Two Butchers - Steeleye Span

It’s of two noble butchers as I have heard men say

Started out from London all on a market day

And as they were a-riding as fast as they could ride

«Oh, stop your horse,» says Johnson, «for I hear some woman cry.»

«I will not stop,» says Wilson;

«I will not stop,» says he;

«I will not stop,» says Wilson, «for robbed we shall be.»

Johnson, he got off his horse, searched the woods all 'round

And there he spied a woman with her hair pinned to the ground

«How came you here, dear woman?

How came you here fast bound?

How came you here this morning with your hair pinned to the ground?»

«They robbed me, they stripped me, they left me here fast bound

They left me here this morning with my hair pinned to the ground.»

May God keep all good people

May God keep all good people

May God keep all good people from such bad company

Then Johnson, he being a valiant man and a man of courage bold

He took his coat from off his back to keep her from the cold

And as they were a-riding as fast as they could ride

She put a whistle to her mouth and she gave three shivering cries

Up jumped three bold and swaggering men with swords all in their hands

Who then commanded Johnson, commanded him to stand

«I'll stop, I’ll stand,» says Johnson, «as long as I can stand

For never was I, in all my life, afraid of any man.»

May God keep all good people

May God keep all good people

May God keep all good people from such bad company

Oh, two of them he quickly slew and the third he did not mind

Till the false young woman took a knife and stabbed him from behind

Poor Johnson he spun round about and he fell down to the ground

And he cursed that wretched woman who gave him his death wound

Now the day it being a market day, there were people travelling by

Who saw the awful murder, who saw poor Johnson die

Now Johnson he was a valiant man, and a valiant man was he;

May God keep all good people from such bad company

May God keep all good people

May God keep all good people

May God keep all good people from such bad company