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Little Musgrave
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard / Matty Groves
[
Roud 52
; Child 81
; Ballad Index C081
; DT MATTIEGR
; Mudcat 9276
, 83878
; trad.]
James Kinsley: The Oxford Book of Ballads John Jacob Niles: The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles Roy Palmer: Everyman’s Book of British Ballads Jean Ritchie: Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians Stephen Sedley: The Seeds of Love
Jeannie Robertson sang Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard in Aberdeen in 1958 to Peter Kennedy. This recording was included in 2000 on the extended Rounder re-issue of Volume 4 of The Folk Songs of Britain, Classic Ballads of Britain and Ireland Volume 1. She learned her version from the visiting American folklorist Sandy Paton. The album’s booklet noted:
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard is entered in the Stationers Registers to Francis Coules in 1630 and was quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher’s The Knight of the Burning Pestle and other plays in the 1630s.
Child includes 15 texts; Bronson has 75, with tunes, including that from Jeannie Robertson heard here, but mostly of North American provenance. Those from New England seem closest to the Scottish, using the major-key tune most often associated with the song Drumdelgie.
Jean Ritchie sang Little Musgrave in 1960 on her Folkways album British Traditional Ballads in the Southern Mountains, Volume 2. Kenneth S. Goldstein noted:
The earliest appearance in print of this ancient ballad was in Beaumont and Fletcher’s Knight of the Burning Pestle (ca. 1611). It appears to have been published rather frequently in 17th and 18th century England in various drolleries and on broadsides, and though popular in British tradition in the 19th century, it has not been reported in England or Scotland in this century.
In America, however, the ballad has frequently been reported from every section of the country in a tradition which has had little or no recourse to print. Phillips Barry was of the opinion that the American texts of this ballad, being more vivid and incisive than Child’s British versions, were probably older and that the ballad has been sung in this country for over 300 years.
American variants show certain traits in common with each other which either do not appear or appear only rarely in British variants. The lady is never as aggressive in English texts as in American. The expression “they cost me deep in the purse” (when the lord is telling of his two swords) appears only in one of Child’s texts, though it appears almost universally in American texts (it is not found in Jean Ritchie’s version). The attempt to bribe the page and the suggestion of a past affair between the bedmates appear nowhere in America though found frequently in Child’s texts.
Jean’s version, learned from her Uncle Jason, appears to be a fascinating Kentucky reworking of one of the oldest British texts for it follows Child’s A text (from two 17th century English drolleries) very closely. Even the odd place name “Bucklesfordberry” is retained in the Kentucky text nearly 300 years after it first turns up in Britain! But there is no doubt about the traditional nature of Uncle Jason’s text, for almost every line contains changes, emendations and additions of a vital oral tradition.
For additional texts and information, see: Child, Volume II, p. 242ff.; Coffin pp. 84-86; Sharp, Volume I, pp. 161-182; Brown Collection, Volume II, pp. 101-111; Davis, pp. 170-181.
Peggy Seeger, with Ewan MacColl joining on the repeated last line of each verse, sang Matty Groves in 1961 on their Folkways album of American, Scots and English folksongs, Two-Way Trip. They noted:
This extremely popular traditional ballad is of considerable antiquity and a great number of different versions have been collected. According to Chappell, the first broadside version was published as early as 1607 by Henry Gosson. Child prints 14 texts. The version here is a collation of American and Nova Scotian variants.
Dillard Chandler of Big Laurel, North Carolina, sang Mathie Grove in August 1963 to Peter Gott and John Cohen. This recording was included in 1964 on the Folkways anthology Old Love Songs and Ballads From the Big Laurel, North Carolina and in 2005 on the Smithsonian Folkways anthology Dark Holler. John Cohen noted:
The song is a version of Child 81. Sharp collected seventeen versions (no. 23), five of them from singers living nearby in North Carolina, including Jane Gentry. The song is also known as Lord Daniel’s Wife, or Little Musgrove. It has been recorded by John Jacob Niles, Joan Baez, Ralph Stanley, Jean Ritchie, and many others.
