A new ballad of the three merry butchers, and ten high-way men, how three butchers went to pay five hundred pounds away, and hearing a woman crying in the vvood, went to relieve her and was there set upon by the ten high-way men; and how only stout Johnson fought with them all; who killed eight of the ten; and at last was killed by the woman he went to save in the wood. To an excellent new tune.

A new ballad of the three merry butchers, and ten high-way men, how three butchers went to pay five hundred pounds away, and hearing a woman crying in the vvood, went to relieve her and was there set upon by the ten high-way men; and how only stout Johnson fought with them all; who killed eight of the ten; and at last was killed by the woman he went to save in the wood. To an excellent new tune.

Table of contents

A New BALLAD Of the Three Merry Butchers,

§

[Page]

A New BALLAD Of the Three Merry Butchers,

And Ten High-way Men, how three Butchers went to pay Five Hundred Pounds away, and hearing a woman crying in the VVood, went to Relieve her and was there set upon by these Ten High-way Men; and how only stout Iohnson fought with them all; who killed Eight of the Ten; and at last was killed by the woman he went to save in the wood.

To an Excellent New Tune.

Licensed according to Order.

[figure]

[figure]

[...] tell you of a Story of lovely Butchers three,

There's Wilson, Gibson, Johnson, mark well what I shall say,

For they took Five Hundred Pounds, Sir, to pay it all away,

For they took Five Hundred Pounds, Sir, to pay it all away.

As they rid on the Road Sir, and as soft as they could trig,

Strike up your hearts, says Johnson, we'll have a merry jigg,

With a high ding ding, with a ho ding ding, with a high ding

ding dee, and God bless on good people from evil Company.

As they rid on the Road Sir, as fast as they could hie,

Stri [...]e up your hearts, says Johnson for I hear a woman cry,

With that he steps into the wood & looks himself all round,

And there he spy'd a woman with her hair bound to the ground

O woman, O woman, qd.Johnson, hast thou no evil company?

O no, O no, says the woman, and alas how can that be,

For there came ten swaggering blades by, and thus abused me

For there came ten swaggering blades by, and thus abused me

Johnson being of a valient heart, & bore a valient mind,

He wrapt his Cloak abouu her for to keep her from the wind:

With a high ding ding, with a ho ding ding, with a high ding

ding dee, and God bless all good people from evil company.

Strike up your hearts says Johnson, for its dark all in the Skie,

She put her finger in her Ear and she gave a skreeking crie,

VVith that there came ten swaggering blades with their weapons ready drawn;

And they boldly came to Johnson, and bolder bid him stand.

I will not fight, says Wilson, for I had rather die;

Or I, to sight, says Gibson, for I had rathe flie,

Come on, come on, says Johnson, and fight a man so free,

Or stand you still behind my back and I'll win the Victory.

Then Johnsons pistols they flew off till five of them were slain

And then he drew his Hanger with all his might and main,

And plaid it about so manfully till three more he had slain,

And plaid it about so, &c.

Come on, come on (says the other two) and let us make away,

For if we do not hold him too't our lives he takes away.

O no O no (quoth the woman) and alas how can that be,

For if you do not hold him too't then hanged you shall be.

Johnson fighting these two Thieves before, the woman he did not mind,

And fighting these two Thieves before, she knockt him down behind,

O woman, O woman, quoth Johnson alas what have you done,

You have kill'd the bravest Butcher that ever England won.

Iust as she had killed him there came one Riding by,

And saw the deed that she had done, and seiz'd her presently,

She was Condemn'd for to be Hang'd in Iron Chains so strong,

At the place where she did Johnson that great and mighty wrong.

§

§

Printed for I. Bissel at the Bible and Harp in West-Smithfield

Information about this book

Title statement

A new ballad of the three merry butchers, and ten high-way men, how three butchers went to pay five hundred pounds away, and hearing a woman crying in the vvood, went to relieve her and was there set upon by the ten high-way men; and how only stout Johnson fought with them all; who killed eight of the ten; and at last was killed by the woman he went to save in the wood. To an excellent new tune.

Edition statement

1685-1695?

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

B04547

ID [STC]

Wing N569

ID [STC]

ESTC R180891

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

47012544

ID [OCLC]

ocm 47012544

ID [VID]

174514

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. B04547)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 174514)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1641-1700 ; 2690:58)

Source

— A new ballad of the three merry butchers, and ten high-way men, how three butchers went to pay five hundred pounds away, and hearing a woman crying in the vvood, went to relieve her and was there set upon by the ten high-way men; and how only stout Johnson fought with them all; who killed eight of the ten; and at last was killed by the woman he went to save in the wood. To an excellent new tune.,

Extent

1 sheet ([1] p.) : ill.

Printed for J. Bissel at the Bible and Harp in West Smithfield,. [London]: [between 1685 and 1695]. (Contains 3 illustrations.) (Date of publication suggested by Wing (2nd ed.)) ("Licensed according to order.") (Reproduction of original in: University of Glasgow. Library.)

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