A holiday, a holiday, and the one of the year Lord wife came into the church, the for to hear.
And when the meeting it was done, she her eyes about And there she saw Matty Groves, walking in the crowd "Come home with me, little Matty Groves, come home me tonight Come home with me, Matty Groves, and sleep with me till light" "Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home and sleep with you By the rings on 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 cornfields bringing the home"
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was He swore Lord Arlen he 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 millstream, he took off his shoes and he swam
Little Matty Groves, he lay and took a little sleep When he awoke, Lord Arlen was at his feet "How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my sheets How do you like my lady who in your arms asleep?" "Oh, well I like your feather bed and well I like sheets But better I like your gay who lies in my arms asleep" "Well, get up, get up," Arlen cried, "get up as quick as you can never be said in fair England that I slew a naked man" "Oh, I can't get up, I won't get up, I get up for my life For you two long beaten swords and I not a pocket knife" "Well it's I have two beaten swords 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 very blow and strike 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 Lord sore Lord struck the very next blow and Matty struck no more And then Lord Arlen took his and he sat her on his knee Saying "Who do you like the best of us, Groves or me?" And up spoke 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 the heart and pinned her against the wall "A grave, a grave," Lord Arlen cried, "to put these in But bury my at the top for she was of noble kin"