A fragment of this ballad is found in John Fletcher and Francis Beaumont’s 1611 play The Knight of the Burning Pestle:
And some they whistled,
And some they sung
Hey, down, down!And some did loudly say
Ever as the Lord Barnet’s horn blew
Away, Musgrave, away!Dillard’s version is set in the time of sword fights, and concludes with Lord Daniel placing a “special” (pistol) against his wife’s head: “Let her have a special ball.”
Hedy West sang Little Matty Groves in 1965 on her Topic album of Appalachian ballads, Pretty Saro. She noted:
Little Matty Groves (Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard) was quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher’s Knight of the Burning Pestle, written about 1611. Both Grandma and Gus’ wife Jane sing a fragment of Little Matty Groves that breaks off before Lord Arnold discovers his wife and Matty Groves in bed together. Neither Grandma nor Jane ever knew more of the ballad. An earlier singer has fragmented the song either by censoring or forgetting. This family version is completed with another American text collected by Vance Randolph. I find the ballad intensely tragic because its characters knowingly pursue ruin by insisting on unbending truthfulness.
Lorna Campbell sang Matty Grove in 1968 on her and her brother Ian Campbell’s Transatlantic album The Cock Doth Craw. Ian Campbell noted:
The emotional elements in this ballad of lust, jealousy, loyalty and vengeance are so fundamental that it seems pointless to speculate on its age. Despite its medieval setting the ballad seems to me to be fresh and vital and almost contemporary in feeling. The words and tune in this particular version were taught to Lorna orally by the great Jeannie Robertson.
Rosemary Hardman sang Lady Barnard and Little Musgrave on her 1969 Folk Heritage album Queen of Hearts, which was recorded live at the Bate Hall Hotel in Macclesfield on 29 December 1968. She noted:
One of the greatest ballads in British history, versions of this song have been traced back as far as the beginning of the 17th century. It was quoted in a play entitled The Knight of the Burning Pestle, which dates approximately 1611. All evidence points to it being English in origin, although there are many, later Scottish variants. Today the song is, perhaps, better known as Matty Groves.
This version is taken, in the main, from the E.F.D.S.S. collection Seeds of Love, which states that it is a collection of the versions set down by Child (of which there are 12 major versions) and American variants collected by Cecil Sharp. I have made slight alterations in both words and melody. In the case of the latter I have retained the tune as recorded in Seeds of Love, but added a repetitive last line (as in many of the original tunes collected in Bronson’s Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads.
Matty Groves is one of Fairport Convention’s best known ballads, set by them to the tune of the Appalachian song Shady Grove (Roud 4456). They recorded it lots of times both with and without Sandy Denny: The first (and most famous) version with Sandy appeared in 1969 on Liege and Lief where the line-up is Denny / Hutchings / Mattacks / Nicol / Swarbrick / Thompson. This version also appears on The History of Fairport Convention, on the double CD compilation Meet on the Ledge: The Classic Years 1967-1975 and on the Island samplers Island Life: 25 Years of Island Records and Folk Routes. The tune used as the basis for the instrumental at the end comes from a banjo piece by Eddie West, and was also used by Martin Carthy in his version of the song Famous Flower of Serving Men.
The second version with Sandy was recorded on 26 January 1974 at the Sydney Opera House, Australia, with Denny / Donahue / Lucas / Mattacks / Pegg / Swarbrick. It was released on Fairport’s Live album. Two more performances from Ebbets Field, Denver, Colorado of May 1974 were published in 2002 on Before the Moon.
A Danish TV broadcast from November 1969 is not available.
Fairport Convention’s first version without Sandy Denny appeared on Live at the L.A. Troubadour, recorded in 1970 with Mattacks / Nicol / Pegg / Swarbrick / Thompson, and the second version is on the 1979 live album Farewell, Farewell. The third version without Sandy was recorded for the 1987 live-in-the-studio album In Real Time, as part of the “Big Three Medley”; this version also appeared in the video It All Comes ’Round Again.
And this Fairport perennial is treated to yet another arrangements, e.g. live at Cropredy 1983, which was released on the cassette The Boot—1983 Fairport Reunion, in the 1990 video Live Legends, and on the 25th Anniversary Concert CD (1992).
