Little Mattie Groves- Gentry (NC) 1934 Niles A
[From The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles; 1961. This is the version Niles recorded for RCA Victor. As with all versions by Niles you can never tell what's traditional or recreated (stanza 2 for example is not traditional). There's too much arranging and who knows what was traditional- if anything. The slang is affected and his singing is also- too much.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
1. Oh holiday, high holy day,
The best day of the Year,
Little Mattie Groves to church did go
Some holy words to hear,
Some holy words to hear.
2. He spied some ladies wearing black
As they come into view,
But Arling's wife was gaily clad,
The flower of the few.
(repeat last line of each verse)
3. She tripp-ed up to Mattie Groves,
Her eyes so low cast clown,
Said: "Pray do stop the night with me
As you pass through the town.
4. "Oh pray, oh pray, with me come stay,
I'll hide thee out of sight,
And serve you there beyond compare
And sleep with you the night.".
5. "I can't not go, I dare not go,
I fear 'twill cost my life,
For I know you by your middle ring
To be Lord Arling's wife."
6. "This may be false, this may be true,
I can't deny it all,
But Arling's gone to consecrate
King Henry of Whitehall."
7. Her footy page did listen well
To all that they did say,
And ere the sun did set again,
He quickly sped away.
8. Now he did run the King's highway,
And he did swim the tide.
He ne'er did stop until he come
Unto Lord Arling's side.
9. "What news, what news, my bodey boy,
What news bring you to me?
My castles burned, my tenants wronged,
My lady with baby?"
10. "No wrong has fell your house and lands
Whilst you have been away,
But Mattie Groves is bedded up
With your fair lady gay."
11. "If this be false," Lord Arling criecl,
"As I take hit to be,
I'll raise a scaffold tower high
And hang-ed you shall be."
12. "Sir Arling, if what I have said
Is false as false can be,
You needn't raise a scaffold up
But hang me to a tree."
13. Lord Arling called his merry men,
And bade them with him go,
' But bound them ne'er a word to speak
And ne'er a horn to blow.
14. Among Lord Arling's merry men
Be those who wished no ill,
And the bravest one he blew his horn,
A blast so loud, so shrill.
15. "What's this, what's this?" cried Mattie Groves.
"A horn so loud, so clear!
'Tis nothing more than Arling's men,
The ones that I do fear!"
16 "Lie down, lie down," cried Arling's wife,
"And keep my back from cold.
'Tis nothing but my, father's horn
That calls the sheep to fold."
17. Now Mattie Groves he did lie down,
He took a nap of sleep,
But when he woke, Lord Arling was
A-standing at his feet.
18. "How now, how now," Lord Arling cried,
"How do you like my sheets?
How do you like my new-wedded wife
That lies in your arms asleep?"
19. "Oh, it's very well I like your bed,
It's well I like your sheets,
But best I like your lady gay
What lies but hain't asleep."
20. "Put on, put on, put on man's clothes,
As quick as e'er you can,
In England hit shall ne'er be said
I slewed a naked man."
21. "I can't not rise, I dare not rise,
I fear 'twould cost my life,
For you have got two bitter swords,
And I hain't got a knife."
22. "I know I've got two bitter swords,
They cost me deep in my purse,
But you shall have the bestest one,
And I will take the worst."
23. The firstest stroke Little Mattie struck,
Hit hurt Lord Arling sore.
The nextest stroke Lord Arling struck,
Little Mattie struck no more.
24. "Rised up, rised up, my gay young wife,
Draw on your pretty clothes,
And tell me, do you like me best
Or like you Mattie Groves?"
25. Oh, she lifted Mattie's dying face,
She kissed from cheek to chin,
"It's Mattie Groves I'd rather have
Than Arling and all his kin!"
26. Oh, he took his wife by the lily-white hand,
And he led her through the hall,
And he cut off her head with his bitter sword,
And he stove hit agin the wall.
27. "Oh woe is me, my merry men,
Why stayed you not my hand?
For here I've slewed the fairest folk
In all of Engeland."