Note from Joe: This was first printed as Sir Walter Raleigh Sailing in the Lowlands, a tune about a famous ship The Sweet Trinity that was taken by a fake galley and was recovered. Raleigh was seen as arrogant, selfish and ungrateful. Quite a contrast to the courtier placing his cloak over the puddle for the Queen.
There was a ship that sailed All on the Lowland Sea, And the name of the ship Was the Golden Vanity And they feared she would be taken By the Spanish enemy As she sailed upon the Lowland, Lowland, Low As she sailed upon the Lowland Sea. Then up stepped the cabin boy And boldly outspoke he And he said to the captain, “What would you give to me If I would swim along side Of the Spanish enemy And sink her in the Lowland, Lowland, Low And sink her in the Lowland Sea?” “Oh, I would give you silver And I would give you gold, And my own fairest daughter To have and to hold, If you will swim along side Of our enemy of old And sink her in the Lowland, Lowland, Low And sink her in the Lowland Sea!” The boy he made him ready, Then overboard sprang he, And he swam alongside Of the Spanish enemy And with his brace and auger In her side he bored holes three, And he sank her in the Lowland, Lowland, Low, And he sank her in the Lowland Sea. Then quickly he swam back To the cheering of the crew But the captain would not heed him For his promise he did rue, And he scorned his poor entreatings When loudly he did sue, And he left him in the Lowland, Lowland, Low And he left him in the Lowland Sea. Then quickly he swam round To the Vanity’s port side And up to his messmates Full bitterly he cried, “Oh, messmates, draw me up For I’m drifting with the tide, And I’m sinking in the Lowland, Lowland, Low Aye, I’m sinking in the Lowland Sea!” Then his messmates drew him up, But on the deck he died, And they stitched him in his hammock Which was so fair and wide, And they lowered him overboard And he drifted with the tide, And he sank beneath the Lowland, Lowland, Low And he sank beneath the Lowland Sea.
There was a ship that sailed All on the Lowland Sea, And the name of the ship Was the Golden Vanity And they feared she would be taken By the Spanish enemy As she sailed upon the Lowland, Lowland, Low As she sailed upon the Lowland Sea.
Then up stepped the cabin boy And boldly outspoke he And he said to the captain, “What would you give to me If I would swim along side Of the Spanish enemy And sink her in the Lowland, Lowland, Low And sink her in the Lowland Sea?”
“Oh, I would give you silver And I would give you gold, And my own fairest daughter To have and to hold, If you will swim along side Of our enemy of old And sink her in the Lowland, Lowland, Low And sink her in the Lowland Sea!”
The boy he made him ready, Then overboard sprang he, And he swam alongside Of the Spanish enemy And with his brace and auger In her side he bored holes three, And he sank her in the Lowland, Lowland, Low, And he sank her in the Lowland Sea.
Then quickly he swam back To the cheering of the crew But the captain would not heed him For his promise he did rue, And he scorned his poor entreatings When loudly he did sue, And he left him in the Lowland, Lowland, Low And he left him in the Lowland Sea.
Then quickly he swam round To the Vanity’s port side And up to his messmates Full bitterly he cried, “Oh, messmates, draw me up For I’m drifting with the tide, And I’m sinking in the Lowland, Lowland, Low Aye, I’m sinking in the Lowland Sea!”
Then his messmates drew him up, But on the deck he died, And they stitched him in his hammock Which was so fair and wide, And they lowered him overboard And he drifted with the tide, And he sank beneath the Lowland, Lowland, Low And he sank beneath the Lowland Sea.