London."