A specially multi-version compiled of several Matty Groves versions—among them Sandy in the classic Liege and Lief rendering—is on the Fairport unConventioNal 4 CD set. It is framed by excerpts from “The Matty Groves Crime Report” which began Fairport’s set at Cropredy in 1998.
Fairport members Dave Swarbrick and Simon Nicol sang Matty Groves at Yersterday’s Bristol on 13 December 1982. This archive recording was included in 2002 on their Atrax album Another Fine Mess.
Martin Carthy sang Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard unaccompanied on his 1969 album with Dave Swarbrick, Prince Heathen. He noted:
The story speaks for itself and really needs nothing written about it at all. The tune I pinched from a version of the Holy Well.
Brian Dewhurst sang Matty Groves in 1970 on The Wayfarers’ Folk Heritage album Take 2. This track was also included in 1974 on his Folk Heritage compilation Bits and Pieces of Brian Dewhurst, and in 2022 on the “Story of Folk Heritage Records” anthology Before the Day Is Done. They noted:
One of the greatest ballads in British history, versions of this song have been traced back as far as the beginning of the 17th century. It was quoted in s play entitled The Knight of the Burning Pestle, which dates to approximately 1611. All evidence points to it being English in origin, although there are many later Scottish variants. This version is taken, in the main, from the E.F.D.S.S. collection The Seeds of Love, which states that it is a collation of the versions set down by Child (of which there are 12 major versions) and American variants collected by Cecil Sharp.
Nic Jones sang Little Musgrave in 1970 on his first solo album on the Trailer label, Ballads and Songs. This track was also included in 1975 on the Trailer anthology Our Folk Music Heritage. Nic Jones noted:
Three very common ballads are included in this record: Sir Patrick Spens, The Outlandish Knight and Little Musgrave. All three are well-known to anyone with a knowledge of balladry, as they are well represented in most ballad collections. … Musgrave’s tune is more a creation of my one than anything else, although the bulk of it is based on an American variant of the same ballad, entitled Little Matty Groves.
John Wesley Harding covered Nic Jones’s version in 1999 on his CD Trad Arr Jones. See also Karen Myers’ blog Rational Delight analysing Nic Jones’ song.
Martin Carter sang Matty Groves in 1971 on his Traditional Sound album Someone New.
Spriguns of Tolgus sang Matty Groves on their 1974 album Rowdy Dowdy Day .
Frankie Armstrong sang Little Musgrave in 1975 on her Topic album Songs and Ballads. A.L. Lloyd noted:
Many people connect the events of this ballad with the district of Barnard Castle, Co. Durham. Perhaps. Anyway, the song tells a powerful story that unrolls like a film scenario, exterior, interior, distant shots that cut to close-up. Frankie Armstrong finds this exceptionally powerful: the wife trapped in a marriage probably not of her own choosing; the lover whose ardour outweighs his caution; the husband who has to be seen to do the right thing and who desperately tries to avoid the tragic outcome. The words of this version are substantially those obtained by William Motherwell “from the recitation of Mrs. McConechie, Kilmarnock” at the start of the nineteenth century. A bit of the ballad is quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher’s Knight of the Burning Pestle (1611), and it was printed on broadsides several times in the seventeenth century but by the mid-nineteenth century it was rarely reported; such a good song, one wonders why; especially as it remained popular among American folk singers.
Ruby Bowman Plemmons of Meadows of Dan, Virginia, sang Little Massie Grove to Kip Lornell on 25 October 1976. This recording was included in 1978 on the Blue Ridge Institute album in their Virginia Traditions series, Ballads From British Tradition. Blanton Owen noted:
In 1932, at the urging of the indefatigable ballad hunter Miss Alfreda Peel, Dr. A.K. Davis, Jr., recorded on an aluminum disc the singing of two friends and schoolmates, Miss Ruby Bowman and Miss Eunice Yeatts. These two young women, still close friends, supplied him with a number of songs, most of which were learned from parents and friends, although both readily admit refreshing their memory by going through the ballads in Davis’ first book, Traditional Ballads of Virginia. Ruby’s version of Little Massie Grove is printed in More Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 172-175. The variant printed here and the one which appeared there are almost identical, the only difference being in verse six where Davis’ “a-laughin’ and a-talkin’” has become “huggin’ and a-kissin’”. This remarkable similarity of texts over a forty-five year span points out important characteristics of ballad singing, composing and learning. Although for the scholar there is no one ‘correct’ version of anyone ballad idea, for the ballad singer the ‘correct’ version is usually the one they have learned. Furthermore, when singers are learning their version, they attempt to learn it exactly as sung and not to “add anything or to take anything away”, as one man explained it to me. As song is learned when it is securely memorized; the practice of adding variation or changing the sequence of events was seldom deliberately done in this tradition.
