C
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.
1
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.
2
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.’
3
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.’
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.’
6
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.
7
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.