Lord Darnold- Wiley (VA) 1916 Davis C
[No informant named. From: Davis; Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
LITTLE MUSGRAVE ANN LADY BARNARD
(Child, No. 81)
THE seven variants found in Virginia have the titles, "Lord Arnold's Wife," "Lord Daniel's Wife," "Lord Vanner's Wife," "Lord Darnold," "Little Matthew Groves," and "Little Mosie Grove and Lord Burnett's wife." A general concurrence with Child A is to be noted, but the divergences are many. In the Virginia texts, the lady is more definitely the aggressor; the stanza in which Little Matthew recognizes her as Lord Barnard's wife by her rings (found in Child D, E, F, H, J, K, and L, but not in A) is included, while the stanzas in which the two lovers profess their past affection are excluded; except in Virginia A, no regret is expressed by Lord Barnett for either of his killings; except in Virginia B where the lady is shot, she dies by stroke of sword, not by the barbarity of Child A; Lord Barnett's instructions for the lovers' burial are omitted; repetition is frequent in the Virginia texts.
The story told by the Virginia texts is this: on a certain holiday Little Matthew (Mathy, Marthy, Mosie) Grove (Groves) goes to church and there sees Lord Barnett's (Burnett's, Daniel's, Arnold's, Darnold's) wife, who makes advances and invites him to lie with her that night. He at first refuses, as he sees by her ring that she is Lord Barnett's wife, but is reassured when she informs him that her husband is away. A little foot-page hears the assignation, and runs off to inform Lord Barnett, who returns and surprises the lovers in bed. He generously offers his best sword to Little Matthew and kills him in fair fight. In A, he regrets his rash act. When he finds that his lady loves little Matthew more than she loves him (B, D, and E), he kills her also.
For American texts, see Brown, p.9 (North Carolina); Bulletin, Nos. 3, 6, 7, 9, 11; Campbell and Sharp, No. 20 (North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky) Cox, No. 15; Journal, XXIII, 371 (Mackenzie, Nova Scotia); XXV, 192 (Mackenzie, Nova Scotia); XXX,309 (Kittredge, Kentucky, three texts and two melodies, Missouri, text and melody); Mackenzie, pp. 14, 88 (fragment); Mackenzie, Ballads No. 8; Pound, Ballads, No. 15; Shearin, p. 3; Shearin and Combs, p. 8, Reed Smith, No.7; Reed Smith, Ballads, No. 2; Wyman and Brockway, songs, pp. 22, 62. For additional references, see Journal, XXXI 309.
C. "Lord Darnold." Collected by Mrs. Olin F. Wiley, of Richmond, Va., Wise County. December 1, 1916.
1 Today it was the holy day,
The first day in the year
To church little Mathey Groves
Did go to hear the holy word.
2 The first came was dressed in white,
The second she in green,
The third came in Lord Darnold's wife,
The fairest of the three.
3 She cast her eyes all round and round,
She cast her eyes on me:
"You got to go home with me tonight,
A bed feller to be."
4 "Oh no, oh nor" said Mathey Groves,
"I cannot for my life.
I can tell by the ring that is on your fingers
You are Lord Darnold's wife."
S "Well, if I am Lord Darnold's wife,
As you possess me,
Lord Darnold's gone to the big white house
King Johnny for to see."
6 The little foot-page was standing by,
He took to his heels and run,
He run till he came to the water's side,
He bowed his breast and swam'
7 When he got out on the other side,
' He took to his heels and run,
He run till he came to the big white house;
He rattled the bells and rung, rung'
8 "What news have you for me to-night,
What news have You for me?"
"Little Mathey Groves is at your house
Gone home with your gaily deal. [1]''
9 He placed his men all round and round,
He placed his men all fow;[2]
Not nary word then should be spoken,
Or easy a horn should blow.
10 His brother came with a bugle horn,
He blowed it loud and shrill,
And at the tuning of every tune,
"I wish I was a . . ."
11 Little Mathey felt one sweet kiss,
And dramp a dream so sweet,
And when little Mathey Groves awoke,
Lord Darnold was standing at his feet'
12 The very first lick Little Mathey struck,
He wound Lord Darnold deep,
The very first lick Lord Darnold struck,
Little Mathey fell dead at his feet.
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1 For gay lady.
2 For four.
3 Usually any.