| lyric | 1. A holiday, a holiday,
the first one of the year,
Lord Donald’s wife came into a church
the gospel for to hear.
2. And when the meeting it was done
she cast her eyes about
and there she saw little Matty Groves
walking in the crowd.
3. Come home with me, little Matty Groves,
come home with me tonight,
come home with me, little Matty Groves
and sleep with me tonight.
4. Oh, I can’t come home and I won’t come home
and sleep with you tonight,
by the rings on your fingers I can tell
you are Lord Donald’s wife.
5. Oh, what if I am Lord Donald’s wife,
Lord Donald is not at home,
he is out in the far corn fields
bringing the yearlings home.
6. And the servant who was standing by
and hearing what was said,
he swore Lord Donald, he would know
before the sun would set.
7. And in his hurry to carry the news
he bent his breast and ran,
and when he came to the Brodmoor stream
he took off his shoes and swam.
8. Little Matty Groves he lay down
and took a little sleep
and when he woke Lord
was standing at his feet.
9. Saying how he liked his featherbed
and how he liked his sheets,
how do you like my lady,
who lies in your arms asleep?
10. Oh, well I like your featherbed
and well I like your sheets,
but better I like your lady gay
who lies in my arms asleep.
11. Well, get up, get up, Lord Donald cried,
get up as quick as you can,
it’ll never be said in fair England
I saw a naked man.
12. Oh, I can’t get up and I won’t get up
I can’t get up for my life,
for you have two long beating swords
and I have not a pocket knife.
13. Well, it’s true, I have two beatin’ swords
and they cost me deep in the purse
but you shall have the better of them
and I shall have the worse.
14. And you will strike the very first blow
and strike it like a man,
I will strike the very next blow
and I’ll kill you if I can.
15. So Matty struck the very first blow
and he hurt Lord Donald so,
Lord Donald struck the very next blow
and Matty struck no more.
16. And then Lord Donald, he took his wife
and he sat her on his knee,
saying who do you like the best of us,
Matty Groves or me?
17. And then up spoke his own dear wife,
never heard to speak so free,
I had rather a kiss from dead Matty’s lips
than you alive as could be.
18. Lord Donald he jumped up
and only he did ball,
he struck his wife right through the heart
and hit her against the wall.
19. A grave, a grave, Lord Donald cried
to put these lovers in,
but bury my lady on the top
’cause she was of no more sin. |