Mattie Grove- Fred Atwood(VT) 1964 MacArthur REC
[Incorrectly titled Mattie Grove, I assume by MacArthur. Song excerpted from audio recording OT2003-3013, part of VFC2003-0007 Margaret MacArthur Collection -- VFC2003-0007; Vermont Folklife Center Archive, Vermont Folklife Center, Middlebury, Vermont.
The family version which dates back to the 1800s is titled "The Little Matthew Grove," and are typewritten Atwood family lyrics owned by Margaret MacArthur, archived at the Vermont Folklife Center- but not available.
R. Matteson 2015]
Mattie Grove- Sung by Fred Atwood July 16, 1964
Listen: http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org/digital-archive/collections/items/show/1148
One day, one day, one high holiday
The highest day in the year
The little Matthew Grove to church did go
One holy word to hear.
Some came down in scarlet and blue
And some came down in pearl
The next came down was Lord Arnold's wife
The fairest of them all
She-- [Atwood objects to singing the song, MacArthur encourages him to continue]
She looked around among the crowd
She looked most pleasantly
She said "I will invite you little Matthew Grove
This night with me to lie"
"Oh no no" said the little Matthew Grove
"Not for my dear life
For I see by the ring on your finger
You are Lord Arnold's wife"
"What if I am Lord Arnold's wife
As you suppose me to be
Lord Arnold to Newcastle has gone
King Henry for to see"
She called her servant every one
And placed them in a row
And told them not to make a sound
Or ne'er a horn to blow
There was one in the company
Had little Matthew Grove's ill will
He clapped he clapped his horn up to his mouth
And it sounded very shrill
"Lie still lie still you little Matthew Grove
And hear what the horn do say"
[Atwood tries to recall correct lyrics, backtracks]
"Lie still lie still you little Matthew Grove
Keep away the cold
There nothing but the [unintelligible] shepherd boy
A driving sheep to the fold"
The little foot page was standing near
He took to his heels and ran
And every stream that he came to
He smote on his breast and swam
When he came to [Atwood pauses]
"What news what news" Lord Thomas said
"What news has thou brought unto me"
"The little Matthew Grove at home this night
In bed with a fair lady"
"If that be a lie a lie a lie
A lie you tell unto me
I will have a gallow to be made
And hanged you shall be"
[Atwood pauses, tries to recall lyrics]
And every stream that he came to
He smote on his breast and swam
Oh there they'd lay and talked a while
Till at length they fell asleep
When they awoke and looked around
Lord Arnold stood at their feet
"Wake up you wake up you little Matthew Grove
And put some clothing on
I won't have it said when I am dead
That I slew a naked man"
"Must I get up" said the little Matthew Grove
"And fight for my dear life
When you have two good swords by my side
And I not even a knife"
"It's true I have two good swords by my side
And cost me deep in purse
You may have the best of the two
And I would have the worse"
"You may strike first hard bloe
And strike it like a man
And I wils trike the next hard blow
And I'll kill you if I can"
Little Matthew Grove struck the first hard blow
It wounded Lord Arnold sore
The Little Matthew Grove [Atwood backtracks]
The next hard blow Lord Arnold struck
Matthew Grove could strike no more
He took his lady by the hand
And set her on his knee
"Now which of the two do you like best
The little Matthew Grove or me"
"Well do I..."
[Atwood objects to singing this verse. MacArthur's copy of the song's lyrics as sung by his father, James Atwood, render it thus:]
["Well do I like your bed, kind sir,
And well do I like your gold,
But better did I like his bright blue eye
That now lies stiff and cold."]
He turned around and gave the [unintelligible]
To the sword [Atwood stops, sings quietly to himself]
Not many word he said to her
He cut her head in twain
He turned around gave [unintelligible]
To the sword within his hand
"Today I slep the fairest man
That e'er trod England land"