Henry Martin (key of Am)
Public domain - full karaoke IMMHA-L399
Credit: Traditional (English ballad, Child 250) · traditional
Origin: Traditional English ballad, Child No. 250; public domain. Typed in purple with handwritten chords and slashes, 3/4 time, key of Am, 'Traditional English Ballad - Child No. 250', with handwritten end-of-verse notes.
Source: https://balladindex.org/Ballads/C250.html
Lyrics sheet: courtesy of Country Roads Folk Music Camp, Mount Madonna County Park, California (about the camp)
Original scan: from John's songbook (scan to be posted on @IMMHACAL)
Chords as printed on the original song sheet. Chords as handwritten; a few crossed-out chords at the end are left out.
Am E Am Dm C E There were three brothers in merry Scotland, in merry Scotland there were three Am Dm C E And they did cast lots which of them should go, should go, should go Am C G Am And turn robber all on the salt sea. Am E Am Dm E The lot it fell first upon Henry Martin, the youngest of all the three Am G Dm C E That he should turn robber all on the salt sea, the salt sea, the salt sea Am C G Am For to maintain his two brothers and he. Am Am Dm C E They had not been sailing but a long winter's night, and part of a short winter's day Am Dm E When they espied a stout lofty ship, lofty ship, lofty ship Am C G Am Come a-bibbin' down on them straightway. Am E Am Dm E Hello, hello, cried Henry Martin, what makes you sail so nigh Am Dm C E I'm a rich merchant ship bound for fair London town, London town, London town Am C G Am Would you please for to let me pass by. Am E Am Dm C E Oh no, oh no, cried Henry Martin, this thing it never could be Am G Dm C E For I have turned robber all on the salt sea, the salt sea, the salt sea Am C G Am For to maintain my two brothers and me. Am E Am Dm E Come lower your tops'l and brail up your mizzen, bring your ship under my lee Am C E Or I will give to you a full cannonball, cannonball, cannonball Am C G Am And all your dear bodies drown in the salt sea. Am E Am Dm E Oh no we won't lower our lofty topsail, nor bring our ship under your lee Am Dm C E And you shan't take from us our rich merchant goods, merchant goods, merchant goods Am C G Am Nor point our bold guns to the sea. Am E Am Dm E And broadside and broadside and at it they went, for fully two hours or three Am Dm C E Til Henry Martin gave to them the death shot, the death shot, the death shot Am C G Am And straight to the bottom went she. Am E Am Dm C E Bad news, bad news to old England came, bad news to fair London town Am Dm C E There's been a rich vessel and she's cast away, cast away, cast away Am C G Am And all of her merry men drowned. Am E Am Dm C E There were three brothers in merry Scotland, in merry Scotland there were three Am Dm And they did cast lots which of them should go, should go, should go Am C G Am And turn robber all on the salt sea.