Long Lankin

Said the Lord to his lady as he mounted his horse

Beware of Long Lankin who lives in the moss

Said the Lord to his lady as he rode away

Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the hay

Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned

And leave not a hole for a mouse to creep in

So he kissed his fair lady and he rode away

And he was in fair London Town before the break of day

The doors were all bolted and the windows all pinned

Except one little window where Lankin crept in

“Where’s the Lord of this house?” Said Long Lankin

“He’s a way 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 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

“O nurse how you slumber O nurse how you sleep

You leave my little son Johnson to cry and to weep”

“I’ve tried him with apples, I’ve tried him with pears

Come down my fair lady and rock him in your chair”

I’ve tried him with milk, I’ve tried him with pap

Come down my fair lady and rock him in your lap.”

“How can I come down so late at night

With no fires burning nor candle to give light?”

“You have three silver mantles as bright as the sun

Come down my fair lady all by the light of one.”

My lady came down the stairs a-thinking no harm

Long Lankin stood ready to catch her in his arm

There’s blood in the kitchen there’s blood in the hall

There’s blood in the parlour where my lady did fall

Her maiden looked out of the turret so high

And she saw her master from London riding by

O master O master don’t lay the blame on me

Twas the false nurse and Lankin that killed your lady

Long Lankin was hanged on a gibbet so high

And the false nurse was burnt in a fire close by