<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-30</periodOfReport><issuer><issuerCik>0000013610</issuerCik><issuerName>BOWNE &amp; CO INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>BNE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001179913</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>SCHWARZ H MARSHALL</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Options to purchase Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.978</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-30</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5739</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-12-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5739</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5739</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Non-qualified stock options granted under The Stock Plan for Directors first adopted in 1997.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ H. Marshall Schwarz</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