Nimrod Workman sang Lord Daniel in 1976 on his Rounder album Mother Jones’ Will. Rod Stradling noted in 2011 on the album’s extended Musical Traditions reissue:
Three good American versions of this surprisingly popular ballad (which Child called Little Musgrave) can be heard on Musical Traditions: Eunice Yeatts MacAlexander, and Cas Wallin on MTCD503-4 and Mary Lozier, MTCD505-6.
Nimrod’s version is unusual in that Mathie Groves unexpectedly wins the concluding fight with Lord Daniel. I find it odd—but charming—that Nimrod (or his source) would have remembered such a long song with fair accuracy, yet forget how it was supposed to end!
Some other good American versions: Joseph Trivett, Folk-Legacy 002, Jean Ritchie, Folkways 2302 (probably displaying some of the ‘literary‘ influences that I discuss in track 11 [What is that Blood Stain on Your Clothes?]).
Eunice Yeatts McAlexander of Meadows of Dan, Patrick County, Virginia, sang Little Massie Grove to Mike Yates on 7 August 1979. This recording was included in 2002 on the Musical Traditions anthology Far in the Mountains Volume 1. Mike Yates and Rod Stradling noted:
According to Professor Child, who lists fourteen versions of this ballad, there is a 1630 entry for the ballad in the records of the Stationers’ Registers. He also mentions that the ballad can be found in severalblackletter broadside collections from the middle of the 17th century. Most British versions have the Mattie Groves/Musgrave title, whilst a good number of North American ones use Lord Daniel/Banner.
I wonder if other listeners have noticed the similarities in this story with those in the legends of King Arthur. Arthur, like Lord Daniel, carried two swords (Excalibur and Caliburnus) and, again like Lord Daniel, discovered his wife Guinevere to be having an affair, in this case with Lancelot. Arthur did not, of course, kill Lancelot, but did, nevertheless, send other knights to kill him in what is now France. I am sure that this is coincidence… well, almost sure!
While still quite popular with American singers (Cas Wallin sings his version—titled Lord Daniel—on Volume 3, track 29, of this set, and Dillard Chandler, one of Cas Wallin’s neighbours, sings his version of the ballad on Folkways LP 2309), this is one of the ballads that has all but disappeared from the British tradition—although the late Jeannie Robertson had not one, but two versions! (For one of these, see volume one of Classic Ballads of Britain and Ireland, Rounder 1775). According to Mark Wilson, many American singers who had heard the song in their youth—such as Buell Kazee and Almeda Riddle—refused to learn the piece because of its perceived ‘smutty’ content.
Cas Wallin sang Lord Daniel at his home in Sodom Laurel, Madison County, North Carolina, on 27 August 1980. This recording was included in 2002 on the Musical Traditions anthology Far in the Mountains Volume 3.
Christy Moore sang Little Musgrave in 1980 on Planxty’s Tara album The Woman I Loved So Well. He noted:
I was first drawn to this song by its length. The first verse appealed to me because I too went to Mass to look at girls. I collected it in a book which had no music but I was lucky to collect a tune from Nic Jones album discovered on a field trip through Liam O’Flynn’s flat. I first heard the adjoining tune (Paddy Fahey’s Reel) in a dressing room in Germany when, having just died the death, Matt played to us and made me forget where I was for 3 minutes 23 seconds.
Mary Lozier sang Little Mattie Grove to Mark Wilson and Roger Cooper in South Portsmouth, Kentucky, on 14 October 1997. This recording was included in 2007 on the Musical Traditions anthology of folk songs of the Upper South, Meeting’s a Pleasure Volume 2. Mark Wilson noted:
It is rather surprising that Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard has remained so popular in the United States, given that many singers (e.g., Buell Kazee and Almeda Riddle) have pointedly informed me that they consider it a ‘dirty song‘. Excellent renditions by Nimrod Workman can be heard on both Rounder 0076 and JA 001. Two additional versions can be found on Musical Traditions MT 321 and 323.
