A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the Lord DArlen's wife came the church, the for to hear.
And when the meeting it was done, she cast her about And there she saw little Matty Groves, walking in the "Come home with me, little Matty Groves, come home with me Come with me, little Matty Groves, and sleep with me till light" "Oh, I can't come home, I won't home and sleep with you tonight By the rings on your fingers I can tell you are my wife" "But if I am Lord 's wife, Lord Arlen's not at home He is out in the far cornfields bringing the home"
And a who was standing by and hearing what was said He swore Lord Arlen he would before the sun would set And in his hurry to carry the news, he his breast and ran And he came to the broad millstream, he took off his shoes and he swam
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 bed and how do you like my sheets How do you my lady who lies in your arms asleep?" "Oh, well I like your feather bed and I like your sheets But better I like your 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 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 and they cost me deep in the purse But you will the better of them and I will have the worse And you will strike the very first blow and it like a man I will strike the very next blow and kill you if I can"
So Matty the very first blow and he hurt Lord Arlen sore Lord Arlen struck the very next blow and Matty no more And then Arlen took his wife and he sat her on his knee Saying "Who do you like the 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 than you or finery"
Lord Arlen he jumped up and 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 lovers in But bury my lady at the top for she was of kin"