250HENRY MARTYN

A.a, b.‘Henry Martyn;’ taken down from recitation, by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould.

B.a.A broadside, Catnach, Seven Dials.b.‘Henry Martin,’ Kidson, Traditional Tunes, p. 31.c.The same, p. 30.

C.‘Robin Hood,’ Motherwell’s MS., p. 660.

D.[‘Andrew Bodee’], from New Hampshire, U. S. A., communicated by Mr George M. Richardson; two stanzas.

A copy edited fromA,B a, with the addition of one stanza for a “snapper,” is printed in Baring-Gould and Sheppard’s Songs and Ballads of the West, No 53. Four traditional versions were obtained by Mr Baring-Gould.

Three brothers in Scotland cast lots to determine which of them shall rob on the sea to maintain them. The lot falls on the youngest, Henry Martyn,A,B; Robin Hood,C; Andrew Bodee,D. The pirate meets and stops an English ship the very first day (third,A b; fifth,B,C). There is a brisk fight, and the English ship is sunk by shot,A,B. She is plundered and then scuttled,C. InA a, Henry Martyn gets a deep wound and falls by the mast.

The ballad must have sprung from the ashes of ‘Andrew Barton,’ of which name Henry Martyn would be no extraordinary corruption. Only one copy,A a, preserves the trait of Barton’s death, an incident not quite in keeping with the rest of the story of the new ballad.

Robin Hood,C, is always at the service of any ballad-monger who wants a name for his hero. But it will be remembered that he is credited with taking a French ship in ‘The Noble Fisherman,’ No 148, and that is enough to explain his appearance here. ‘Andrew Bodee’ may just conceivably be a corruption of Andrew Wood, who displaces Patrick Spens in two versions of No 58 (A b,D). Motherwell knew of a copy in which the hero was called Roberton: MS., p. 660.

Taken down by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould.a.From Matthew Baker, an old cripple, Lew Down, Devon.b.From Roger Luxton, an old man at Halwell, North Devon.

1In merry Scotland, in merry ScotlandThere lived brothers three;They all did cast lots which of them should goA robbing upon the salt sea,2The 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.3He 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.4O 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.5‘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.6‘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.’7For 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.8’Twas 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.9Bad 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.10Bad 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.

1In merry Scotland, in merry ScotlandThere lived brothers three;They all did cast lots which of them should goA robbing upon the salt sea,

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,

2The 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.

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.

3He 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.

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.

4O 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.

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.

5‘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.

‘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.

6‘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.’

‘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.’

7For 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.

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.

8’Twas 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.

’Twas 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.

9Bad 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 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.

10Bad 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.

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.

a.A broadside, Catnach, Seven Dials.b.Kidson, Traditional Tunes, p. 31, 1891; from fishermen at Flamborough, Yorkshire.c.Kidson, etc., p. 30; “sung by a very old woman ... about ninety years ago.”

1There was three brothers in merry Scotland,In merry Scotland there were three,And each of these brothers they did cast lots,To see which should rob the salt sea.2Then this lot did fall on young Henry Martyn,The youngest of these brothers three,So now he’s turnd robber all on the salt seas,To maintain his two brothers and he.3He had not saild one long winter’s night,One cold winter’s night before day,Before he espied a rich merchant-ship,Come bearing straight down that way.4‘Who are you? Who are you?’ said Henry Martyn,‘Or how durst thou come so nigh?’‘I’m a rich merchant-ship for old England bound,If you please, will you let me pass by.’5‘O no! O no!’ cried Henry Martyn,‘O no! that never can be,Since I have turnd robber all on the salt seas,To maintain my two brothers and me.6‘Now lower your topsails, you alderman bold,Come lower them under my lee;’Saying, ‘I am resolved to pirate you here,To maintain my two brothers and me.’7Then broadside to broadside to battle they wentFor two or three hours or more;At last Henry Martyn gave her a death-wound,And down to the bottom went she.8Bad news, bad news to England has come,Bad news I will tell to you all,’Twas a rich merchant-ship to England was bound,And most of her merry men drownd.

1There was three brothers in merry Scotland,In merry Scotland there were three,And each of these brothers they did cast lots,To see which should rob the salt sea.

There was three brothers in merry Scotland,

In merry Scotland there were three,

And each of these brothers they did cast lots,

To see which should rob the salt sea.

2Then this lot did fall on young Henry Martyn,The youngest of these brothers three,So now he’s turnd robber all on the salt seas,To maintain his two brothers and he.

