The Sweet Trinity
(The Golden Vanity / The Golden Willow Tree / The Merry Golden Tree / Sir Walter Raleigh Sailing in the Lowlands / The Turkish Revelee / Lowlands Low)
An alternate version
In the old Virginia Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands low"Oh I had her built in the north country And I had her christened the Golden Vanity, Oh I had her christened the Golden Vanity, I armed her and I manned her and I sent her off to sea."
In the old Virginia Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands lowThen up spoke a sailor who had just returned from sea: "Oh I served on board of the Golden Vanity, Oh I served on board of the Golden Vanity, When she was held in chase by a Spanish piratee."
In the old Virginia Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands low"And we had on board of us a little cabin boy, Who said: "What will you give me if the galleon I destroy Oh what will you give me if the galleon I destroy?" "Oh you will get my daughter, she is my pride and joy."
If you sink them in the Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands lowSo the boy bared his breast and he plunged into the tide, And he swam and he swam to the rascal pirate's side, He swam and he swam to the rascal pirate's side, And he climbed on deck and he went below and none did him espy.
And he sank them in the Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands lowHe bore with his auger, he bore once and twice, And some were playing cards and some were playing dice, The water it flowed in and it dazzled their eyes, The water it flowed in and it pulled out all their lives.
And he sank them in the Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands lowWell he swam and he swam all to the starboard side, Saying: "Captain take me up, I am drifting with the tide, Oh Captain take me up," but so loud the Captain cried: "I will shoot you, I will kill you, you shall not have your bride."
I will sink you in the Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands lowThe shipmates took him up and on the deck he died, They sewed him in his hammock which was so strong and wide, They sewed him in his hammock it was so strong and wide, They prayed for him, they sang for him, they sunk him in the tide.
In the old Virginia Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands lowMy curse be on you, Captain, wherever you may be, My curse be on the captain of the Golden Vanity, In waking and in sleeping, until your dying day, For you gave your oath to him and you did him betray.
In the old Virginia Lowlands Lowlands low In the old Virginia Lowlands low
A great favorite, numberless variants of this song exist in both England and America. In some tellings, the captain repents and the boy recovers to marry the captain’s daughter. In Roll and Go, Colcord recounts a Kentucky mountaineers version, the only version she knows which attempts to explain why the cabinboy does not threaten to use his weapon against his ship:
If it wasn’t for my love for your daughter and your men, I would do unto you as I did unto them.
The cabinboy’s explanation seems to have grown in popularity as it is included in many more modern versions.
Bullen shares this story:
In the early part of 1870, being then a boy of 12, I was wrecked upon the Alacranes Reef in the Bay of Campéché, Gulf of Mexico. We all got safe to land, where on a little patch of sand and rock only a few acres in extent we stayed for several days. We had no hardships and plenty of excellent food, but the chief joy to me was the long delightful evenings when tolling beneath a great tent we had rigged over our upturned long-boat and facing an enormous fire of driftwood, songs and stories were contributed by all. It was there that I learned the song set down above, every line of which is from the memory of those far-away days. I certainly have seen it in print since, but I can honestly declare that l have never read it, and as I have just written it, it comes quite fresh from my memory of 1870 as does the tune of which Mr Arnold thinks so highly.