Recordings & Info 250. Henry Martyn [aka Henry Martin]
[Barry considers this ballad and 'Sir Andrew Barton', No. 167 to be the same. The Roud Index lumps the two together. US & Canadian versions are sometimes titled 'Andrew Barton' or similarly 'Andrew Bodee' (see Child D). There are no US or Canadian versions per se of 'Andrew Barton' although they are titled after that ballad. All US & Canadian versions are found here under 250. Henry Martin, a ballad that Child says "must have sprung from the ashes of 'Andrew Barton.' "
According to Coffin (1950):
Barry, Brit Bids Me, 253ff., argues that they are the same song. He bases his claim on the older American texts and points out that the Child Henry Martyn stories are all fragments of the Andrew Barton tale which leave the chase and the capture out. Any ballad that has a chase and capture is Sir Andrew Barton.
R. Matteson 2012]
CONTENTS:
1) Alternative Titles
2) Traditional Ballad Index
3) Child Collection Index
4) Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
5) Folk Index
7) Mainly Norfolk (lyrics and info)
ATTACHED PAGES: (see left hand column)
1) Roud No. 104: Henry Martyn (238 Listings) See also Roud 192 Sir Andrew Barton
Alternate Titles
Andrew Bardeen
Henry Martin
Elder Bordee
Andrew Satan
Andrew Battan
Andrew Martine,
Andy (Ander) Barden (Bratann),
Bolender Martin,
Elder Bardee
The Pirates
The Three Scotch Brothers
Three Brothers of (Merrie) Scotland
The Lofty Tall Ship
Traditional Ballad Index: Henry Martyn [Child 250]
DESCRIPTION: Henry Martin (Martyn), the youngest of three brothers, is chosen by lot to turn pirate "to maintain his brothers and he." Martin overhauls a merchant ship; he either sinks her or is himself mortally wounded
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST_DATE: before 1825 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 28(181))
KEYWORDS: brother pirate
FOUND_IN: Britain(England(All),Scotland(Aber),Wales) US(Ap,MW,NE,SE,So,SW) Canada(Mar,Newf)
REFERENCES: (22 citations)
Child 250, "Henry Martyn" (5 texts, 1 tune) {Bronson's #42}
Bronson 250, Henry Martyn" (50 versions+2 in addenda)
Williams-Thames, pp. 78-79, "Henry Martin" (1 text) (also Wiltshire-WSRO Gl 117)
Belden, pp. 87-89, "Henry Martin" (1 text, called by the singer "Andy Bardan")
Randolph 31, "Andrew Bardeen" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #50}
Eddy 24, "Henry Martyn" (2 texts, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #16, #47}
Peters, pp. 107-108, "There Were Once Three Brothers" (1 text, 1 tune)
Gardner/Chickering 81, "The Three Scotch Robbers" (1 text plus a fragment, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #6, #10}
Gray, pp. 80-81, "Andrew Martine" (1 text, which seems rather defective although no gaps are shown)
Flanders/Olney, pp. 72-74, "Andrew Marteen"; pp. 201-203, "Andrew Batan" (2 texts, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #31, #46}
Flanders-Ancient4, pp. 15-44, "Sir Andrew Barton" "but including Henry Martyn" (11 texts plus a fragment, 10 tunes; in every text but "L," the robber is Andrew Bardeen or something like that, but many of the texts appear more Henry Martin-like) {K=Bronson's #2 tune for Child #167; B=#46, C=#31 for Child #250}
JHCox 150, "Henry Martin" (1 text)
Davis-More 37, pp. 290-299, "Henry Martyn" (1 text)
Creighton/Senior, pp. 86-87, "Henry Martyn" (1 text, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #3, #4}
Karpeles-Newfoundland 22, "Henry Martin" (3 texts, 3 tunes)
Mackenzie 13, "Bolender Martin" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #17}
Leach, pp. 615-616, "Henry Martyn" (1 text)
Friedman, p. 358, "Henry Martyn" (2 texts, 1 tune) {Bronson's #36}
Sharp-100E 1, "Henry Martin" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #36}
Silber-FSWB, p. 215, "Henry Martin" (1 text)
DT 250, HENRMART* HENRMRT3
ADDITIONAL: Maud Karpeles, _Folk Songs of Europe_, Oak, 1956, 1964, pp. 36-37, "Henry Martin" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #104
RECORDINGS:
Warde Ford, "Andrew Batan" (AFS 4194 B1, 1938; on LC58, in AMMEM/COWELL) {Bronson's #8 under "Sir Andrew Barton"}
A. L. Lloyd, "Henry Martin" (on ESFB1, ESFB2)
Sam Larner, "The Lofty Tall Ship" (on SLarner01, Voice12);"Henry Martin" (on SLarner02) [I do not know that the two Larner recordings are in fact different -- these two compilations drew from the same collection of field tapes -- but as the titles are given as different I thought it prudent to separate them. - PJS]
Lawrence Older, "Elder Bordee" (on LOlder01)
Pete Seeger, "Elder Bordee" (on PeteSeeger29)
Phillip Tanner, "Henry Martin" (on FSB5); "Young Henry Martin" (on Voice02) {one of these recordings, which may be the same, is Bronson's #33}
Tony Wales, "Henry Martin" (on TWales1)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 28(181), "Henry Martin," W. Armstrong (Liverpool) , 1820-1824; also Firth c.12(87), Harding B 11(1367), Harding B 11(4096), 2806 c.16(273), Harding B 17(295a), Harding B 11(4207), Firth b.26(253), Firth c.26(210), "Henry Martin"
CROSS_REFERENCES:
cf. "Sir Andrew Barton" [Child 167] (plot, lyrics)
ALTERNATE_TITLES:
Elder Bordee
NOTES: This ballad cannot always be distinguished in practice from "Sir Andrew Barton" [Child 167]; see also the discussion under that song. - RBW
Having looked at the lyrics to "Elder Bordee," I'd place it somewhat closer to "Henry Martyn" than to "Sir Andrew Barton" [even though the Lawrence Older recording lists it as Child #167]; it's shorter, and it doesn't include the theme of the complaining merchants. Frankly, I think Child goofed when he split these ballads. - PJS
Child had the "advantage," if such it can be called, of seeing only British versions. Those are distinct enough. I've yet to see such clear distinctions in American versions.
