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."

[Chorus:]
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."

[Chorus]

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.

[Chorus]