I think Matt was very brave to insist on his wages. These heroes to stand up to non paying bosses are few and far between. And they rarely get credit for it. Consider the hardest bargainer of the lot:

Lankin was as good mason as ever cut stone.
Built a castle for Lord Wary but payment got none.
"Come pay me Lord Wary. Come pay me out of hand."
"I cannot pay you Lankin unless I sell my land."
"Come pay me Lord Wary. Come pay me my fee."
"I cannot pay you Lankin for I must go to sea."

How many people bother to sing those verses? How many just dive in and make it look like the poor lad was a demented psychopath?

And friend and I once had an interesting evening adding verses to finish off folk songs in a more Marxist manner. This one got:
Come all of you nobles and listen to me -
If you hire a workman then pay him his fee.