Checking through the sources available to me, here are the "votes" of the various scholars:
Barry: One ballad (but with some rather farfetched conjectures about its evolution)
Belden: Apparently two (but based on the close similarities of the "Henry Martin" texts, which really proves only that this is a distinct family)
Bronson: One ballad (apparently, but based mostly on others' comments)
Child: Two ballads (probably), with "Andrew Barton" the elder and the source
Coffin: One ballad, following the arguments from Barry.
Davis: Two ballads
Gray: Apparently one ballad, since he connects his single short text to both songs
Sharp: Two ballads
Editors who print texts from their collections but state no clear opinion: Cox, Eddy, Flanders, Randolph
- RBW
Child Collection- Child Ballad 250: Henry Martyn
Child --Artist --Title --Album --Year --Length --Have
250 A.L. Lloyd Henry Martin Folk Songs: A Collection of Ballads & Broadsides - Topic Sampler No 6 1970 No
250 A.L. Lloyd Henry Martin English & Scottish Folk Ballads [1964] 1964 No
250 A.L. Lloyd Henry Martin The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) - Vol. 4 1956 No
250 A.L. Lloyd Henry Martin The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) - Vol. 7 [Reissue] 196? 2:24 Yes
250 A.L. Lloyd Henry Martin English & Scottish Folk Ballads [1996] 1996 3:20 Yes
250 A.L. Lloyd Henry Martyn Bramble Briars & Beams of the Sun 2011 No
250 Alan Reid & Brian McNeill Henry Martin Sidetracks 1980 No
250 Alasdair Roberts Andrew Batann You Need Not Braid Your Hair for Me, I Have Not Come A-Wooing 2005 4:28 Yes
250 Alfred Deller Henry Martin Western Wind and Other English Folk Songs and Ballads 1998 2:32 Yes
250 Alice A. Cassidy Three Loving Brothers (1) The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Alice A. Cassidy Three Loving Brothers (2) The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Andreas Scholl Henry Martin Live at Schwetzinger Festival, Germany 2002 3:22 Yes
250 Andreas Scholl & Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Henry Martin Wayfaring Stranger - Folksongs 2001 3:39 Yes
250 Annie Dodd Henry Morton The Gwilym Davies Collection No
250 Banquo Henry Martin Live at the Belfry Arts Centre 2000 5:28 Yes
250 Barleycord Henry Martin Travellers Tale 2006 No
250 Belle Luther Richards Andrew Bataan The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Bert Jansch Henry Martin Borderlands - The Best of Scottish Folk 2006 3:13 Yes
250 Bert Jansch Henry Martin The Best of Scottish Folk Music 1967 No
250 Bert Jansch Henry Martin Jack Orion 2001 3:15 Yes
250 Bob Green Henry Martin Songs and Stories from East Coast Fishermen 2000 No
250 Bob Green Henry Martin Jim Carroll & Pat Mackenzie Collection No
250 Bob Roberts Henry Martin Breeze for a Bargeman 1981 No
250 Bob Roberts Henry Martin Stormy Weather, Boys 1975 No
250 Bob Roberts Henry Martin BBC Recordings No
250 Brian Peters Henry Martin Sharper Than the Thorn 1996 4:30 Yes
250 Brigands' Folie Henry Martin Twain 2010 No
250 Broadside Electric Henry Martin Black-Edged Visiting Card 1993 5:54 Yes
250 Brothers 3 Henry Martin No Turning Back 2001 3:59 Yes
250 Burl Ives Henry Martin Ballads with Guitar 1959 3:46 Yes
250 Burl Ives Henry Martin The Wayfaring Stranger [Stinson] 1963 [1949] 2:41 Yes
250 Burl Ives Henry Martin The Wayfaring Stranger - The Golden Years of Burl Ives 2005 No
250 Burl Ives Henry Martin Philco's Friendly Troubadour - 20 Vintage Radio Broadcasts 1946-47 2004 No
250 Burl Ives Henry Martin Coronation Concert - Recorded at Royal Festival Hall, London, England 1956 No
250 Burl Ives Henry Martin The Singing Wayfarer 2007 No
250 Cauldron Henry Martin After the Mad King Dies 2000 4:53 Yes
250 Charles Finnemore Andrew Bardeen The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Chris Leidenfrost (Henry Martin) Henry Martin The New York Renaissance Faire 2007 2007 3:50 Yes
250 Colcannon Henry Martin Saint Bartholemew's Feast 1998 4:04 Yes
250 Colleen Cleveland Andrew Bergine (1) The Gwilym Davies Collection No
250 Colleen Cleveland Andrew Bergine (2) The Gwilym Davies Collection No
250 Crimson Pirates Henry Martin Putrid and Disgusting 2004 No