John Wright sang Matty Groves in 1997 on the Fellside anthology Ballads. Paul Adams noted:
Adultery, lust, an unfaithful wife, revenge, crime of passion, loyalty—modern tabloids would have a field day with this story. Matty has ideas above his station. He also is one of the earliest recorded “toy boys”. This is another well travelled ballad which got a new lease of life a few years ago when it was recorded by the folk rock band, Fairport Convention. John has two versions, one from the great Scots ballad singer Jeannie Robertson via Lorna Campbell and the other from the Appalachian singer, Hedy West. Unable to choose John extracted the best elements of each and created this version. What makes the story classic tragedy is the way in which all principal characters progress inexorably to the inevitable conclusion.
Pete Morton sang Little Musgrave in 1997 on his, Roger Wilson’s and Simon Edwards’ Harbourtown album Urban Folk Vol. II. He also sang it in 1998 on his Harbourtown album Trespass where he noted:
Lord Barnard is an honourable man, who gives Musgrave his best sword but he is probably a miserable rich git too. Musgrave is good looking, likes married women and is little. Lady Barnard is a beautiful women—things don’t turn out well.
Carnival of Souls sang Matty Groves on their 2000 live album, Carnival Oddities.
Jimmy Hutchison sang Matty Groves in 2000 on his Tradition Bearers album of Scots songs and ballads, Corachree. He noted:
Another from Jeannie, this ballad is an obvious version of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard (Child No. 81). One of the exciting things about Hamish Henderson’s discovery of Jeannie in 1953 is that she possessed variants of the ‘muckle sangs’, as she referred to them, which were previously uncollected. Personally, I think this is the best ballad in the world.
Billy Ross sang Matty Groves in 2000 on his Greentrax album Shore Street. He noted:
This Appalachian version of the well known ballad is probably less well known than others and is a good example of the durability of a good song brought to the New World by immigrants.
Isla St Clair sang Matty Groves in 2000 on her CD Royal Lovers & Scandals. She noted:
There have been many versions of this ballad with names changed to suit the period. The Scottish version is very powerful and descriptive and is said to date from the sixteenth century.
The Continental Drifters covered Fairport Convention’s version of Matty Groves in 2001 on their album Listen, Listen. and Linde Nijland sang it in 2003 on her CD Linde Nijland Sings Sandy Denny.
The Cecil Sharp Centenary Collective sang Matty Groves in 2003 on their Talking Elephant album As I Cycled Out on a May Morning. This track was also included in 2008 on Simon Care’s Talking Elephant anthology Oh What a Caper and in 2014 on Ashley Hutchings’ Talking Elephant anthology The Riots of Spring.
Steve Jordan sang Little Musgrave in 2003 on his Forest Tracks album The Trees Scarce Green. He noted:
One of the strongest stories in our tradition, it has survived crossing the Atlantic ocean to become embedded in the American tradition and has travelled into cyberspace on the internet. Here it survives quite unscathed carried along by a tune from Tans’ur’s 18th century Compleat Melodys.
The Japanese singer Keiko Walker sang Matty Groves on her 2004 album Both Sides Now.
The Belgian band Kadril sang Matty Groves on their 2005 album De Andere Kust.
Isambarde sang Matty Groves on their 2004 album Brunel’s Kingdom.
Martin Simpson sang Little Musgrave in 2007 on his Topic CD and DVD Prodigal Son. He noted:
When learning a version of a big ballad, there are often many choices to be made. There may be several recorded versions that you like, or a great tune with a dubious text, or vice versa, or no tune and little text. You might have to write or re-build and collate. In the case of Little Musgrave I had spent several years reading, listening and considering, when one day I remembered Nic Jones’ recorded version on his first album, Ballads and Songs. I didn’t go back and listen, I just started to play.
This video shows Martin Simpson at Bournemouth Folk Club, Centre Stage, Dorset, UK, on 8 March 2009:
James Yorkston & The Big Eyes Family Players sang Little Musgrave in 2009 on their CD Folk Songs.
