[Verse 1]
There were three brothers in merry Scotland
In merry Scotland there were three, aye
And they did cast lots which of them should go
Should go, should go, should go, aye
And to turn robber along the salt sea
To turn pirate along the salt sea
[Verse 2]
The lot it fell first to Henry Martin
The younger of all the three, aye
That he should turn robber along the salt sea
Salt sea, salt sea, salty sea, aye
For to maintain his two brothers and he
To maintain his two brothers and he
[Verse 3]
He had not been sailing but a long winter's night
And part of a short winter's day, aye
When he espied a stout lofty ship
Lofty ship, lofty ship, lofty ship, aye
Come a-bibbin' down on him straight away
Come a-bibbin' down on him straight away
[Verse 4]
"Hullo, hullo", cried Henry Martin
"What makes you sail so nigh?", aye
"I'm a rich merchant ship bound for fair London town
London town, London town, London town, aye
And will you not please for to let me pass by?
Won't will you please for to let me pass by?"
[Verse 5]
"O nae, o nae", cried Henry Martin
"This thing, it never can be, aye
For I have turned pirate along the salt sea
Salt sea, salt sea, salty sea, aye
For to maintain my two brothers and me
To maintain my two brothers and me"
[Verse 6]
"Come lower your topsail and slacken your mizzen
And bring your ship under our lee, aye
Or will we give to you a full cannonball
Cannonball, cannonball, cannonball, aye
And all your merry men drown in the sea
All your merry men drown in the sea"
[Verse 7]
"We won't lower our topsail nor slacken our mizzen
Nor bring our ship under your lee
And you won't give us your full cannonball
Cannonball, cannonball, cannonball aye
Nor all our merry men drown in the sea
All our merry men drown in the sea"
[Verse 8]
Then up him and at him and at him he went
For fully two hours or three, aye
'Til Henry Martin gave to them the death shot
The death shot, aye
And all the merry men drowned in the sea
All the merry men drowned in the sea
[Verse 9]
Sad news, sad news to old England came
Sad news to fair London town, aye
There's been a rich vessel, and she's cast away
Cast away, cast away, cast away, aye
And all her merry men drowned in the sea
All her merry men drowned in the sea
All her merry men drowned in the sea
All her merry men drowned in the sea
Lyrics provided by LRCLIB