Then this lot did fall on young Henry Martyn,

The youngest of these brothers three,

So now he’s turnd robber all on the salt seas,

To maintain his two brothers and he.

3He had not saild one long winter’s night,One cold winter’s night before day,Before he espied a rich merchant-ship,Come bearing straight down that way.

He had not saild one long winter’s night,

One cold winter’s night before day,

Before he espied a rich merchant-ship,

Come bearing straight down that way.

4‘Who are you? Who are you?’ said Henry Martyn,‘Or how durst thou come so nigh?’‘I’m a rich merchant-ship for old England bound,If you please, will you let me pass by.’

‘Who are you? Who are you?’ said Henry Martyn,

‘Or how durst thou come so nigh?’

‘I’m a rich merchant-ship for old England bound,

If you please, will you let me pass by.’

5‘O no! O no!’ cried Henry Martyn,‘O no! that never can be,Since I have turnd robber all on the salt seas,To maintain my two brothers and me.

‘O no! O no!’ cried Henry Martyn,

‘O no! that never can be,

Since I have turnd robber all on the salt seas,

To maintain my two brothers and me.

6‘Now lower your topsails, you alderman bold,Come lower them under my lee;’Saying, ‘I am resolved to pirate you here,To maintain my two brothers and me.’

‘Now lower your topsails, you alderman bold,

Come lower them under my lee;’

Saying, ‘I am resolved to pirate you here,

To maintain my two brothers and me.’

7Then broadside to broadside to battle they wentFor two or three hours or more;At last Henry Martyn gave her a death-wound,And down to the bottom went she.

Then broadside to broadside to battle they went

For two or three hours or more;

At last Henry Martyn gave her a death-wound,

And down to the bottom went she.

8Bad news, bad news to England has come,Bad news I will tell to you all,’Twas a rich merchant-ship to England was bound,And most of her merry men drownd.

Bad news, bad news to England has come,

Bad news I will tell to you all,

’Twas a rich merchant-ship to England was bound,

And most of her merry men drownd.

Motherwell’s MS., p. 660; from the recitation of Alexander Macdonald, coal-heaver, Barkip, parish of Dalry, Ayr; a song of his mother’s, a native of Ireland.

1There were three brothers in bonnie Scotland,In bonnie Scotland lived they,And they cuist kevels themsells amang,Wha sould gae rob upon the salt sea.2The lot it fell upon bold Robin Hood,The youngest brither of the hale three:‘O, I sall gae rob upon the salt sea,And it’s all to mauntain my two brothers and me.’3They hadna sailed a lang winter night,A lang winter night scarselie,Till they were aware of a tall, tall ship,Coming sailin down under the lee.4‘O where are you bound for, my bonnie ship?’Bold Robin Hood he did cry;‘O I’m a bold merchantman, for London bound,And I pray you, good sir, let us by.’5‘O no! O no!’ said bold Robin Hood,‘O no such thing may be;For I will gae in and plunder your ship,And your fair bodies I’ll drown in the sea.’6O he has gone in and plundered their ship,And holes in her bottom bored three;The water came in so thick and so fastThat down, down to the bottom gade she.7Bad news, bad news to old England is gone,Bad news to our king, old Henrie,That his merchant-goods were taken on board,And thirty-five seamen drownd in the sea.

1There were three brothers in bonnie Scotland,In bonnie Scotland lived they,And they cuist kevels themsells amang,Wha sould gae rob upon the salt sea.

There were three brothers in bonnie Scotland,

In bonnie Scotland lived they,

And they cuist kevels themsells amang,

Wha sould gae rob upon the salt sea.

2The lot it fell upon bold Robin Hood,The youngest brither of the hale three:‘O, I sall gae rob upon the salt sea,And it’s all to mauntain my two brothers and me.’

The lot it fell upon bold Robin Hood,

The youngest brither of the hale three:

‘O, I sall gae rob upon the salt sea,

And it’s all to mauntain my two brothers and me.’

3They hadna sailed a lang winter night,A lang winter night scarselie,Till they were aware of a tall, tall ship,Coming sailin down under the lee.

They hadna sailed a lang winter night,

A lang winter night scarselie,

Till they were aware of a tall, tall ship,

Coming sailin down under the lee.

4‘O where are you bound for, my bonnie ship?’Bold Robin Hood he did cry;‘O I’m a bold merchantman, for London bound,And I pray you, good sir, let us by.’

‘O where are you bound for, my bonnie ship?’

