T here were three brothers in m erry Scotl and
In merry Scotl and there were t hree
And t hey did cast lots which of them should go
should g o should g o
A nd turn r obber all o n the salt s ea.
T he lot it fell first upon H enry Mart in
The youngest of a ll the t hree ;
That h e should turn robber all on the salt sea
Salt s ea the salt s ea.
F or to maint ain his two b rothers and h e.
T hey had not been sailing but a l ong winter's n ight
And a part of a s hort winter's d ay
When h e espied a stout lofty ship
lofty s hip lofty s hip
C ome ab ibbing down o n him straight w ay.
H ullo! Hullo! cried H enry M artin
What makes you s ail so n igh?
I'm a r ich merchant ship bound for fair London Town
London T own London T own
W ould you p lease for to l et me pass b y?
O h no! Oh no! cried H enry Marti n
This thing it n ever could b e
For I have turned robber all on the salt sea
Salt s ea the salt s ea.
F or to maint ain my two b rothers and m e.
C ome lower your tops'l and b rail up your m izz'n
And bring your ship u nder my l ee
Or I will give to you a full cannon ball
cannon b all cannon b all
A nd all your dear b odies drown i n the salt s ea.
O h no! we won't lower our l ofty t opsail
Nor bring our ship u nder your l ee
And y ou shan't take from us our rich merchant goods
merchant g oods merchant g oods
N or po int our bold gu ns to the se a.
T hen broadside and broadside and a t it they w ent
For fully two h ours or t hree
Till H enry Martin gave to them the deathshot
the deaths hot the deaths hot
A nd st raight to the bo ttom went sh e.
B ad news bad news to o ld England c ame
Bad news to f air London T own
There's b een a rich vessel and she's cast away
cast aw ay cast aw ay
A nd al l of her me rry men dr own'd.
