Chord/Tab song: Matty Groves

A holiday, A holiday
And the first one of the [F]year
Lord Darnell's wife came[C] into the church
The [Dm]gospel [C]for to [Dm]hear

[Dm]And when the meeting it was done
She cast her eyes ab[F]out
And there she saw little [C]Matty Groves
[Dm]Walking [C]in the [Dm]crowd

[Dm]"Come home with me, little Matty Groves
Come home with me ton[F]ight
Come home with me, little [C]Matty Groves
And [Dm]sleep with [C]me 'til [Dm]light"

[Dm]"Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home
And sleep with you to[F]night
By the rings on your fingers [C]I can tell
You [Dm]are Lord [C]Darnell's[Dm] wife"

[Dm]"But if I am Lord Darnell's wife
Lord Darnell's not at[F] home
He is out in the [C]far cornfields
[Dm]Bringing the [C]yearlings [Dm]home"

[Dm]And a servant who was standing by
And hearing what was [F]said
He swore Lord Darnell[C] he would know
Be[Dm]fore the [C]sun would [Dm]set

[Dm]And in his hurry to carry the news
He bent his breast and [F]ran
And when he came to the [C]broad mill stream
He t[Dm]ook off his [C]shoes and [Dm]swam

[Dm]Little Matty Groves, he lay down
And took a little [F]sleep
When he awoke Lord [C]Darnell
Was [Dm]standing [C]at his [Dm]feet

[Dm]Saying "How do you like my feather bed
And how do you like my [F]sheets
How do you like my [C]lady
Who [Dm]lies in your [C]arms [Dm]asleep?"

[Dm]"Oh well, I like your feather bed
And well, I like your [F]sheets
But better I like your [C]lady gay
Who [Dm]lies in my [C]arms a[Dm]sleep"

[Dm]"Well, get up, get up", Lord Darnell cried
"Get up as quick as you c[F]an
It'll never be said in [C]fair England
I sl[Dm]ew a [C]naked [Dm]man"

[Dm]"Oh I can't get up, I won't get up
I can't get up for my [F]life
For you have two long [C]beaten swords
And [Dm]I not a [C]pocket [Dm]knife"

[Dm]"Well it's true I have two beaten swords
They cost me deep in the [F]purse
But you will have the [C]better of them
And [Dm]I will [C]have the [Dm]worse"

[Dm]"And you will strike the very first blow
And strike it like a [F]man
I will strike the ve[C]ry next blow
And I'll [Dm]kill you i[C]f I [Dm]can"

[Dm]So Matty struck the very first blow
And he hurt Lord Darnell [F]sore
Lord Darnell struck the v[C]ery next blow
And [Dm]Matty s[C]truck no [Dm]more

[Dm]And then Lord Darnell he took his wife
And he sat her on his kne[F]e
Saying, "Who do like the [C]best of us
[Dm]Matty G[C]roves or [Dm]me?"

[Dm]And then up spoke his own dear wife
Never heard to speak so f[F]ree
"I'd rather a kiss from dead [C]Matty's lips
Than[Dm] you and your [C]finer[Dm]y"

[Dm]Lord Darnell he jumped up
And loudly he did [F]bawl
He stuck his wife right [C]through the heart
And [Dm]pinned her aga[C]inst the [Dm]wall

[Dm]"A grave, a grave", Lord Darnell cried
"To put these lovers [F]in
But bury my lady [C]at the top
For [Dm]she was of [C]noble [Dm]kin"