A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the DArlen's wife came into the church, the for to hear.
And when the meeting it was done, she cast her about And there she saw Matty Groves, walking in the crowd "Come home me, little Matty Groves, come home with me tonight Come home with me, little Matty Groves, and sleep with me light" "Oh, I can't home, I won't come home and sleep with you tonight By the rings on your 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 cornfields bringing the home"
And a servant who was standing by and what was said He swore Lord he would know before the sun would set And in his hurry to carry the news, he his breast and ran And when he came to the broad millstream, he off his shoes and he swam
Little Matty Groves, he lay down and took a little When he awoke, Lord Arlen was at his feet Saying "How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my How do you like my lady who in your arms asleep?" "Oh, well I like your feather bed and well I your sheets But better I like your lady gay who lies in my asleep" "Well, get up, get up," Lord cried, "get up as quick as you can It'll never be said in fair England I slew a naked man" "Oh, I can't get up, I 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 swords and they cost me deep in the purse But you will have the better of them and I have the worse And you will strike the very first blow and it like a man I will strike the very blow and I'll kill you if I can"
So Matty struck the very first blow and he hurt Arlen sore Lord struck the very next blow and Matty struck no more And then Lord Arlen his wife and he sat her on his knee Saying "Who do you the best of us, Matty Groves or me?" And then up spoke his own dear wife, never to speak so free "I'd a kiss from dead Matty's lips than you or your finery"
Lord he jumped up and loudly he did bawl He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her against the "A grave, a grave," Arlen cried, "to put these lovers in But bury my lady at the top for she was of kin"