Joan Baez - Matty Groves lyrics

A holiday, a holiday
And the first one of the year
Lord Arlen'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
I won't come home and sleep with you tonight
By the rings on your fingers I can
Tell you are my master's wife"
"But if I am Lord Arlen 's wife
Lord Arlen's not at home
He is out in the far
Cornfields bringing the yearlings home"
And a servant who was standing by
And hearing what was said
He swore Lord Arlen he would know
Before the sun would set
And in his hurry to carry the news
He bent his breast and ran
And when he came to the broad millstream
He took off his shoes and he swam

Little Matty Groves
He lay down and took a little sleep
When he awoke
Lord Arlen was standing at his feet
Saying "How do you like my feather bed
And how do you like my sheets
How do you like my lady 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"
"Well, get up, get up, " Lord Arlen cried
"get up as quick as you can
It'll never 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
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 Arlen sore
Lord Arlen struck the very next blow
And Matty struck no more
And then Lord Arlen took his wife and
He sat her on his knee
Saying "Who do you like the best of us
Matty Groves or me?"
And then up spoke his own dear wife
Never heard to speak so free
"I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's
Lips than you or your finery"
Lord Arlen he jumped up and
Loudly he did bawl
He struck his wife right through the heart
And pinned her against the wall
"A grave, a grave, " Lord Arlen cried
"to put these lovers in
But bury my lady at the top
For she was of noble kin"