Says my lord to my lady as he mounted his horse
"Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the moss"
Says my lord to my lady as he rode away
"Beware of Long Lankin what lives in the hay"
"Let your doors be all bolted and your windows all pinned
And leave not a hole for a mouse to creep in"
Oh he kissed his fair lady the he rode away
And he was in fair London before the break of day
Oh the doors were all bolted and the windows were pinned
Except one little window where Long Lankin crept in
"Where's the lord of this house?" said Long Lankin
"He's away in fair London" said the false nurse to him
"Where's the little heir of this house?" said Long Lankin
"He's asleep in his cradle" said the false nurse to him
"We'll prick him we'll prick him all over with a pin
And that'll make my lady to come down to him"
So he pricked him he pricked him all over with a pin
And the nurse held the basin for the blood to flow in
"Oh nurse how you slumber oh nurse how you sleep
And leave my little son Johnson to cry and to weep"
"Oh I tried him with milk and I've tried him with pap
Come down my fair lady and rock him in your lap"
"How dare'st I go down in the dead of night
Where there's no fire a-kindled and no candle alight?"
"Oh you have three silver mantles as bright as the sun
Come down my fair lady all by the light of one"
Now my lady came down she was thinking no harm
Long Lankin he stood ready to catch her in his arm
Here's blood in the kitchen here's blood in the hall
Here's blood in the parlour where my lady did fall
Oh her maiden looked out of the turret so high
And she saw her master from London riding by
"Oh master oh master don't lay the blame on me
'Twas the false nurse and Lankin that k**ed your lady"
"Oh master oh master don't lay no blame on me
It was the false nurse and Lankin that k**ed your baby"
Long Lankin was hung on a gibbet so high
And the false nurse was burned in a fire close by