250 Cyril Tawney Henry Martin Seamen Bold - Songs of Voyages, Battles and Shipwrecks, Vol. 1 1992 3:05 Yes
250 Cyril Tawney Henry Martin The Outlandish Knight 1969 2:04 Yes
250 Dame Darcy Brothers 3 Sea Shanty Shore 2011 No
250 Dame Darcy Henry Martin Sea Shanty Shore 2011 No
250 Daniel Bouwman & Andrew Guy Henry Martin White Swans Black Ravens 2006 3:25 Yes
250 Danny Brazil Henry Martin The Brazil Family - Down By the Old Riverside 2007 No
250 David Jones & Bill Shute Henry Martin Widdecombe Fair 2003 3:30 Yes
250 Dick Wilder Henry Martyn Pirate Songs and Ballads 1954 No
250 Dick Wilder Henry Martyn Badmen, Heroes and Pirate Songs and Ballads 1957 No
250 Don Eklund Henry Martin The John Donald Robb Field Recordings 1944-1979 3:24 Yes
250 Donovan Henry Martin HMS Donovan 1997 5:08 Yes
250 Dr Faustus Young Henry Martin The First Cut 2003 4:33 Yes
250 Dusty Leer Henry Martin <website> 2005 3:44 Yes
250 Ed McCurdy Andrew Bardine A Treasure Chest of American Folk Song 1961 3:12 Yes
250 Euclid Williams Three Loving Brothers The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Ewan MacColl Henry Martin The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (Child Ballads) - Vol. 3 1964 3:29 Yes
250 Ewan MacColl Henry Martin Scotland 1951, 1953, and 1958 (Lomax T3469) 1957 1:06 Yes
250 Figgy Duff Henry Martin Weather Out the Storm 1989 5:37 Yes
250 Figgy Duff Henry Martin A Retrospective 1974 - 1993 1996 5:37 Yes
250 Figgy Duff Henry Martin Due South - The Original Television Soundtrack 1996 No
250 Folk Studio A Henry Martin Different Ways to Meet You 2007 No
250 Fred Brackett Henry Martin The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Fred Brackett Three Loving Brothers The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 George Lay Andrew Batan The Max Hunter Folk Song Collection 5:15 Yes
250 Golden Bough Henry Martin Pirate Gold 2008 No
250 Gordon Hall Henry Martin The Gwilym Davies Collection No
250 Gwilym Davies Henry Morton There's a Clear Crystal Fountain - Songs from Southern England 2002 No
250 Hamfisted Henry Martin Hamcestral Voices 2004 No
250 Hanford Hayes Andrew Marteen The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Hanford Hayes Andrew Marteen (1) The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Hughie Jones Henry Martin Seascape 1999 No
250 Jack Oakley Henry Morton The Gwilym Davies Collection No
250 James Findlay Henry Martin Another Day Another Story 2012 No
250 James H. Kneeland Andrew Batting (1) The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 James H. Kneeland Andrew Batting (2) The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Jeremy Stuart Henry Martin Lonesome Road 2000 3:10 Yes
250 Joan Baez Henry Martin Joan Baez 2001 4:15 Yes
250 Joan Baez Henry Martin The Joan Baez Ballad Book 1972 4:06 Yes
250 Joan Baez Henry Martin Queen of Hearts 1989 4:11 Yes
250 Joan Baez Henry Martin Songbird 2011 4:10 Yes
250 Joan Baez Henry Martin The Debut Album Plus 2011 4:15 Yes
250 Joan Baez Henry Martin Diamonds - The Best of Vanguard Years 1992 4:15 Yes
250 John Wright Henry Martin Chants De Marins IV - Ballades, Complaintes et Shanties des Matelots Anglais 1984 No
250 John Wright Henry Martin Unaccompanied 1977 3:26 Yes
250 Jonathan Moses Andrew Barteen The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Jonathan Moses Andrew Bateen (1) The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Jonathan Moses Andrew Bateen (2) The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Lawrence Older Elder Bordee Adirondack Songs, Ballads & Tunes 1964 3:54 Yes
250 Lily Delorme Andrew Bordeen The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Liz Getz Henry Martin Liz Getz Sings 1965 2:08 Yes
250 Louis Killen Henry Martin Sailors, Ships & Chanteys 1995 3:05 Yes
250 Marcoacca Henry Martin <website> 2008- 4:18 Yes
250 Margaret MacArthur Andrew Bardeen Ballads Thrice Twisted 1999 5:07 Yes
250 Marijan Henry Martin Voyage Into the Rainbow 2007 5:12 Yes
250 Martin & Shan Graebe Henry Martin Dusty Diamonds 2008 No
250 Martin Carthy The Lofty Tall Ship Martin Carthy & June Tabor Live at McCabes Guitar Shop,Santa Monica, CA 03-14-87 1987 3:49 Yes
250 Martyn Wyndham-Read Henry Martin Folk Songs 1964 No
