Like many old folk songs, this ballad has undergone numerous changes
as it evolved. Early versions of the song referred to Sir Walter
Raleigh's ship "The Sweet Trinity." The ship has acquired many other
names in later versions, including "The Sweet Kumadee," "The Golden
Willow Tree," and "The Golden Merrilee." Various reference sources
speculate that the "Lowland Sea" may be the Mediterranean, the Irish
Sea (specifically, the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland), or
the Dutch North Sea (In earlier times, the Netherlands were known as
"The Lowlands".) Other than the fact that Sir Walter Raleigh did go to
sea, and did battle the Spanish Armada ("the Spanish enemy"), little
historical validity can be ascribed to the song; accounts of Raleigh's
seafaring exploits do not mention anything similar to the story of the
brave cabin boy.
"DESCRIPTION: A ship is threatened by a foreign galley. The ship's
cabin boy, promised gold and the captain's daughter as wife, sinks the
galley. He comes back to his ship; the captain will not take him from
the water. (The ending is variable)
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: c. 1685 (broadside)
KEYWORDS: sea battle death promise lie abandonment
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
c. 1552-1618 - Life of Sir Walter Raleigh (one of whose ships was
named 'The Sweet Trinity')
[ ... ]
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Lonesome Low
The Merry Golden Tree
The Sweet Kumadee
The Weep-Willow Tree
The Turkish Revoloo
Cabin Boy
Notes: Connecting this song with actual events is impossible even if
one accepts Sir Walter Raleigh as the murderous captain. The following
dates may, however, provide some guidelines:
1453 - Fall of Constantinople gives the Turks good access to the
Mediterranean (Lowland) Sea.
1571 - Battle of Lepanto cripples the Turkish navy.
1588 - Voyage of the Spanish Armada. Spanish navy crippled"
California State University at Fresno: Golden Vanity, The
http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/ballads/C286.html
"The Golden Vanity... This ballad was printed as 'Sir Walter Raleigh
sailing in the Lowlands, showing how the famous ship called the Sweet
Trinity was taken by a false galley; and how it was recovered by the
craft of a little sea-boy, who sunk the galley,' by Coles, Wright,
Vere and Gilbertson (1648-80). In this it is said to be sung 'to the
tune of the Lowlands of Holland,' and in it there is no ingratitude
shown to the poor sea-boy. In this version there are fourteen verses.
It begins:
Sir Walter Raleigh has built a ship
In the Netherlands,
And it is called Sweet Trinity,
And was taken by the false Gallaly,
Sailing in the Lowlands...
Under the form of 'The Golden Vanity'... this begins:
There was a gallant ship,
And a gallant ship was she,
Sik iddle dee, and the Lowlands low.
And she was called the Goulden Vanitie,
As she sailed to the Lowlands low."
Pamela Colman Smith
http://home.comcast.net/~pamela-c-smith/GV2.html
"An early version of this ballad appears circa 1635 as Sir Walter
Raleigh Sailing In The Lowlands (Shewing how the famous Ship called
the Sweet Trinity was taken by a false Gally & how it was again
restored by the craft of a little Sea-boy, who sunk the Gally). The
ballad was first licensed in June-November 1685. The tune is about a
famous ship The Sweet Trinity that was taken by a fake galley and was
recovered. In the tune Raleigh is portrayed as arrogant, selfish and
ungrateful. Quite a contrast to the courtier placing the cloak over
the puddle for the Queen."
Contemplator: The Golden Vanity
http://www.contemplator.com/sea/vanity.html
"The Golden Vanity... According to Hugill (in Shanties of the Seven
Seas), this song appears to be based on the seventeenth century ballad
called Sir Walter Raleigh Sailing in the Lowlands."
Cantaria: The Golden Vanity
http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyrics/golden-vanity.html
"The date of this ballad is uncertain but it is thought to be about
1635. At that time the Barbary pirates were at the height of their
power in the Mediterranean and a great threat to shipping. Many
versions of the melody exist but there are surprisingly few variants
of the words of this song - although it often appears under its
alternative title - 'Lowlands Low'. As long as people enjoy a good
rousing chorus 'The Golden Vanity' is assured of its popularity."
Anderer Länder Folksongs of various Countries:The Golden Vanity
http://ingeb.org/songs/otherewa.html
"A broadside of 1682-85, in which Sir Walter Raleigh plays the
ungrateful capatain, seems to have been the ultimate ancestor of the
abundant traditional copies of this ballad [Child #286] found in the
British Isles and America. Sir Walter has dropped out entirely; the
English ship's name appears variously as Merry Golden Tree, Golden
China Tree, Golden Willow Tree, Golden Merrilee."
Ballads from Deep Gap, North Carolina: The Golden Vanity
http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/3448/vanity.html
Regarding books about this period in history, I highly recommend "The
Voyage of the Armada: The Spanish Story," by David Howarth:
"This lively and well written account brings history to life with its
analysis of character studies and motives, using the primary sources
for reference. If you are interested in the Spanish Armada, this is a
wonderful choice that flows like a novel."
Amazon: The Voyage of the Armada: The Spanish Story
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1585744247
Also excellent is Raleigh Trevelyan's biography, "Sir Walter Raleigh":
"A good biography will immerse readers in an era, and this massive
work provides a cogent look at Elizabethan England as Trevelyan
suspends Walter Raleigh's life in the tensions of the time. Literary
and humane, a kind, even uxorious, husband, Raleigh was also as
ruthless as they come, involved at one point or other in massacres,
executions, battles, plundering, and merciless expropriation in
Ireland."
Amazon: Sir Walter Raleigh
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080507502X
I hope this is helpful. If anything is unclear, or if a link doesn't
work for you, please request clarification; I'll be glad to offer
further assistance before you rate my answer.
Best regards,
pinkfreud |