Bold Robin Hood he did cry;

‘O I’m a bold merchantman, for London bound,

And I pray you, good sir, let us by.’

5‘O no! O no!’ said bold Robin Hood,‘O no such thing may be;For I will gae in and plunder your ship,And your fair bodies I’ll drown in the sea.’

‘O no! O no!’ said bold Robin Hood,

‘O no such thing may be;

For I will gae in and plunder your ship,

And your fair bodies I’ll drown in the sea.’

6O he has gone in and plundered their ship,And holes in her bottom bored three;The water came in so thick and so fastThat down, down to the bottom gade she.

O he has gone in and plundered their ship,

And holes in her bottom bored three;

The water came in so thick and so fast

That down, down to the bottom gade she.

7Bad news, bad news to old England is gone,Bad news to our king, old Henrie,That his merchant-goods were taken on board,And thirty-five seamen drownd in the sea.

Bad news, bad news to old England is gone,

Bad news to our king, old Henrie,

That his merchant-goods were taken on board,

And thirty-five seamen drownd in the sea.

Communicated by Mr George M. Richardson, as learned by a lady in northern New Hampshire more than fifty years ago from an aged aunt.

1Three loving brothers in Scotland dwelt,Three loving brothers were they,And they cast lots to see which of the threeShould go robbing all oer the salt sea, salt sea,Should go robbing all oer the salt sea.2The lot it fell to Andrew Bodee,The youngest of the three,That he should leave the other two,And go robbing all oer the salt sea.

Three loving brothers in Scotland dwelt,

Three loving brothers were they,

And they cast lots to see which of the three

Should go robbing all oer the salt sea, salt sea,

Should go robbing all oer the salt sea.

2The lot it fell to Andrew Bodee,The youngest of the three,That he should leave the other two,And go robbing all oer the salt sea.

The lot it fell to Andrew Bodee,

The youngest of the three,

That he should leave the other two,

And go robbing all oer the salt sea.

A. b.

31. a sailed three winter’s nights.

32. When a little before the day.

33. He spied the king his gay gallant ship.

4.Wanting.

5.‘Stand off! Stand off!’ the captain he cried,‘The life-guards they are aboard;My cannons are loaden with powder and shot,And every man hath a sword.’7.They merrily fought for three long hours,They fought for hours full three,And many a blow dealt many a wound,As they fought on the salt, salt sea.8.’Twas a broadside to a broadside then,And at it the which should win;A shot in the gallant ship bored a hole,And then did the water rush in.

5.‘Stand off! Stand off!’ the captain he cried,‘The life-guards they are aboard;My cannons are loaden with powder and shot,And every man hath a sword.’

‘Stand off! Stand off!’ the captain he cried,

‘The life-guards they are aboard;

My cannons are loaden with powder and shot,

And every man hath a sword.’

7.They merrily fought for three long hours,They fought for hours full three,And many a blow dealt many a wound,As they fought on the salt, salt sea.

They merrily fought for three long hours,

They fought for hours full three,

And many a blow dealt many a wound,

As they fought on the salt, salt sea.

8.’Twas a broadside to a broadside then,And at it the which should win;A shot in the gallant ship bored a hole,And then did the water rush in.

’Twas a broadside to a broadside then,

And at it the which should win;

A shot in the gallant ship bored a hole,

And then did the water rush in.

9.Wanting.

103. of the life-guards.

104. O the tidings be sad that I bring.

B. b.

1In Scotland there lived three brothers of late,In Scotland there lived brothers three;Now the youngest cast lots with the other two,Which should go rob on the salt sea.2The lot it did fall to bold Henry Martin,The youngest of all the three,And he had to turn robber all on the salt seas,To maintain his two brothers and he.3He had not been sailing past a long winter’s night,Past a long winter’s night before day,Before he espied a lofty fine shipCome sailing all on the salt sea.4‘O where are you bound for?’ cried Henry Martin,‘O where are you bound for?’ cried he;‘I’m a rich-loaded ship bound for fair England,I pray you to let me pass free.’5‘O no! O no!’ cried Henry Martin,‘O no! that can never be,Since I have turned robber all on the salt sea,To maintain my two brothers and me.6‘Heave down your main tack, likewise your main tie,And lig yourself under my lee;For your rich glowing gold I will take it away,And your fair bodies drown in the salt sea.’7Then broadside to broadside they merrily fought,For fully two hours or three,When by chance Henry Martin gave her a broadside,And right down to the bottom went she.8Bad news, bad news unto old England,Bad news I tell unto thee;For your rich glowing gold is all wasted away,And your mariners are drownd in the salt sea.

