Matty Groves

A holiday, a holiday,

The first one of the year

Lord Arnold's wife came into the church,

The gospel for to hear

And when the meeting it was done,

She cast her eyes about

And there she saw little Matty Groves

Walking in the crowd

"Come home with me, little Matty Groves

Come home with me tonight

Come home with me, little Matty Groves

And sleep with me till light!"

"Oh I can't come home and I won't go home

And sleep with you tonight

By the rings on your fingers I can see

That you are my master's wife."

And what if I am Lord Arnold's wife

For he is not at home

He is out in the far cornfields

Bringing the yearlings home

So little Matty Groves, he lay down

And took a little sleep

When he awoke Lord Arnold

He was standing by his feet

Saying, "How do you like my feather bed

And how do you like my sheets?

How do you like my lady wife

Who lies in your arms asleep?"

Oh well, I like your feather bed

Better I like your sheets

Best of all I like your lady gay

Who lies in my arms asleep

"Get up. get up", Lord Arnold cried,

Get up as quick as you can

Let it never be said in fair England

That I slew a naked man"

"Oh I won't get up, and I won't get up

I can't get up for my life

For you have two long beaten swords

And I not a pocket knife"

"Well it's true I have two beaten swords

And they cost me deep in the purse

But you will have the better of them

And I will have the worse"

So Matty struck the very first blow

And he hurt Lord Arnold sore

Lord Arnold struck the very next blow

And Matty struck the floor

And then he took his own dear wife

And sat her down on his knee

Saying, "who do you like the best of us now

Your Matty Groves or me?"

And then spoke up his own dear wife

Never heard her speak so free

"I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips

Than you or your finery"

And then Lord Arnold he jumped up

And loudly did he bawl

He struck his wife right through the heart

And he pinned her up to the wall

"Oh, a grave, a grave", Lord Arnold cried

To put these lovers in

Won't you bury my lady at the top

For she was a noble kin.