Henry Martin

[intro] There were three brothers in merry Scotland In merry Scotland there were three And they did cast lots which of them should go Should go, should go And turn robber all on the salt sea [verse] The lot it fell first upon Henry Martin The youngest of all the three; That he should turn robber all on the salt sea Salt sea, the salt sea For to maintain his two brothers and he He had not been sailing but a long winter's night And a part of a short winter's day Before he espied a stout lofty ship Lofty ship, lofty ship Come abiding down on him straight way Hello! Hello! cried Henry Martin What makes you sail so nigh? I'm a rich merchant ship bound for fair London Town London Town, London Town Would you please for to let me pass by? Oh no! Oh no! cried Henry Martin This thing it never could be For I have turned robber all on the salt sea Salt sea, salt sea For to maintain my two brothers and me Come lower your tops'l and brail up your mizz'n And bring your ship under my lee Or I will give you a full cannon ball Cannon ball, cannon ball And your dear bodies drown in the salt sea Oh no! we won't lower our lofty topsail Nor bring our ship under your lee And you shan't take from us our rich merchant goods Merchant goods, merchant goods Nor point our bold guns to the sea Then broadside and broadside and at it they went For fully two hours or three Till Henry Martin gave to her the death shot The death shot, the death shot And straight to the bottom went she [outro] Bad news, bad news, to old England came Bad news to fair London Town There's been a rich vessel and she's cast away Cast away, cast away And all of her merry men drowned