Fiddler's Green - Matty Groves Lyrics
A holiday, a holidaythe first one of the yearLord Arnold's wife came into the churchthe gospel for to hearAnd when the meeting it was doneshe cast her eyes aboutand there she saw little Matty Groveswalking in the crowd"Come home with me,little Matty Groves.Come home with me tonight.Come home with me, little Matty Grovesand sleep with me till light.""Oh I can't come home andI won't go homeand sleep with you tonight.By the rings on your fingers I can seethat 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 countrybringing the yearlings home."So little Matty Groves, he lay downand took a little sleepwhen he awoke Lord Arnoldhe was standing by his feet.Saying "How do you like my feather bedand how do you like my sheets?How do you like my lady wifewho lies in your arms asleep?""Oh well, I like your feather bed,better I like your sheets,best of all I like your lady gaywho 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 Englandthat I slew a ***** man.""Oh I won't get up and I won't get upI can't get up for my lifefor you have two long beaten swordsand I not a pocket knife.""Well it's true I have two beaten swordsand they cost me deep in the purse,but you will have the better of themand I will have the worse."So Matty struck the very first blowand he hurt Lord Arnold soreLord Arnold struck the very next blowand Matty struck up the floor.And then he took his own dear wifeand sat her down on his kneesaying "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 upand loudly did he bawl.He struck his wife right through the heartand 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 topfor she was a noble kin
