Little Matthy Groves- Gentry (NC) 1916 Sharp B
[From Sharp/Campbell English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians I. Also in Sharp/Karpeles 1932, p. 161-182, versions A-Q. Notes from 1932 edition and notes from Sharp's diary follow.
The text for this version was reprinted by Pound in her book. Some of the verses are irregular. Gentry is the heir to the Hicks/Harmon ballads which she brought from from Watauga County. See also Sam Harmon's version.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
1932 Edition Notes: No. 23. Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard.
Texts without tunes:— Child s English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 81. Reed Smith's South Carolina Ballads, p. 125. Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 94. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxiii. 371; xxv. 182.
Texts with tunes:—Rimbault's Musical Illustrations of Percy's Reliques, p. 92. Chappel's Popular Music of the Olden Times, i. 170. MotherwelJ's Minstrelsy,
Appendix, tune No. 21. W. R. Mackenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs of Nova Scotia, No. 8. Wyman and Brockway's Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs, pp. 22 and 62. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxx. 309. British Ballads from Maine, p. 150. Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 289 and 577.
Sharp diary 1916 page 256. Thursday 24 August 1916 - Hot Springs
Asthma rather better, but weather still terribly hot & stifling. Had breakfast at 7 and at 8.30 sallied forth with Maud, crossed the river in a punt with the aid of a wire manipulated by the ferryman — a perilous business — and then called on Mrs Gentry. She sang till 11.30 some excellent songs. Returned to lunch at 12 and called on her again at 2.30 till 4.45 & got more songs — 20 in all — and then after a short stroll by the river returned to supper at 6. Spent evening writing my tunes in my book. Very tired & rather late getting to bed.
Sharp B
1. The first come down was a raven white,[1]
And the next come down was a polly,[2]
And the next come down was Lord Thomas's wife,[3]
And she was the fairest of them all, all,
And she was the fairest of them all.
2 Little Matthy Groves was a-standing by;
She placed her eyes on him,
Saying: You're the darling of my heart
And the darling of my life, life,
And the darling of my life.
3 It's you no home, no place to lie,
Go home with me this night.
I think by the rings you wear on your fingers
You are Lord Thomas's wife. [sim.]
4 True, I am Lord Thomas's wife
Lord Thomas is not at home.
The little foot-page was a-standing by,
These words heareth he,
And he licked to his heels and run.
5 He run, he run to the broken-down bridge,
He bent to his breast and swum ;
He swum, he swum to the other, other side,
And he buckled up his shoes and he run.
6 He run, he run to Lord Thomas's gate
And he dingled at the ring and it rung,
And he dingled at the ring and it rung.
What news, what news, my little foot-page?
What news you've brought to me?
Little Matthy Groves is at your house
In the bed with the gay lady.
7 If that be a lie you've brought to me
And a lie I expect it to be,
If there is e'er a green tree in these whole worlds
A hangman you shall be.
8 If that be the truth you've brought to me,
And the truth I don't expect it to be,
You may wed my youngest daughter
And you may have all I've got.
9 Lord Thomas's wife raised up about half a doze asleep.
Lay still, lay still, little Matthy Groves says,
Lay still I tell to thee,
For it's nothing, but your father's little shepherd boy
A-driving the wolves from the sheep.
10 When little Matthy Groves did wake Lord Thomas was at his feet.
Rise up, rise up, Lord Thomas he says,
And put your clothing on,
For it never shall be known in old England
That I slew a naked man.
11 How can I rise up, he says,
When I am afeard of my life?
For you have two good broad-edged swords
And I have not so much as a knife.
12 True, I have two good broad swords
They cost me deep in the purse.
But you may have the very best one
And you may have the first lick.
13 The very first lick little Matthy Groves struck,
He struck him across the head,
And the very next lick Lord Thomas he struck,
And it killed little Matthy Groves dead.
14 He took his gay lady by the hand,
And he led her up and down.
He says: How do you like my blankets
And how do you like my sheets?
15 Well enough your blankets
And well enough your sheets,
But much better do I love little Matthy Groves
Within my arms asleep.
16 He took his gay lady by the hand
And he pulled her on his knee,
And the very best sword that he did have
He split her head into twine (twain).
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1. was "arrayed in white,"
2. clad in "pall" see also Sam Harmon's version. In Sharp's MS it's "piley."
3. One of the few version that use the hero of Child 73, Lord Thomas. Usually in the other Hicks versions it's Lord Daniel or Donald. Since Jane sang 20 ballads in a few hours for Sharp that day, it would be easy to get the names mixed up.