A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the 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 Matty Groves, in the crowd "Come home with me, little Matty Groves, come home with me Come home with me, little Matty Groves, and with me till light" "Oh, I come 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 Arlen 's wife, Lord Arlen's not at home He is out in the far cornfields bringing the home"
And a servant who was by and hearing what was said He Lord Arlen 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, Arlen was standing at his feet "How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my sheets How do you like my who lies in your arms asleep?" "Oh, I like your feather bed and well I like your sheets But better I like your lady gay who in my arms asleep" "Well, get up, get up," Lord Arlen cried, "get up as 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 beaten swords and they 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 first blow and he hurt Lord Arlen Lord Arlen struck the very next blow and Matty 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 heard to speak so "I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips than you or finery"
Lord he jumped up and loudly he did bawl He struck his wife right the heart and pinned her against the wall "A grave, a grave," Lord Arlen cried, "to put these in But bury my lady at the top for she was of kin"