250 Merry Mischief Henry Martin Scally Wags 2007 2:37 Yes
250 Morgan Henry Martin Born of the Sea - Celtic Ballads 1999 No
250 Mrs. Edward Gallagher Henry Martin (1) The Helen Creighton Collection No
250 Mrs. Edward Gallagher Henry Martin (2) The Helen Creighton Collection No
250 Mrs. Edward Gallagher Henry Martyn The Helen Creighton Collection No
250 Mrs. Mabel Pease Henry Martin The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Mrs. Silence B. Bellows Andrew Bordeen The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 MyTubeVoice Henry Martin <website> 2007 3:18 Yes
250 New Celeste Henry Martin High Sands and the Liquid Lake 1977 No
250 Oscar Degreenia Three Brothers The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
250 Paul & Liz Davenport Harry Barton Under the Leaves 2006 No
250 Pete Seeger Elder Bordee Champlain Valley Songs 1960 4:03 Yes
250 Peter Bellamy The Lofty Tall Ship Mainly Norfolk 1968 No
250 Peter Bellamy The Lofty Tall Ship Fair England's Shore - English Traditional Songs 2008 2:38 Yes
250 Phil Cooper, Margaret Nelson & Kate Early Henry Martyn Return No More 2002 3:34 Yes
250 Phil Cooper, Margaret Nelson & Kate Early Henry Martyn Oasis Acoustic, Vol 37 2003 3:32 Yes
250 Phil Edwards The Lofty Tall Ship 52 Folk Songs - Yellow 2012 4:21 Yes
250 Phil Tanner Henry Martin The Folk Songs of Britain, Vol 5: The Child Ballads 2 1961 2:11 Yes
250 Phil Tanner Young Henry Martin The Great Man of Gower 1975 No
250 Phil Tanner Young Henry Martin The Voice of the People, Vol. 2: My Ship Shall Sail the Ocean - Songs of Tempest and Sea Battles, Sailor Lads and Fishermen 1998 3:33 Yes
250 Phil Tanner Young Henry Martin Phil Tanner 1968 3:26 Yes
250 Phil Tanner Young Henry Martin The Gower Nightingale - Ballads, Songs and Mouth Music from South Glamorgan Recorded in the 1930s & 40s 2003 3:34 Yes
250 Rag Foundation Bold Henry Martin Minka 1999 4:45 Yes
250 Raymond Crooke Henry Martin <website> 2007 3:26 Yes
250 Richard Dyer-Bennet Henry Martin Richard Dyer-Bennet Vol. 8 1959 No
250 Salty Walt & The Rattlin' Ratlines Henry Martin Log of the Albatross 2008 No
250 Sam Larner Henry Martin Now Is the Time for Fishing 2000 3:54 Yes
250 Sam Larner Henry Martin Sailin' Over the Dogger Bank 1975 No
250 Sam Larner Lofty Tall Ship A Garland for Sam 1974 3:18 Yes
250 Sam Larner The Lofty Tall Ship English Originals - a Defining Collection of English Folksong 1999 3:20 Yes
250 Sam Larner The Lofty Tall Ship Blow the Man Down - A Collection of Sea Songs & Shanties 1993 3:19 Yes
250 Sam Larner The Lofty Tall Ship The Voice of the People, Vol. 12: We've Received Orders to Sail - Jackie Tar at Sea and on Shore 1998 3:20 Yes
250 Sam Larner The Lofty Tall Ship BBC Recordings No
250 Sarah Hook Henry Martin Tenpenny 2010 No
250 Seelie Court Henry Martin + Cliffs of Moher Rising in the North 2001 3:39 Yes
250 Sharon Knight Henry Martin Neofolk Romantique 2011 No
250 Shasta Smith Wigginton, Carolee Bowen & Ron Blackham Henry Martin Celtic Mist - Songs Frpm Celtic Lands 2010 No
250 Sherwood Henry Martin The Favorite Songs of Henry VIII 2004 No
250 Skip Henderson Henry Martin The Poet & Pirate Overtures 2007 No
250 Terrea Lea Henry Martin Terrea Lea and Her Singing Guitar: Folk Songs 1957 2:40 Yes
250 Terry Yarnell Henry Martin Poetry and Song, Vol. 9 1967 No
250 The Askew Sisters Henry Martin Through Lonesome Woods 2010 4:32 Yes
250 The Crimson Pirates Henry Martin (1) The New York Renaissance Faire 2007 2007 2:59 Yes
250 The Crimson Pirates Henry Martin (2) The New York Renaissance Faire 2007 2007 2:55 Yes
250 The Hibernia Consort Henry Martin Crossing the Line - The Romance of the Sea in Song 2009 No
250 The Seadogs Henry Martin Omnes Amant Piratas Cantantes (Everyone Loves Singin' Pirates) 2006 3:22 Yes
250 The Sherwoods Henry Martin Spotlight On 2005 4:10 Yes
250 The Whiskey Bards Henry Martin The Recruiter - Free Rum Ain't Free 2005 2:41 Yes
250 Tom Gilfellon We Had Not Been a-Sailing Loving Mad Tom and Other Unlikely Stories 1972 3:01 Yes
250 Tom Glazer & Pat Moffitt Henry Martin The Musical Heritage of America 1973 3:45 Yes
250 Tom Glazer Henry Martin The Ballad of Namu, the Killer Whale, Live and Let Live and Other Ballads of Adventure 1966 No
