Bows o London- Mrs MacConechie (Ayr) 1827 Macqueen
[From Andrew Crawfurd's collection of ballads and songs, Volume 2, edited Lyle, Scottish Text Society, 1996. Notes from Lyle as per Crawfurd follow.
R. Matteson 2018]
According to Crawfurd it was in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire where Macqueen found a major contributor in Mrs MacConechie, a tailor's wife, who gave him thirteen songs, including a version of Bows o London. This trip took place in March- April 1827. The Bows o London was included on the list of songs sent to Motherwell on 17 March 1827.
The Bows o London- sung by Mrs MacConechie, a tailor's wife of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire in 1827. Collected by Thomas Macqueen.
1 Thare war twa sisters livit in a bouir
Hey with a key and a grundon
The yungest o thaim was her father's flouir
In the bonnie bows o London
2 Said the auldest to the young ane, haste ye and cum
To see our father's ships cumand to land
3 She loutit doun to syne her hands
The auld one drave the yung ane in
4 Sister sister tak my hand
And I'll make ye air o aw my land
5 Sister I'll na take your hand
And I'll be the ladie of aw your land
6 Sister sister tak me be the gluve
And I'll mak ye ladie o my trew luve
7 Sister I'll na tak you be the gluve
And I'll be mistress o your trew luve
8 The miller's dochter ran wi speid
To get some water to bake her breid
9 O father farther haste ye and cum
Thare's a ladie or a swan into your dam
10 Thay coudna get her grippit be the waist
Her silken stays war sae ticht lacit
11 Thay coudna get her grippit be the hair
For gowden tassils hang here and thare.
12 Thay gat her grippit be the hause
And thay hae puit her to dry land
13 They laid her on a dyke to dry
Her father's fiddler he cam by
14 Tak thrie plaits o my yellow hair
'Twill be fiddle strings for evermair
15 The first tune ye'll play on thaim
'Twill be the helth to my father king
16 The secont tune ye'll play on thaim
'Twill be the helth to my mither quein
17 The thrid ane tune ye'll play on thaim
Gae hame and hang my sister Allison