Mathy Groves- Rena Hicks (NC) 1951 Warner/Burton
[From: Traditional American Folk Songs; Warners also in Some Ballad folks by Burton. This was taken from Rena's "ballit box" a collection of written ballads. Rena was Nathan's Hicks wife, Frank Proffitt's mother-in-law. Warner's notes follow.
There are some differences in the Warner and Burton versions: Burton has Lord Daniel throughout; Warner has attempted to make quatrains out of 3 line stanzas.
R. Matteson 2015]
78. Mathy Grove- Rena Hicks, 1951 (?)
Mrs. Hicks gave us this version of "Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard," though she did not know the tune and had to recite it. It is full of phrases which indicate the "mishearing" which often happens in the oral transmission of songs-particularly those with words or phrases whose meaning is not understood either by the singer or those who are listening. Here, in the first line there is "a ravin white," which must be a mishearing of "arrayed in white." In the second line, what a "Pelat" may be, we do not know. In the eighth verse and in the twelfth and thirteenth and later verses "galad" could only be a corruption of "gay lady" which is used so often in ancient ballads. This very old ballad of adultery and revenge (Child says it is quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher's "Knight of the Burning Pestle" about 1611) has been found with much greater frequency in the United States than in Britain.
MATHY GROVE
First come in a ravin [arrayed in] white,
Next come in was a Pelat,[1]
Next come in was Lord Donal's wife,[2]
She was the fairest of them all.
Little Mathy Grove was standing by,
On him she placed her eye,
"Come and go home with me
And stay all night."
"If I do, Lord Donal will kill me.
I know by the ring
That you wear on your finger
That you are Lord Donal's wife."
"If I am Lord Donal's wife,
He is not at home.
He is away
At the king's highway working."
Little Foot Spade [footpage] was standing by,
These words he heard.
He buckled up his shoes and he run
Till he come to the broken-down bridge.
He bent his breast and he swam
Till he come to the other side.
He buckled up his shoes and he run
Till he come to Lord Donal's gate.
He dingles at the ring,
And none as ready
As Lord Donal himself
To rise and let him in.
"'What news have you brought to me?"
"Little Mathy Grove
Is in the bed
With your galad [gay lady]."[3]
"If this the truth you brought to me,
And true it may be,
To the oldest girl that I got
Married you may be."
"If that's a lie that you brought to me,
And a lie it may be,
On a green shade tree in this old land
A hanged man you may be."
He saddled the old king's horse
And he rode away.
When little Mathy Grove awoke
Lord Donal was at his feet.
"How do you like my blankets?
And how do you like my sheets?
And how do you like my galad [3]
That lies in your arms asleep?"
"Much do I like your blankets,
And much do I like your sheets,
Much better do I like your galad[3]
That lies in my arms asleep."
"Rise up, put on some clothes!
And it never shall be said in old England
That I slew you, A naked man."
"How can I
When I'm afraid of my life?
You with two swords,
And me not a knife."
"I have these two swords
That cost me deep in the purse.
I will give you the best sword,
And I will take the worse."
"I will give you the first lick,
And strike it like a man.
And if you don't kill me,
I will kill you if I can."
The very first lick
That little Mathy Grove struck,
He wounded
Lord Donal full sore.
The very first lick
That Lord Donal struck,
Little Mathy Grove
Could strike no more.
He took his galad[3] by the hand
He led her over the place and set her on his knee.
"Which do you like the best,
Me or little Mathy Grove?"
"Much do I like your ruby lips,
Much do I like your chin,
Much better do I like little Mathy Grove's finger,
Better than you and all your kin."
He drew his sword from
His right side
And split her head in twain.[5]
1. Derived perhaps from "in pall." Burton has "pela-tee."
2. Lord Daniel throughout (Burton)
3. gay lady
4. Burton has "Gaily-Dee" which is "gay lady"
5. Burton has "in twins"