Jon Boden sang Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard as the 30 May 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.
Elisabeth LaPrelle sang Mathey Groves on her 2011 album Birds’ Advice. She noted:
I learned this song from Sheila Kay Adams of Madison County, North Carolina. She learned ballads from her neighbors and relatives, and has taught them all over the country. When I took a class from Sheila as a teenager, her singing, stories, and philosophy on the old music influenced me forever. She referred to this ballad (Child Ballad #81) as a “head-kicker”. It must be noted that I have changed one lyric: on the 18th verse, Sheila sings “that’s a-laying in my arms asleep”, where I sing “that lies but does not sleep”. That’s the way my parents had heard it first.
Gudrun Walther sang Planxty’s version of Little Musgrave on Cara’s 2016 CD Yet We Sing and on their 2018 CD Live. They noted:
Ever since Planxty recorded this, it has been an all-time favourite of Jürgen [Treyz], Gudrun [Walther] and Rolf (Wagels] which is a very rare thing. It might well be the only ‘desert island song’ that we have in common!). When we decided that we would like to tackle a ‘big song’ again, Gudrun said “well there’s Musgrave, but I suppose that’s out of question…”—and we agreed. Planxty had nailed this, so there was no need for another version. We continued to look for ballads, but Little Musgrave kept creeping back, again and again, until one day Jürgen and Gudrun sat down with just guitar and voice, and gave it a try. The results of this session ended up on a rough demo that was sent to the other band members, and we agreed that we all would love to deliver this, Cara-style—so here you go, this is our version of this fantastic, spine-tingling story!
Will Noble sang Little Musgrave on his 2017 Veteran CD It’s Gritstone for Me. Brian Peters and John Howson noted:
Will’s version of Child 81 is probably derived from that put together and recorded by Nic Jones in 1970.
“In the early 70s I got asked to a folk club. I’d never been to one before but I enjoyed it, even though I did find that the people seemed to sing in a ‘different’ way to what I was used to! I carried on going, and one chap sang this song with a guitar regularly. For some reason I really liked it and would have been happy if he’d sung it every week. I decided to learn it and found that I more or less knew it already. There weren’t too many ballads in my local repertoire, but I always enjoyed them for their language: “Two swords in one scabbard”—a wonderful line!”
Donna Ray Norton sang Mathy Groves on the 2017 Appalachian ballad tradition anthology Big Bend Killing.
James Findlay sang Little Musgrave on his 2019 CD The Where and the When. He noted:
I completely fell in love with this story after playing the character ‘Little Musgrave’ in Jon Boden’s interpretation of the ballad, which was commissioned by Aldeburgh Music. It is a truly ancient ballad that was possibly published in broadsides form from as early as 1607. Despite the age and the sheer length of this song, it never fails to amaze me in its ability to capture the imagination.
Iona Fyfe sang Little Musgrave on her 2019 EP Dark Turn of Mind. She noted:
This version is an amalgamation of text from Jeannie Robertson’s Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard and Version A from Cecil Sharp’s English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians. Sharp’s A Version was collected from Mrs Becky Griffin in Big Laurel, North Carolina on 17 August 1916. I got the melody from bothy ballad singer, Moira Stewart, who often sung the Matty Groves at ballad competitions in Scotland.
A classic murder ballad, Lady Darnell convinces Mattie Groves (or Little Musgrave) to sleep with her. A foot-page is standing by and runs to tell Lord Darnell. Lord Darnell discovers Matty and his wife, and challenges Matty to a duel. Matty is killed, and the Lady states that she likes Matty better than Darnell and all his kin. In some versions, the wife is killed.
Roud 52, the ballad features in Alexander Whitelaw’s 1845 collection Book of Scottish Ballads under the title Lord Barnaby. This Scottish version is localised to Angus and mentions Dundee.
