Golden Vanity

Lowland, lowland
A-sailing on the lowland sea

Oh there was a bonny ship sailing on the lowland sea
And the name of this ship it was the Golden Vanity
And we feared that she'd be taken by the Spanish enemy
A-sailing on the lowland sea

Lowland, lowland…

Then up spoke our cabin boy and boldly out spoke he
And he said unto the captain, "What will you give to me,
If I should swin alongside of our Spanish enemy,
And sink her in the lowland sea?"

"Oh I will give you silver, and I will give you gold,
And my own young daughter your bonny bride shall be,
If you can swim alongside of the Spanish enemy,
And sink her in the lowland sea."

So the boy he made him ready, and overboard sprang he
And he swam until he came up to the Spanish enemy
And with his bit and auger in her side he drilled holes three
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 entreaties, though loudly he did sue
And he left him in the lowland sea

Then round about he turned and he swam to the port side
And up unto his messmates most bitterly he cried,
"O messmates draw me up, for I'm drifting with the tide
And I'm sinking in the lowland sea."

Then his messmates drew him up, but on the deck he died
So they rolled him in his hammock, that was so deep and wide
They rolled him overboard, but he drifted with the tide
And sank into the lowland sea