Taken down by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould
| 1 |
In merry Scotland, in merry Scotland
There lived brothers three;
They all did cast lots which of them should go
A robbing upon the salt sea, |
| 2 |
The lot it fell on Henry Martyn,
The youngest of the three;
That he should go rob on the salt, salt sea,
To maintain his brothers and he. |
| 3 |
He had not a sailed a long winter's night,
Nor yet a short winter's day,
Before that he met with a lofty old ship,
Come sailing along that way. |
| 4 |
O when she came by Henry Martyn,
'I prithee now, let us go!'
'O no! God wot, that, that will I not,
O that will I never do. |
| 5 |
'Stand off! stand off!' said Henry Martyn,
'For you shall not pass by me;
For I am a robber all on the salt seas,
To maintain us brothers three. |
| 6 |
'How far, how far,' cries Henry Martyn,
'How far do you make it?' said he;
'For I am a robber all on the salt seas,
To maintain us brothers three.' |
| 7 |
For three long hours they merrily fought,
For hours they fought full three;
At last a deep wound got Henry Martyn,
And down by the mast fell he. |
| 8 |
'Twas broadside to a broadside then,
And a rain and hail of blows,
But the salt sea ran in, ran in, ran in,
To the bottom them she goes. |
| 9 |
Bad news, bad news for old England,
Bad news has come to the town,
For a rich merchant's vessel is cast away,
And all her brave seamen drown. |
| 10 |
Bad news, bad news through London street,
Bad news has come to the king,
For all the brave lives of the mariners lost,
That are sunk in the watery main. |