250 Tony Wales Henry Martin Sussex Folk Songs and Ballads 1992 2:08 Yes
250 Tranby Croft Henry Martin Timeline 1996 3:14 Yes
250 Warde Ford Andrew Batan California Gold - Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collected By Sidney Robertson Cowell 193? 2:41 Yes
250 Warde Ford Andrew Batan Wolf River Songs 1956 3:32 Yes
250 Warde H. Ford Andrew Batann Child Ballads Traditional in the United States, Vol. II 1960 2:29 Yes
250 Waterson:Carthy The Lofty Tall Ship BBC Radio 3: A Place Called England 2003 4:35 Yes
250 Waterson:Carthy The Lofty Tall Ship A Dark Light 2002 4:05 Yes
250 Waterson:Carthy The Lofty Tall Ship The Definitive Collection 2003 4:07 Yes
250 Yorkshire Relish Henry Martin The Celebrated Barnsley 1978 2:23 Yes
Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America
by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
167. SIR ANDREW BARTON (including 250, HENRY MARTYN)
Texts: Adventure, n 30 '23 ; 1 120 '24 / Barry, Brit Bids Me, 248 / Belden, Mo F-S, 27 / Child, IV, 395 ; V, 302 / Cox, F-S Soutb, 150 / Davis, FS Fa / Eddy, Bids Sgs Ohio, 78 / Flanders, Cntry Sgs Vt, 8 / Focus, V, 280 / Qardner and Chickering, Bids Sgs So Mich, 211 / Gray, Sgs Bids Me Vjks, 80 / Haufrecht (ed.), Wayfaring Stranger, 20 / JAFL, XVTtll, 135, 302; XXV, 171; XXX, 327 / Karpeles, F-S Netofdld, 104. / Kolb, Treasry F-S, 19 / MacKenzie, Bids Sea Sgs N Sc, 61 / Randolph, Oz F-S, 1, 177; Reed Smith, SC Bids, 156; SFLQ, II, 205 / Thompson, Bdy Bts Brtcbs, 37.
Local Titles: Andrew Bardeen (Satan, Battan), Andrew Martine, Andy (Ander) Barden (Bratann), Bolender Martin, Elder Bardee, The Pirates, The Three Scotch Brothers, Three Brothers of (Merrie) Scotland.
Story Types; A: Three Scottish brothers cast lots to see which of them shall become a pirate to support the family. The lot falls to the youngest, Andy. He attacks and robs a rich English merchant. When the King learns of this crime, he sends Captain Stewart (Howard, in England) out to catch the robbers. Stewart locates and takes Andy, and brings him back to the gallows in England. Sometimes, however, Andy is sunk and drowned instead.
Examples: Barry (under 167) (B); Belden; SFLQ, II, 205.
B : The story is the same as that of Type A. However, Andy beats Stewart in the fight and continues on his way.
Examples: Barry (under 167) (A); Cox; Randolph.
C: The Barry (Brit Bids Me, 253 ff.) "Henry Martyn" type story ends with the capture of the merchant ship and the bad news* reaching England. In some versions the hero receives a death-wound and dies.
Examples: Eddy (A); Haufrecht; JAFL, XVIII, 135.
Discussion: This ballad and Henry Martyn (Child 250) are closely allied (see Child, IV, 393), and Barry, Brit Bids Me, 253ff., argues that they are the same song. He bases his claim on the older American texts and points out that the Child Henry Martyn stories are all fragments of the Andrew Barton tale which leave the chase and the capture out. Any ballad that has
a chase and capture is Sir Andrew Barton. The American Henry Martyn songs that have the hero die and fall overboard are the result of a crossing with a text of Sir Andrew Barton itself or of an accident of traditional change. His conclusion is that Sir Andrew Barton exists in two forms in America: the story in which Sir Andrew Barton is hung (Type A), and the story in which, through contact with Captain Ward and the Rainbow (Child 287), Sir Andrew Barton wins and escapes (Type B). There are also abbreviations of these types which do not contain the chase and the capture. Such songs should be properly considered as Henry Martyn versions of Sir Andrew Barton. Barry is probably right. See Eddy, Bids Sgs Ohio, 8 1 for further discussion.
Barry, ibid. 9 also poses an interesting and probably accurate hypothesis that the Charles Stewart (Stuart) who replaces Howard in the ballad is Captain Charles Stewart (17781869), U. S. N.
Henry Martyn was a popular stall ballad in the nineteenth century (see Kittredge's note in JAFL> XXX, 327), but there is no record of Sir Andrew Barton being printed in America.
Note also that the West Virginia version is almost identical to Child, V, 302 (South Carolina).
