Henry Martin Songtext
von James Findlay

There were three brothers in merry Scotland
In Scotland there lived brothers three
And they did cast lots as who should rob
On the salt sea, salt sea
To maintain his young brothers and he
But the lot it fell on bold Henry Martin
The youngest of these brothers three
Who for to turn robber all on the salt sea
The salt sea, salt sea
To maintain his young brothers and he

Well he′d not been sailing a long winter's night
And part of the short winter′s day
When there a spider of the stout ship
The stout ship, the stout ship
Come a-bitten down on him straight away


"What ship are you?" cries bold Henry Martin
"Oh, what ship be you?" cries he
"I'm a rich merchant ship bound for merry England
England, England
And therefore will let you pass free"
"Oh no, oh no!" cries bold Henry Martin
"Such things I'll never let be
For I′ve turned robber all on the salt sea
The salt sea, salt sea

To maintain me young brothers and me"
"So lower your topsail and brail up your mizzen
Oh bring your ship to my lee
Or a full blowing ball I′ll fire at your tail
At your tail, your tail
And your merry men drown in the sea"

So broadside to broadside at it they went
All for two hours or three
Till Henry Martin he gave the death shot
The death shot, death shot
And a-leaning down starboard went she
The rich merchant ship was a-wounded foresore
And down to the bottom sunk she
While Henry Martin he sailed away
Sailed away, sailed away
To maintain his young brothers and he


Sad news, sad news to fair London town
Sad news I tell unto thee
The merchant ship's robbed, she′s cast away
Cast away, cast away
And her merry men drown on the sea