A holiday, a holiday, and the one of the year DArlen's wife came into the church, the for to hear.
And when the it was done, she cast her eyes about And there she saw little Matty Groves, walking in the "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 come home, I won't come home and with you tonight By the on your fingers I can tell you are my master's wife" "But if I am Arlen 's wife, Lord Arlen's not at home He is out in the far bringing the yearlings home"
And a who was standing by and hearing what was said He swore Lord Arlen he would know the sun would set And in his hurry to carry the news, he bent his and ran And when he came to the broad millstream, he took off his shoes and he
Little Matty Groves, he lay down and a little sleep When he awoke, Lord Arlen was 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 I like your sheets But I like your lady gay who lies in my arms asleep" "Well, get up, get up," Lord cried, "get up as quick as you can It'll never be said in fair England that I slew a 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 better of them and I will have the And you will strike the very first blow and strike it a man I will the very next blow and I'll kill you if I can"
So Matty struck the very first blow and he hurt Arlen sore Lord Arlen struck the very next blow and struck no more And then Arlen took 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 heard to speak so "I'd rather a kiss from dead 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," Lord Arlen cried, "to put these in But my lady at the top for she was of noble kin"