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