Classic Poem

In merry Scotland, in merry Scotland
There lived brothers three;
They all did cast lots which of them should go
A robbing upon the salt sea,

The lot it fell on Henry Martyn,
The youngest of the three;
That he should go rob on the salt, salt sea,
To maintain his brothers and he.

He had not a sailed a long winter's night,
Nor yet a short winter's day,
Before that he met with a lofty old ship,
Come sailing along that way.

O when she came by Henry Martyn,
" I prithee now, let us go!"
" O no! God wot, that, that will I not,
O that will I never do.

" Stand off! stand off!" said Henry Martyn,
" For you shall not pass by me;
For I am a robber all on the salt seas.
To maintain us brothers three.

" How far, how far," cries Henry Martyn,
" How far do you make it?" said he;
" For I am a robber all on the salt seas,
To maintain us brothers three."

For three long hours they merrily fought,
For hours they fought full three;
At last a deep wound got Henry Martyn,
And down by the mast fell he.

'T was broadside to a broadside then,
And a rain and hail of blows,
But the salt sea ran in, ran in, ran in,
To the bottom then she goes.

Bad news, bad news for old England,
Bad news has come to the town,
For a rich merchant's vessel is cast away,
And all her brave seamen drown.

Bad news, bad news through London street,
Bad news has come to the king,
For all the brave lives of the mariners lost,
That are sunk in the watery main.