1In Scotland there lived three brothers of late,In Scotland there lived brothers three;Now the youngest cast lots with the other two,Which should go rob on the salt sea.

In Scotland there lived three brothers of late,

In Scotland there lived brothers three;

Now the youngest cast lots with the other two,

Which should go rob on the salt sea.

2The lot it did fall to bold Henry Martin,The youngest of all the three,And he had to turn robber all on the salt seas,To maintain his two brothers and he.

The lot it did fall to bold Henry Martin,

The youngest of all the three,

And he had to turn robber all on the salt seas,

To maintain his two brothers and he.

3He had not been sailing past a long winter’s night,Past a long winter’s night before day,Before he espied a lofty fine shipCome sailing all on the salt sea.

He had not been sailing past a long winter’s night,

Past a long winter’s night before day,

Before he espied a lofty fine ship

Come sailing all on the salt sea.

4‘O where are you bound for?’ cried Henry Martin,‘O where are you bound for?’ cried he;‘I’m a rich-loaded ship bound for fair England,I pray you to let me pass free.’

‘O where are you bound for?’ cried Henry Martin,

‘O where are you bound for?’ cried he;

‘I’m a rich-loaded ship bound for fair England,

I pray you to let me pass free.’

5‘O no! O no!’ cried Henry Martin,‘O no! that can never be,Since I have turned robber all on the salt sea,To maintain my two brothers and me.

‘O no! O no!’ cried Henry Martin,

‘O no! that can never be,

Since I have turned robber all on the salt sea,

To maintain my two brothers and me.

6‘Heave down your main tack, likewise your main tie,And lig yourself under my lee;For your rich glowing gold I will take it away,And your fair bodies drown in the salt sea.’

‘Heave down your main tack, likewise your main tie,

And lig yourself under my lee;

For your rich glowing gold I will take it away,

And your fair bodies drown in the salt sea.’

7Then broadside to broadside they merrily fought,For fully two hours or three,When by chance Henry Martin gave her a broadside,And right down to the bottom went she.

Then broadside to broadside they merrily fought,

For fully two hours or three,

When by chance Henry Martin gave her a broadside,

And right down to the bottom went she.

8Bad news, bad news unto old England,Bad news I tell unto thee;For your rich glowing gold is all wasted away,And your mariners are drownd in the salt sea.

Bad news, bad news unto old England,

Bad news I tell unto thee;

For your rich glowing gold is all wasted away,

And your mariners are drownd in the salt sea.

1There lived three brothers in merry Scotland,In merry Scotland lived brothers three,And they did cast lots which should rob on the sea,To maintain his two brothers and he.2And the lot it did light on Henry Martin,The youngest of all the brothers three,And he went a roaming on the salt sea,To maintain his two brothers and he.3And when they had sailëd five days and moreOn a rich merchant-ship coming down they then bore,As he went a roaming on the salt sea,To maintain his two brothers and he.4The rich merchant-ship got wounded by he,And right down to the bottom of the salt sea went she,As he went a roaming on the salt sea,To maintain his two brothers and he.

1There lived three brothers in merry Scotland,In merry Scotland lived brothers three,And they did cast lots which should rob on the sea,To maintain his two brothers and he.

There lived three brothers in merry Scotland,

In merry Scotland lived brothers three,

And they did cast lots which should rob on the sea,

To maintain his two brothers and he.

2And the lot it did light on Henry Martin,The youngest of all the brothers three,And he went a roaming on the salt sea,To maintain his two brothers and he.

And the lot it did light on Henry Martin,

The youngest of all the brothers three,

And he went a roaming on the salt sea,

To maintain his two brothers and he.

3And when they had sailëd five days and moreOn a rich merchant-ship coming down they then bore,As he went a roaming on the salt sea,To maintain his two brothers and he.

And when they had sailëd five days and more

On a rich merchant-ship coming down they then bore,

As he went a roaming on the salt sea,

To maintain his two brothers and he.

4The rich merchant-ship got wounded by he,And right down to the bottom of the salt sea went she,As he went a roaming on the salt sea,To maintain his two brothers and he.

The rich merchant-ship got wounded by he,

And right down to the bottom of the salt sea went she,

As he went a roaming on the salt sea,

To maintain his two brothers and he.

B. c.

12. three brothers.

14. souldmay possiblybe wuld.

23, 41, 61. Oh.

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