Matty Groves Lyrics

Matty Groves lyrics

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'm Lord Arnold's wife.
For he is not at home.
He is out in the far
country
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 up 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 dead 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 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.