Henry Martyn- Brachett (ME) 1942 Flanders L
[From Flanders' Ancient Ballads, 1965. Her notes follow. The spelling of Martyn was assigned by someone like Olney who was familiar with the Child canon.
R. Matteson 2013]
L. Henry Martyn. Sung by Fred Brachett of Stacyville, Maine. M. Olney, Collector; May 10, 1942
Structure: A B C D (1,1,2,2); Rhythm A but divergent; Contour: arc; Scale: Mixolydian t.c. D. Note the irregular meter at the beginning.
In old Scotland lived three brothers,
Three brothers all three,
And they did toss lots for to see which of them
Should go robbing down on the salt sea.
The lot it fell to Henry Martyn,
The youngest of the three,
That he should go robbing all on the salt sea,
To maintain his two brothers and he.
He had not been sailing more'n a week or ten days,
A week or ten days or three,
Before he spied a large lofty ship
Come bearing down under his lee.
"Who's there? Who's there?" cried Henry Martyn;
"Who's there that's running so nigh?"
"I'm a rich merchant ship and for fair London bound.
Will you please let me pass by?"
"Oh, no, oh, no," cries Henry Martyn,
"Oh, no, that never can be,
Since I have turned robber all on the salt sea
To maintain my two brothers and me.
"It's you bring back your foretop
And swing your ship under my lee,
And I will take from you your rich flowing gold,
And your mariner sink in the sea."
"It's I'll not bring back my foretop,
Or swing my ship under your lee,
But I will fight you for my rich flowing gold
And my mariners safe on the sea."
To broadside to broadside each other did pour,
For the space of two hours or three,
When Henry Martyn gave them their death wound
And the mariner sank in the sea.
"Bad news, bad news, to old Eng-a-land,
Bad news I will send unto thee,
For I have took from you your rich flowing gold,
And your mariner sank in the sea."