Andrew Bartin
HENRY MARTYN—E
[_]
Communicated by Miss
Louise Porter Haskell as derived from Gen. E.P. Alexander
of South Carolina, and derived by him from the
singing of a cadet at West Point Military Academy in
the winter of 1856-7. Two or three slight corrections
have been made by Mrs A. C. Haskell, sister of Gen.
Alexander. This copy comes nearer than the others
to the original Andrew Barton; but sts 11-13 are derived
from Captain Ward, No 287, 8, 10.
1
Three bold brothers of merrie Scotland,
And three bold brothers were they,
And they cast lots the one with the other,
To see who should go robbing all oer the salt sea;
And they cast lots the one with the other,
To see who should go robbing all oer the salt sea.
2
The lot it fell on Andrew Bartin,
The youngest of the three,
That he should go robbing all oer the salt sea,
To maintain his two brothers and he.
3
He had not sailed but one long summer night,
When daylight did appear;
He saw a ship sailing far off and far round,
At last she came sailing quite near.
4
‘Who art? who art?’ says Andrew Bartin,
‘Who art thee comes sailing so nigh?’
‘We are the rich merchants of merrie England,
Just please for to let us pass by.’
5
‘Pass by? pass by?’ says Andrew Bartin,
‘No, no, that never can be;
Your ship and your cargo I will take away,
And your brave men drown in the sea.’
6
Now when this news reached merrie England—
King George he wore the crown—
That his ship and his cargo were taken away,
And his brave men they were all drowned.
7
‘Go build me a ship,’ says Captain Charles Stewart,
‘A ship both stout and sure,
And if I dont fetch this Andrew Bartin,
My life shall no longer endure.’
8
He had not sailed but one long summer night,
When daylight did appear,
He saw a ship sailing far off and far round,
And then she came sailing quite near.
9
‘Who art? who art?’ says Captain Charles Stewart,
‘Who art comes sailing so nigh?’
‘We are the bold brothers of merrie Scotland,
Just please for to let us pass by.’
10
‘Pass by? pass by?’ says Captain Charles Stewart,
‘No, no, that never can be;
Your ship and your cargo I will take away,
And your brave men carry with me.’
11
‘Come on! come on!’ says Andrew Bartin,
‘I value you not one pin;
And though you are lined with good brass without,
I'll show you I've fine steel within.’
12
Then they drew up a full broadside
And at each other let pour;
They had not fought for four hours or more,
When Captain Charles Stewart gave oer.
13
‘Go home! go home!’ says Andrew Bartin,
‘And tell your king for me,
That he may reign king of the merry dry land,
But that I will be king of the sea.’
