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.
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.
They had not been sailing but a long winter's night
And a part of a short winter's day,
When he espied a stout lofty ship,
lofty ship, lofty ship,
Come abibbing down on him straight way.
Hullo! Hullo! 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, the 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 to you a full cannon ball,
cannon ball, cannon ball,
And all 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 them the deathshot,
the deathshot, the deathshot,
And straight to the bottom went she.
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 drown'd.