Folk Index: Henry Martin [Ch 250] /Sir Andrew Barton [Ch 167]
Rt - Elder Bordee
Friedman, Albert B. (ed.) / Viking Book of Folk Ballads of the English-S, Viking, sof (1963/1957), p348 [1860s]
Leach, MacEdward / The Ballad Book, Harper & Row, Bk (1955), p467
Elder Bordee [Ch 167/Ch 250]
Rt - Sir Andrew Barton ; Henry Martin/Martyn
Andrew, Peleg William (P. W.). Thompson, Harold W.(ed.) / Body, Boots & Britches, Dover, Bk (1962/1939), p 37 [1930s] (Elder Bardee)
Older, Lawrence. Adirondack Songs, Ballads and Fiddle Tunes, Folk Legacy FSA 015, Cas (1964), trk# B.11
Seeger, Pete. Champlain Valley Songs, Folkways FH 5210, LP (195?), trk# A.04
Henry Martin/Martyn [Ch 250/Ch 167]
Rt - Elder Bordee ; Andrew Bartin/Bardeen
Rm - Northport
Snyder, Jerry (arr.) / Golden Guitar Folk Sing Book, Hansen, fol (1972), p 63
Friedman, Albert B. (ed.) / Viking Book of Folk Ballads of the English-S, Viking, sof (1963/1957), p359 [1930s]
Friedman, Albert B. (ed.) / Viking Book of Folk Ballads of the English-S, Viking, sof (1963/1957), p360 [1900s]
Kidson, Frank (ed.) / Traditional Tunes. A Collection of Ballad Airs, S.R. Publishers, Bk (1970/1891), p 31 [1880s]
Sing Out Reprints, Sing Out, Sof, 6, p39 (1964)
Sing Out Reprints, Sing Out, Sof, 8, p 6 (1966)
Leisy, James F. (ed.) / Hootenanny Tonight!, Gold Medal Books, sof (1964), p 96
Miller Jr., E. John; & Michael Cromie / Folk Guitar, Quadrangle, Bk (1968), p 40
Silverman, Jerry / Folksingers Guide to Note Reading and Music Theory, Oak, Sof (1966), p44b
Leisy, James F. (ed.) / Folk Song Abecedary, Bonanza, Bk (1966), p158
Leach, MacEdward / The Ballad Book, Harper & Row, Bk (1955), p615
Baez, Joan. Joan Baez, Vanguard VRS 9078, CD/ (1960), trk# 12
Baez, Joan. Siegmeister, Elie (arr.) / Joan Baez Song Book, Ryerson Music, Sof (1971/1964), p 50
Cheetham, William. Kidson, Frank (ed.) / Traditional Tunes. A Collection of Ballad Airs, S.R. Publishers, Bk (1970/1891), p 29 [1880s]
Deller, Alfred. Western Wind, Vanguard SRV7 3005, LP (1967/1958), trk# B.07
Glazer, Tom. Namu, the Killer Whale, and Other Ballads of Adventure, United Artists UAS 6540, LP (1966), trk# A.03
Ives, Burl. Ballads, United Artists UAL 3060, LP (1959), trk# B.02
Ives, Burl. Ives, Burl / Burl Ives Song Book, Ballantine Books, Bk (1953), p 50
Ives, Burl. Coronation Concert, Decca DL 8080, LP (1954), trk# A.01c
Lea, Terrea. Terrea Lea and Her Singing Guitar, ABC Paramount ABC 161, LP (196?), trk# B.03
Lloyd, A. L. (Bert). Folk Songs. A Collection of Ballads and Broadsides, Topic TPS 201, LP (1971), trk# A.02
Tanner, Phil (Philip). Folk Songs of Britain, Vol 5. The Child Ballads, Vol. II, Caedmon TC 1146, LP (1961), trk# B.03 [1950s]
Thomas, Stella. Cox, John Harrington (ed.) / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p150/# 26 [1916/01/10]
Mainly Norfolk: Henry Martin / The Lofty Tall Ship
[Roud 104; Child 250; Ballad Index C250; trad.]
Phil Tanner sang the pirate ballad Young Henry Martin in a Columbia recording made in 1937 (CA 16052-2) that was included on the anthology, The Child Ballads 2 (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 5; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1968), in 1968 on his eponymous EFDSS album Phil Tanner, in 1998 on the Topic anthology My Ship Shall Sail the Ocean (The Voice of the People Volume 2), and in 2003 on his Veteran anthology The Gower Nightingale. The EFDSS album's notes commented:
A well known pirate ballad with more than one traditional tale woven into its history. The character most often associated with the song was John Barton, a Scot captured by Portugal in 1474. Barton's three sons were given letters of reprisal against the Portuguese, but they seemed to have used these an an excuse for general piracy. Henry VIII sent Lord Charles Howard to capture the pirate Burtons, and they were killed at sea. In 1812 another character entered the ballad; Captain Charles Stewart, who replaced Lord Charles Howard in one version.
The Henry Martin ballad is often linked with Sir Andrew Barton (Child 167 [and indeed it has the same Roud number 104]) although Cecil Sharp believed that the latter had nothing in common with Henry Martin.
A.L. Lloyd sang Henry Martin in 1956 on his and Ewan MacColl's Riverside anthology The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Volume IV. This and his other songs from this album were reissued in 2011 on his Fellside CD Bramble Briars and Beams of the Sun. Lloyd also sang Henry Martin accompanied by Alf Edwards playing concertina on his and Ewan MacColl's 1964 album English and Scottish Folk Ballads. He commented in a quite long essay:
In the earliest days of capitalist competition, there was often little difference between the merchantman and the pirate ship. In 1746, some Portuguese vessels plundered a rich Scottish ship owned by the merchant John Barton. As a result, the Scottish king granted “letters of reprisal” to the merchant's sons, Andrew, Robert and John. Helped by his two brothers, and armed with the king's permit, Sir Andrew Barton attacked not only ships of the Portuguese trade (at that time the richest in the world, due to discoveries and acquisitions in India) but also Flemish vessels engaged in business, legal or illegal, in the North Sea. Sir Andrew was a fierce man, who sent three barrels of salted Flemish pirates' heads as a present to King James IV in 1506. A few years later, he took to piracy against English ships. Henry VIII sent out several vessels after him, and in a battle on August 2nd 1511, Barton was killed, his ship captured, and (it is said) his head was cut off and taken to England for display. A long ballad (82 verses!) was made about the piracy, pursuit and defeat of Sir Andrew Barton. It was printed and sold from cheap stationers' stalls in St. Paul's churchyard and elsewhere. In the course of time, as it was passed on by word of mouth from one country singer to another, it grew shorter. At length, only the first part of the ballad, the account of the piracy, was remembered. Perhaps through mis-hearing at some stage, the name of the bold Scottish seaman had become altered from “Andrew Barton” to “Henry Martin”, and in that form it became fixed and survived well into the twentieth century in many parts of England, in several versions that, on the whole, differ only slightly from each other. The Aeolian (La mode) tune used here was noted some sixty years ago from Roger Luxton, of Halwell, Devon, by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould.
