A brave young cabin loon's offert money and land by his Captain, if he'll sweem ower tae a French Galleon an ca holes in her side tae gar her sink. He taks the offer, sweems ower an sinks the ship nae bothir. But fan he gets back tae the Gouden Vanity the Captain reneges on his promise an winna haal him back on board. He wisna haein that though, an telt them he'd sink the Gouden Vanity as weel. That did the trick an they haaled him up and gaed him the rewards he wis promised.
Note
This is a really auld ballad. The earliest printed version o't names Sir Walter Raleigh as the captain, but a lot of scholars think it's evin aulder gin at.
Ballad: The Gowden Vanity (Child 286) Singer: Jodie Beaton
There was a gallant ship and a gallant ship was she Eek-eedle-ee in the Lowlands low And she was caed The Gowden Vanitie As she sailed in the Lowlands low
She hadna sailed a league, a league and only three Fan she fell in wi a French gallee
Then up spak the captain and up spak he Oh, fa’ll sink for me yon French gallee
Then up spak the cabin boy and boldly up spak he Fit will ye gie to me gin I sink yon French gallee
Then up spak the captain and up spak he I’ll gie ye lands and hooses in the North countrie
Then rowe me up ticht in a black bull’s skin An throw me owerboard, tae sink an swim
Then a-doon and a-doon and a-doon sunk he An he swam ower tae the French gallee
Now some were at the cairds an some were at the dice Fan he took oot his drill, bored holes in her side,
Some they ran wi’ cloaks, and some they ran wi’ caps But they tried a in vain tae stop the water draps
Then aroon an aroon an aroon gaed she An she sank doon tae the bottom o the sea
Then aroon an aroon an aroon swam he Till he cam up tae The Gowden Vanitie
Throw me doon a rope and haul me up on board An prove untae me as good as yer word
We winna throw a rope nor haul ye up on board Nor prove untae ye as gid as oor word
Oh, throw me doon a rope and haul me fae the sea Or I’ll sink ye tae the bottom as I sunk the French gallee
So they threw him doon a rope and hauled him up on board And proved untae him far better than their word.
