Than You Or Your Finery."

Matty Groves

A holiday, a holiday
The first one of the year
Lord Donald's wife
came into the church
The gospel for to hear
And when the meeting,
it was done
She cast her eyes about
And there she saw
little Matty Groves
Walking in the crowd

"Come home with me, little Matty Groves
Come home with me tonight
Come home with me, little Matty Groves
And sleep with me
'til light"

"Oh, I can't come home,
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"

"But if I am
Lord Donald's wife
Lord Donald's not at home
He is out in
the far cornfields
Bringing
the yearlings home"

And a servant
who was standing by
And hearing what was said
He swore Lord Donald
he would know
Before the sun would set

And in his hurry
to carry the news
He bent his breast
and ran
And when he came
to the broad mill stream
He took off his shoes
and swam

Little Matty Groves,
he lay down
And took a little sleep
When he awoke, Lord Donald
Was standing at his feet
Saying, "How do you like
my feather bed
And how do you like my sheet?
How do you like my lady
Who lies in your arms asleep?"

"Oh well, I like your feather bed
And well, I like your sheets
But better I like your lady gay
Who lies in my arms asleep"
"Well, get up, get up", Lord Donald 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 won't get up
I can't get up for my life
For you have two long beaten swords
And I not a pocket knife"
"Well, it's true I have two beaten swords
And they cost me deep in the purse
But you will have the better of them
And I will have the worse"
"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"
So Matty struck the very first blow
And he hurt Lord Donald sore
Lord Donald struck the very next blow
And Matty struck no more
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?"
And then up spoke his own dear wife
Never heard to speak so free
"I'd rather a kiss
from dead Matty's lips *
Than you or your finery" <---

Lord Donald, he jumped up
And loudly he did bawl
He struck his wife
right through the heart
And pinned her against the wall
"A grave, a grave",
Lord Donald cried
"To put these lovers in
But bury my lady at the top
For she was of noble kin"