Sam Larner sang this song as The Lofty Tall Ship in two different recordings; one was recorded by Philip Donnellan for the BBC at Larner's home in Winterton, Norfolk in 1958 or 1959 and published on his 1974 album A Garland for Sam, on the Topic anthology We've Received Orders to Sail (The Voice of the People Series, Vol. 12, 1998), and on the compilation CD English Originals. The other version is on Now is the Time for Fishing: Songs and Speech by Sam Larner of Winterton, England. Here it is called Henry Martin and can easily be distinguished by the second verse starting with “where” instead of “now where”.
Jimmie MacGregor sang Henry Martin in a recording made by Peter Kennedy at Cecil Sharp House that was published in 1960 on the HMV album A Pinch of Salt: British Sea Songs Old and New.
Peter Bellamy learned Lofty Tall Ship from the singing of Sam Larner and sang it in 1968 on his first solo LP, Mainly Norfolk. He commented in the album's liner notes:
The late Sam Larner was not, perhaps, such a grand or subtle singer as Harry Cox, but what he lacked in finesse he compensated for with enormous vitality and humour. From him comes this grand version of the pirate ballad Henry Martin, called by Sam The Lofty Tall Ship.
Martyn Wyndham-Read sang Henry Martin in 1964 on his W&G EP Folk Songs.
Bert Jansch sang Henry Martin in 1966 on his Transatlantic album Jack Orion.
Cyril Tawney sang Henry Martin in 1969 on his Polydor album The Outlandish Knight: Traditional Ballads from Devon and Cornwall and in 1992 on his privately issued Neptune cassette Seamen Bold: Songs of Voyages, Battles and Shipwrecks.
Tom Gilfellon sang this ballad as We Had Not Been A-Sailing in 1972 on his Trailer album Loving Mad Tom.
Derek and Dorothy Elliott sang Henry Martin in 1976 on their Traditional Sound Recordings album Yorkshire Relish.
John Wright sang Henry Martin in 1978 on his Topic album Unaccompanied.
Bob Roberts sang Henry Martin on his 1981 Solent album Breeze for a Bargeman.
Louis Killen sang Henry Martin in 1995 on his CD Sailors, Ships & Chanteys.
Brian Peters sang Henry Martin in 1997 on his CD Sharper Than the Thorn.
Martin Carthy learned The Lofty Tall Ship from Sam Larner too, and sang it in 2002 on Waterson:Carthy's fourth album, A Dark Light. He commented in the album's sleeve notes:
For myself, there were two people in the late 1950s whose unforgettable wildly different performances—one at the Troubadour Folk Club in Earl's Court and the other at Ewan MacColl's Ballads and Blues Club in the upstairs room of a pub in the Edgware Road (the name of which I can't remember)—decided for me the musical direction which my life was going to take. That pub, close to the old Metropolitan Theatre, may lie buried along with that famous theatre under the flyover which leads on to the M40 westway, but the memory will never, ever fade. The people I'm talking about are Séamus Ennis, whose version of The Devil and the Farmer starts this CD off, and Sam Larner, whose mighty telling of the Henry Martin story in Lofty Tall Ship was probably the single moment that ensured—bewildered though I was by what I thought of at the time at its baffling tune—that this music would embed its hooks into me for life.
Dr Faustus (Tim van Eyken, Robert Harbron, Benji Kirkpatrick and Paul Sartin) sang Young Henry Martin in 2003 on their Fellside CD The First Cut.
The Askew Sisters sang Henry Martin in 2010 on their WildGoose CD Through Lonesome Woods.
Lyrics
Phil Tanner sings Young Henry Martin
There live’d in Scotland three brothers three,
In Scotland there lived brothers three,
And they did cast lots for to see which of them,
Which of them, which of them,
Should go sailing all on the salt sea.
The lot it fell out on young Henry Martin,
The youngest of these brothers three,
That he should go sailing all on the salt sea,
Salt sea, salt sea,
To maintain his two brothers and he.
We had not long been sailing on a cold winter’s morning,
Three hours before it was day,
Before we espied a lofty tall ship,
A tall ship, a tall ship,
Coming sailing all on the salt sea.
“Hallo, hallo,” cried bold Henry Martin,
“How dare you come sailing so high?”
“We’re a rich merchant ship bound for old England,
England, England,
Will you please for to let us pass by?”
“Oh, no, no, no,” cried bold Henry Martin,
“That never, no never can be,
For I am turned pirate to rob the salt sea,
Salt sea, salt sea,
To maintain my two brothers and me.”
