Note that naked MEANS unarmed in this context. The version I had (Shep Ginandes) made it clear that it was the (married) woman who was the enticer; the page only did what he was hired to do, Matty Groves was an idiot but not a homewrecker, and everyone seemed to understand why Lord Arling cut off her head with his bitter sword and stove it against the wall, after finding her in bed with someone she then claimed to prefer to him. However, I have a Doc Watson version which makes it just as clear that Matty is a homewrecker. So I'd clear the page, allow the understandable fury of the cuckold, and say that whether Matty or the wife were the instigator depends on who's singing the ballad. And I would put the "blame" if you will on the instigator.

As a (sexist!) aside, I think that when she instigates, he's an idiot, and when he instigates, that she's weak. Go figure...