A holiday, a holiday, and the one of the year Lord DArlen's came into the church, the for to hear.
And when the it was done, she cast her eyes about And there she saw little Groves, walking in the crowd "Come with me, little Matty Groves, come home with me tonight Come home me, little Matty Groves, and sleep with me till light" "Oh, I can't come home, I won't come and sleep with you tonight By the on your fingers I can tell you are my master's wife" "But if I am Lord Arlen 's wife, Arlen's not at home He is out in the far bringing the yearlings home"
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was He swore Lord he would know before the sun would set And in his 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
Little Matty Groves, he lay down and took a little When he awoke, Lord was standing at his feet Saying "How do you like my feather bed and how do you my sheets How do you like my lady who in your arms asleep?" "Oh, well I like your feather bed and well I like your But better I like your lady gay who lies in my asleep" "Well, get up, get up," Lord Arlen cried, "get up as as you can It'll never be said in fair England that I a naked man" "Oh, I get up, I won't get up, I can't get up for my life For you have two long beaten and I not a pocket knife" "Well it's true I have two beaten and they cost me deep in the purse But you will have the of them and I will have the worse And you will strike the first blow and strike it like a man I will strike the very next and I'll kill you if I can"
So Matty struck the very blow and he hurt Lord Arlen sore Lord Arlen struck the very next blow and struck no more And then Lord Arlen took his and he sat her on his knee Saying "Who do you the best of us, Matty Groves or me?" And then up his own dear wife, never heard to speak so free "I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips you or your finery"
Lord Arlen he up and loudly he did bawl He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her the wall "A grave, a grave," Arlen cried, "to put these lovers in But my lady at the top for she was of noble kin"