“Take down your top royal, cut away your main mast,
Come hither in under my lee,
For I will take from you all of your flowing gold,
Flowing gold, flowing gold,
And I’ll turn your fair bodies to the sea.”
Then broadside for broadside we valiantly fought,
We fought for four hours and more,
Till at last Henry Martin gave her a dead shot,
A dead shot, a dead shot,
And down to the bottom she goes.
Bad news, bad news, to you English heroes,
Bad news I have for to tell,
There is one of your rich ships sunk off the land,
Off the land, off the land.
And all of your merry men drowned.
A.L. Lloyd sings Henry Martin
In merry Scotland, in merry Scotland,
There lived brothers three.
And they did cast lots which of them should go,
Should go, should go,
A-robbing all on the salt sea.
Well, the lot it fell out upon Henry Martin,
The youngest of these brothers three,
That he should turn pirate all on the salt sea,
Salt sea, salt sea,
To maintain his two brothers and he.
He hadn't been sailing three long winter's nights
Nor yet three short winter's days
Before he espied a lofty tall ship,
A tall ship, a tall ship
Come bearing down on him straightway.
“Hallo, hallo,” cried Henry Martin,
“How far are you going?” says he.
“I'm a rich merchant ship, for old England I am bound,
I'm bound, I'm bound,
Will you please for to let me pass free?”
“Oh no, no no,” cries Henry Martin,
“Heave to and heave to,” says he.
“For I mean to take from you your rich
Flowing gold, flowing gold,
Or send your fair bodies to the sea.”
Then broadside for broadside and at it they went,
And they fought for three hours and more,
Till at last Henry Martin gave her the death shot,
The death shot, the death shot,
And down to the bottom went she.
Bad news, bad news, my brave English boys,
Bad news to fair London town.
There's a rich merchant ship and she's cast away,
Cast away, cast away,
And all of her merry men drowned
Sam Larner sings The Lofty Tall Ship
As we were got sailing five cold frosty nights,
Five cold frosty nights and four days;
It was there we espied a lofty tall ship,
She come bearing down on us, brave boys.
“Now, where are you a-going, you lofty tall ship?
How dare you to venture so nigh?
For I have turned robbing all on the salt sea
To maintain my two brothers and I.”
“Now, come heave up your courses and let go of your main sheets
And let her come under my lee.
And I shall take from you your rich merchant's good, merchant's goods,
And I'll point your bow guns to the sea.”
“I shall not heave up my courses nor let go of my main sheets
Not I'll let her come under your lee.
Nor you shall take me my rich merchant's good, merchant's goods,
Nor you'll point my bow guns to the sea.”
Now, broadside to broadside these two vessels did lay,
They were fighting four hours or more.
Till at length Henry Martin gave her a broadside
And she sank and she never rose more.
Sad news, Henry Martin, sad news I've to tell,
Sad news I'm a-going to tell,
Of a lofty tall ship lost on the salt sea
And the most of her merry men drowned.
Peter Ballamy sings The Lofty Tall Ship
We had not been sailing but four frosty nights,
But four frosty nights and five days;
When there we espied a lofty tall ship,
Come a-bearing down on us, brave boys.
“Hallo and hallo, you lofty tall ship,
What makes you to sail so nigh?”
“I'm a rich merchant's ship bound for London Town
Won't you please pull to and let me pass by.”
“Oh no and oh no, you lofty tall ship,
Such a thing well it never won't be.
For I am turned robber all on the salt sea
For to maintain my two brothers and I.”
“So it's let out your courses and let go of your main sheets
And bring your ship under my lee.
And I will take from you your rich merchant's good, merchant's goods,
And point your bow guns to the sea.”
“I won't let out my courses nor let go of my main sheets
Nor bring my ship under your lee.
And you shan't tear from me my rich merchant's good, merchant's goods,
Nor point my bow guns to the sea.”
So it's broadside and broadside these vessels did lay
For fully two hours or more.
Until Henry Martin gave him the death shop
And she sank and she never rose more.
Bad news I've to tell you, bad news I've to tell,
Bad news I'm a-going to tell.
Of a lofty tall ship and she's passed away
And the most of her mariners drowned.
Martin Carthy sings The Lofty Tall Ship
As we were gone sailing five cold frosty nights,
Five cold frosty nights and four days,
Before we did spy there a lofty tall ship,
She come bearing down on us, brave boys.
“Oh where are you going, you lofty tall ship?
What makes you to venture so nigh?
For I have turned robbing all on the salt sea
To maintain my two brothers and I.”
“Then heave on your courses and let go your main sheets
And bring yourself under my lee.
And I will take from you your rich merchant's goods, merchant's goods,
And I'll point your bow guns to the sea.”
“No, not heave up my courses nor let go my main sheets
Nor let her come under your lee.
Nor you will take from me my rich merchant's goods, merchant's goods,
Nor you'll point my bow guns to the sea.”
Now broadside and broadside these vessels they went,
They were fighting four hours or more.
Till Henry Martin gave to her a broadside
And she sank and she never rose more.
Sad news, Henry Martin, sad news I've to tell,
Sad news it is going around.
Of a lofty tall ship and she's cast away
And the whole of her merry men drowned.
Acknowledgements
Transcriptions from Sam Larner by Garry Gillard; transcription from Martin Carthy by Roberto Campo