D - Meredith & Anderson, "Folksongs of Australia 1" (1967) pp.145-146
(also published in Anderson, "Colonial Ballads (1962)" p.12. Collected by Alec Hood (of the Bushwhackers Band) from Toby Willis, while staying with him in a boarding house in W. Australia.)

BLACK VELVET BAND

It was in the city of London,
In apprenticeship I was bound,
And many's the happy hour
I spent in that dear old town
One day as I was walking
Along my usual beat,
A pretty little young maiden
Came tripping along the street.

And her eyes they shone like diamonds,
I thought her the pride of the land.
The hair that hung down on her shoulder
Was tied with a black velvet band.

One day as we were walking
A gentleman passed us by;
I could see she was bent on some mischief
By the rolling of her dark blue eye
Gold watch she picked from his pocket
And slyly placed into my hand;
I was taken in charge by a copper …
Bad luck to that black velvet band.

Before the Lord Mayor I was taken,
'Your case, sir, I plainly can see,
And if I'm not greatly mistaken,
You're bound far over the sea'.
It's over the dark and blue ocean,
Far away to Van Diemen's Land,
Away from my friends and relations
And the girl with the black velvet band.