From _Wit Restor'd_, (1658,) reprinted, London, 1817, i. 153. It is there ascribed to "Mr. Smith," (Dr. James Smith, the author of many of the pieces in that collection,) who may have written it down from tradition, and perhaps added a verse or two. Mr. Rimbault has printed the same piece from a broadside dated 1656, in _Notes and Queries_, v. 591. A fragment of it is given from recitation at p. 316 of that volume, and a copy quite different from any before published, at p. 102 of vol. vi. Although two or three stanzas are ludicrous, and were probably intended for burlesque, this ballad is by no means to be regarded as a parody. There were two sisters, they went a-playing, _With a hie downe, downe, a downe a_; To see their fathers ships sayling in. _With a hy downe, downe, a downe o._ And when they came into the sea brym, _With_, &c. The elder did push the younger in. _With_, &c. "O sister, O sister, take me by the gowne, 5 _With_, &c. And drawe me up upon the dry ground." _With_, &c. "O sister, O sister, that may not bee, _With_, &c. Till salt and oatmeale grow both of a tree." _With_, &c. Somtymes she sanke, somtymes she swam, _With_, &c. Untill she came unto the mildam. 10 _With_, &c. The miller runne hastily downe the cliffe, _With_, &c. And up he betook her withouten her life. _With_, &c. What did he doe with her brest bone? _With_, &c. He made him a viall to play thereupon. _With_, &c. What did he doe with her fingers so small? 15 _With_, &c. He made him peggs to his violl withall. _With_, &c. What did he doe with her nose-ridge? _With_, &c. Unto his violl he made him a bridge. _With_, &c. What did he do with her veynes so blewe? _With_, &c. He made him strings to his viole thereto. 20 _With_, &c. What did he doe with her eyes so bright? _With_, &c. Upon his violl he played at first sight. _With_, &c. What did he doe with her tongue soe rough? _With_, &c. Unto the violl it spake enough. _With_, &c. What did he doe with her two shinnes? 25 _With_, &c. Unto the violl they danct Moll Syms. _With_, &c. Then bespake the treble string, _With_, &c. "O yonder is my father the king." _With_, &c. Then bespake the second string, _With_, &c. "O yonder sitts my mother the queen." 30 _With_, &c. And then bespake the stringes all three, _With_, &c. "O yonder is my sister that drowned mee." _With_, &c. Now pay the miller for his payne, _With_, &c. And let him bee gone in the divels name. _With_, &c. THE BONNY BOWS O' LONDON. See p. 231.