There were three brothers in merry Scotland
In Scotland there lived brothers three
And they did cast lots which of them should go,
should go, should go
For to 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, salt sea
For to maintain his two brothers and he

He had not been sailing but a long winter's night
And part of a short winter's day
Before he espied a stout lofty ship,
lofty ship, lofty ship
Come a bibing down him straight away

Hello, hello, cried Henry Martin
What makes you sail so high
I'm a rich merchant ship bound for fair London town,
London town, London town
Will you please for to let me pass by?

O no, o no, cried Henry Martin
That 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 topsail and brail up your mizz'n
Bring your ship under my lee
Or I will give you a full flowing ball,
flowing ball, flowing ball
And your dear bodies drown in the salt sea

Oh no! We won't lower our lofty top-sail
Nor bow ourselves 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,

With broadside and broadside and at it they went
For fully two hours or three
Til Henry Martin gave to her the death shot,
the death shot, the death shot
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 the merry men drown'd

(English sea shanty -- original author unknown)

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.