THE MILLER AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER
By Mr. [James] Smith

There were two Sisters they went a playing,
Withe a hie downe, downe, a doene-a-
To see their fathers ships come sayling in
With a hy downe, downe, a downe-a-

And when they came unto the sea-brym,
With, &c,
The eldest did push the younger in;
With, &c.

O sister, O sister, take me by the gowne,
With, &c.
And drawe me up upon 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 mil-dam;
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?
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;
with, &c.

What did he doe with her eyes so bright?

with, &c.
Upon his Violl he playd 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?
with, &c.
Unto the violl they danc't 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;
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 devels name.
with, &c.

[From a photo facsimile reprint of 'Wit Restor'd', pp. 51-4, 1658. There was said to be a broadside text printed by Francis Grove in 1656, but no such broadside has been noted as seen by any ballad scholar. The only one of many of Grove's ballads to have contained a date was one of 1643. Child gives the perported broadside version as #10.]