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 all on the salt sea,

To turn pirate all on the salt sea.



The lot of it fell first to Henry Martin,,

The younger of all the three, aye,

That he should turn robber all on 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.



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 abibbing down on him straight away,

Come abibbing down on him straight away.



"Hello, hello," cried Henry Martin,

"What makes you sail so nigh ?" aye,

"I'm a rich merchant ship bound for fair London town, aye,

And will you not please for to let me pass by ?

won't you please for to let me pass by ? "



"Oh no, oh no," cried Henry Martin,

"This thing it can never be, aye,

For I have turned pirate all on 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."



"Come lower your top sail and slacken your mizzen,

And bring your ship under our lee, aye,

Or we will give to you a full cannon ball,

Cannon ball, cannon ball, cannon ball, aye,

And all your merry men drown in the sea,

All your merry men drown in the sea."



"We won't lower our top sail nor slacken our mizzen,

Nor bring our ship under your lee,

And you won't give to us your full cannon ball,

Cannon ball, cannon ball, cannon ball, aye,

Nor all our merry men drown in the sea,

All our merry men drown in the sea."



Then up him and at him and at him he went,

For fully two hours or three, aye,

Till Henry Martin gave to them the death shot,

The death shot, aye,

And all their merry men drowned in the sea,

All their merry men drowned in the sea.



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