Little Mathey Groves Sheila Kay Adams, What Ever Happened to John Parrish's Boy? – Granny Dell Records 1221, 2001.
Oh holiday, oh holy day The first day of the year Little Mathey Groves to church did go Some holy words to hear, hear Some holy words to hear
He spied some women dressed in black As they came into view Lord Daniel's wife was gaily clad The flower of the few, few The flower of the few
She step-ed up to Little Mathey Groves Her eyes cast on the ground Said, "Please, oh please, come with me stay As you pass through this town, town As you pass through this town"
Oh please, oh please come with me stay I'll hide thee out of sight I'll pleasure you beyond compare And sleep with you all night, night I'll sleep with you all night
I cannot stay, I dare not stay I fear t'will cost my life Cause I can tell by your finger rings That you are Lord Daniel's wife, wife That you are Lord Daniel's wife
Lord Daniel's in some distant land He's left me for to roam He's taken all his merry men And I am quite alone, 'lone And I am quite alone
Her little footy-page was a standing near by Was a hearing every word was said He said, "Before the sun goes down Lord Daniel'll know what's said, said Lord Daniel'll know what's said"
He ran along the king's highway He swam against the tide And before the sun went down He's standing at Daniel's side, side Standing at Daniel's side
"What news, what news," Lord Daniel cried "What new do you bring to me? My castle's burned, my tenants wronged My wife with a baby, be My wife with a baby"
No harm has come to your house or lands While you have been away But Little Mathey Groves is a hugging and a kissing On your fair lady gay, gay Your fair lady gay
If what you say is not the truth As I take it to be I'll build a scaffold tower so high And hang-ed you will be, be Hang-ed you will be
If what I say is not the truth And false as false can be You need not build a scaffold tower Just hang me from a tree, tree Hang me from a tree
Lord Daniel called his merry men And bid them with him go But warned them not to speak a word And not a horn to blow, blow Not a horn to blow
But riding with his merry men Was one who'd wish no ill He popped his bugle to his mouth And he blew it loud and shrill, shrill Blew it loud and shrill
"Oh what is this?" cried Little Mathey Groves As he sat up in the bed "I fear it is your husband's men And I will soon be dead, dead And I will soon be dead"
Oh lay back down, Little Mathey Groves And keep my back from cold 'Tis nothing but my father's men Calling their sheep to fold, fold Calling their sheep to fold
So Little Mathey Groves, he laid back down And soon fell off to sleep When he woke up, Lord Daniel was Standing at his bed feet, feet Standing at his bed feet
Saying, "How do you like my snow white pillows?" Saying, "How do you like my sheets?" Saying, "How do you like my pretty little woman That's a laying in your arms asleep, sleep Laying in you arms asleep?"
Very well do I like your snow white pillows Very well do I like your sheet Much better do I like your pretty little woman That's a laying in my arms asleep, sleep Laying in my arms asleep
"Get up, get up," Lord Daniel cried "And put on your clothes In England it shall never be said I Killed a naked man, man Killed a naked man"
I won't get up, I can't get up I fear t'will cost my life Cause you have got two bitter swords And I ain't got a knife, knife I ain't got a knife
I know I've got two bitter swords They cost me deep in purse I'll give to you the best of these And I will keep the worst, worst, I will keep the worst
The first swing that Little Mathey made It hurt Lord Daniel sore The next swing that Lord Daniel made Little Mathey hit the floor, floor Little Mathey hit the floor
Get up, get up, my pretty little wife And come sit on my knee And tell me which you liked the best Little Mathey Groves or me, me Little Mathey Groves or me
She looked up in Lord Daniel's face And saw his jutting chin Said, "I wouldn't trade Little Mathey Groves For you and all your kin, kin For you and all your kin"
He took her by the lily white hand And led her across the hall He pulled out his sword and cut off her head And he kicked it against the wall, wall Kicked it against the wall
Go dig me a grave both wide and deep To bury these two in Just kick little Mathey Groves over the side But lower my sweet wife in, in Yes, lower my sweet wife in
Matty Groves Doc Watson, on Songcatcher II, the Tradition that inspired the movie, Vanguard 79716-2. Melody by Stewart Yonce of Lenoire, North Carolina.
'Twas on the high, high holiday The very best day in the year Little Matty Groves had gone to church Holy words for to hear Holy words for to hear
The first to come down was dressed in red And the second one dressed in green The third to come down was Lord Daniel's wife As fair as any queen Just as fair as any queen
Then Matty Groves says to one of his men: See the fair one dressed in white Although she is Lord Daniel's wife I'll be with her tonight I'll be with her tonight
Well, the little foot page was a-standin' by And he heard every word that was said He says, Lord Daniel shall know tonight Before I go to bed Before I go to bed
He had fifteen miles for to go that night And ten of them he run He run till he come to the broke down bridge Then he bent to his breast and he swum He bent to his breast and he swum
He swum till he come to where the grass was green He took to his feet and he run He run till he come to Lord Daniel's gate He rattled at the bells and they rung He rattled at the bells and they rung
What news, what news, Lord Daniel says What news to me have you brung? Little Matty Groves is in the bed with your wife And their hearts both beat as one And their hearts both beat as one
Now if the truth you've told to me A rich man you shall be But if a lie you've told to me I'll hang you to a tree I'll hang you to a tree
He gathered him up about fifty good men He done it with a free good will Then he popped his bugle unto his lips And he blowed it loud and shrill He blowed it loud and shrill
I'd better get up, said little Matty Groves I'd better get up and go I know your husband is a-comin' home For I heard his bugle blow I heard his bugle blow
Lay down, lay down, my precious one Lay down and go to sleep It's only my father's shepherd's horn And he's a-callin' for his sheep He's a-callin' for his sheep
So they lay down together again And they soon were fast asleep And when they awoke it was broad daylight Lord Daniel at their feet Lord Daniel at their feet
Get up from there you naked man And put you on some clothes I never intend for to have it said That a naked man I slo' That a naked man I slo'
Oh give me a chance, said little Matty Groves A chance to fight for my life For there you have two very fine swords And me not as much as a knife And me not as much as a knife
Oh yes, I have two very fine swords And they cost me deep in the purse You may have the finest one And I will take the worst Yes, I will take the worst
Then Matty Groves struck the very first lick And he wounded Lord Daniel sore Lord Daniel struck the very next lick And he drove Matty Groves to the floor He drove Matty Groves to the floor
Then he taken his lady by the hand And he set her on his knee And he says, Now which do you love the best Little Matty Groves or me Little Matty Groves or me?
Very well I like your rosy cheeks Very well I like your chin But better I love little Matty Groves Than you and all of your kin Than you and all of your kin
You can dig my grave on a pretty green hill Dig it wide and deep And put little Matty Groves in my arms Lord Daniel at my feet Lord Daniel at my feet