Matty Groves
(traditional)
A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the year,
Little Matty Groves came to the church, the gospel for to hear.
And then came in Lord Donald's wife and she never looked so fine,
And as she caught Little Matty's eye, she fair could read his mind.
The parson he was long of tooth and longer in the wind
As he preached of virtues chaste and dull and wages had from sin.
And when the sermon it was done the lady looked about,
And again 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 lay with me till light."
"Oh I can't go home, I won't go home and lay with you tonight.
By the rings on your fingers I can tell, you are Lord Donald's wife."
"Well may I be Lord Donald's wife, but Lord Donald's not at home.
He is gone in the far cornfields and has left me all alone."
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was said,
He swore Lord Donald he would know before the sun would set.
And in his haste to tell the tale he rent his breast and ran.
And when he came to the broad mill stream he took off his shoes and swam.
"Lord Donald, sir, I chanced to hear your lady on this day.
She's bedded down with Matty Groves while you a far away."
Lord Donald called his servants by, "Fetch to me my horse!
If you speak the truth great reward you'll have, if lies it'll be the worse."
Little Matty Groves he laid down to take a little sleep.
When he awoke Lord Donald was standing at his feet
Saying, "How do you like my feather bed? How do you like my sheets?
How do you like my lady chaste who lies in your arms asleep?"
"Oh well I like your feather bed and well I like your sheets.
But better I like your lady gay who lies in my arms asleep."
"Get up, get up!" Lord Donald cried, "Get up as quick as you can.
For it won't be said in fair England that I slew a naked man."
"Oh I can't get up, 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."
"And you will strike the very first blow and strike it like a man.
And I will strike the very next blow and I'll kill you if I can."
So Matty struck the very first blow and he hurt Lord Donald sore.
Lord Donald struck the very next blow and Matty struck no more.
And then Lord Donald took his wife and set her on his knee,
Saying, "Who do you love the best of us, Matty Groves or me?"
And then up spoke his own sweet wife, never heard to speak so free,
"I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips than you and your finery."
Then Lord Donald he jumped up and loudly he did bawl.
He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her 'gainst the wall.
"A grave, a grave" Lord Donald cried, "to put these lovers in.
But bury my lady at the top for she was of noble kin."
(traditional)
A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the year,
Little Matty Groves came to the church, the gospel for to hear.
And then came in Lord Donald's wife and she never looked so fine,
And as she caught Little Matty's eye, she fair could read his mind.
The parson he was long of tooth and longer in the wind
As he preached of virtues chaste and dull and wages had from sin.
And when the sermon it was done the lady looked about,
And again 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 lay with me till light."
"Oh I can't go home, I won't go home and lay with you tonight.
By the rings on your fingers I can tell, you are Lord Donald's wife."
"Well may I be Lord Donald's wife, but Lord Donald's not at home.
He is gone in the far cornfields and has left me all alone."
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was said,
He swore Lord Donald he would know before the sun would set.
And in his haste to tell the tale he rent his breast and ran.
And when he came to the broad mill stream he took off his shoes and swam.
"Lord Donald, sir, I chanced to hear your lady on this day.
She's bedded down with Matty Groves while you a far away."
Lord Donald called his servants by, "Fetch to me my horse!
If you speak the truth great reward you'll have, if lies it'll be the worse."
Little Matty Groves he laid down to take a little sleep.
When he awoke Lord Donald was standing at his feet
Saying, "How do you like my feather bed? How do you like my sheets?
How do you like my lady chaste who lies in your arms asleep?"
"Oh well I like your feather bed and well I like your sheets.
But better I like your lady gay who lies in my arms asleep."
"Get up, get up!" Lord Donald cried, "Get up as quick as you can.
For it won't be said in fair England that I slew a naked man."
"Oh I can't get up, 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."
"And you will strike the very first blow and strike it like a man.
And I will strike the very next blow and I'll kill you if I can."
So Matty struck the very first blow and he hurt Lord Donald sore.
Lord Donald struck the very next blow and Matty struck no more.
And then Lord Donald took his wife and set her on his knee,
Saying, "Who do you love the best of us, Matty Groves or me?"
And then up spoke his own sweet wife, never heard to speak so free,
"I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips than you and your finery."
Then Lord Donald he jumped up and loudly he did bawl.
He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her 'gainst the wall.
"A grave, a grave" Lord Donald cried, "to put these lovers in.
But bury my lady at the top for she was of noble kin."