(Traditional Child Ballads 167 & 250) The rare Scottish pirate ballad, one that originated probably in the reign of Henry VIII and based on the exploits (and demise) of one Andrew Barton. A. L. Lloydd asserts it to be one of the most popular of ballads in the Child collection. I first heard it from the singing of Joan Baez in the 1960’s.
lyrics
There were three brothers in merry Scotland
In merry Scotland there were three,
And they did cast lots which of them should go, should go, should go,
And 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, the salt sea, the salt sea,
For to maintain his two brothers and he.
They had not been sailing but a short winter’s night
And part of a short winter’s day
When he espied a rich lofty ship, lofty ship, lofty ship,
Coming down bearing upon them straightway.
“Halloo, halloo” cried Henry Martin,
“What makes you sail so nigh?”
“I’m a rich merchant vessel bound for fair London town, London towm,
Would you please for to let me pass by?”
“Oh no, oh no,” cried Henry Martin
This thing it never can be,
“For I have turned robber all on the salt sea, the salt sea, the salt sea,
For to maintain my two brothers and me.”
“So back up your topsails and heave up your mizzen
And bring your ship under my lee,
Or else I will give you a full broadside, broadside, broadside,
And all your dear bodies drown in the salt sea.”
“I’ll not back up my topsails nor heave up my mizzen,
Nor bring my ship 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."
Then broadside and broadside and at it they went
For fully two hours or three
Till Henry Martin gave to them the deathshot
The deathshot, the deathshot
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 her merry men drowned.
credits
from Magenta,
released January 6, 2024
Gf Morgan - vocals, Guitar, mandolin, concertina
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