Jimmy Hutchison recorded Mattie Groves in 1988 with a melody similar to that of Jeannie’s (SA1988.112). The antagonist of the ballad goes by several names depending on the ballad variant and region is was collected in. Titles include Barnard, Barnaby, Darlen, Darnell, Danal, Donal, Arnold, Arlen, with ‘Lord Daniel’ appearing in some North American versions,
The Kist o’ Riches archive features two versions sung by Aberdeen singer, Jeannie Robertson from 1960 and 1962, where she sings “Lord Donal ain’t at home”, which is unusual for Jeannie’s vocabulary and more typical of versions collected in America. The ballad can be found in Emily Lyle’s Scottish Ballads under the title Wee Messgrove, and was “taken down by Thomas McConechie, Kilmarnock and copied by (William) Motherwell. Although the ballad was widely known in Scotland and has remained current there up to the present, it appears to be of English origin and the lines “’Ever as the lord Barnet’s horn blew, Away, Musgrave, away!” are quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher’s play Knight of the Burning Pestle dated c. 1611.”
Jean Ritchie sang Little Musgrave for Alan Lomax on 2 June 1949. The Roud Folk Song Index features 300 entries of this ballad, with most variants being collected in North America with 113 versions from the USA, 18 versions from Nova Scotia, Canada, 9 versions from Scotland and 2 from England.
Said to be a border ballad likely originating in the North of England, Matty Groves has been recorded by several artists worldwide. The ballad was printed on broadsides as early as the 1660’s, with three copies at the Bodleian Library Broadsides collection. One version, from the collection of Anthony Wood, has a handwritten note stating that “the protagonists were alive in 1543”. A lamentable ballad of the little Musgrove and the lady Barnet was printed in London between 1663 and 1674. The ballad features in Volume 3 of Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry in 1845.
Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne sang Little Musgrove on his 2024 album of English Folk Song in the Caribbean and Black America, Play Up the Music!. He noted:
In 1924, Martha Beckwith penned an article titled “’The English Ballad in Jamaica” which included three versions of Little Musgrove—an English ballad with a long lineage dating back to at least the seventeenth century. The melody sung here comes from Beckwith’s third version which she describes as a popular song sung by ‘Maroons from Accompong’. Sadly, while this version has a stunning melody, it features only two verses. The two other versions published in Beckwith’s article were both taken down from William Forbes of Dry River near Maggotty, who recited and sang the song as an Anansi story. To pad out my version I’ve used some of the verses and prose from Forbes along with a few lines from English variants.
Allister Thompson sang Matty Groves on his 2024 album Ancestors.
C.S. MacCath sang Matty Groves on her 2025 EP The Folklore & Fiction Ballads of recordings of Child ballads from her 2019-2023 Folklore & Fiction podcast. She noted:
The version of Matty Groves recorded here is different from the one originally recorded for the “What is a ballad?” edition of Folklore & Fiction. It was too close to Fairport Convention’s excellent telling of the ballad, so I wanted to both respect the band’s creative effort and offer listeners something new. Here, I’ve borrowed from several lyrics found in The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads, Volume II, and added my own creative flourishes. I found the tune there as well but transposed it to D Dorian, which gave my rendition of Child Ballad #81 a faintly bluesy sound. So I leaned into the vibe with vocal harmonies and a simple finger snap rhythm. Village ballad performance, meet smoky barroom. Anybody got a beer?
Lyrics
Jeannie Robertson sings Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
A holi-day and a holi day,
And the first one of the year,
The people came down to the old churchyard,
The gospel for to hear.
The first to come in was a lot of young ladies,
All a-dressed in blue.
The next to come was Lord Donald’s wife,
The flower amongst the few.
And when the meeting it was over,
She cast her eyes around,
There she spied little Matty Groves,
As he rode through the town.
“Come home with me, Matty Groves,
Come home with me tonight.
Come home with me, Matty Groves.
And sleep with me till light.”
Then Matty Groves, he lay down.
And took a little sleep.
When he woke up, Lord Donald,
He was standing at his feet.
“Get up, get up”, Lord Donald cried,
“Get up as quick as you can,
And never let it be said of me
That I slew a naked man.”
For Matty, he struck the very first blow,
Wounded Lord Donald deep and sore.
Lord Donald, he struck the very next blow,
Little Matty struck no more.
Then Lord Donald took his wife,
And he sat her on his knee.
Saying, “Who do you like best of all,
Little Matty Groves or me?”
Then up spoke his own dear wife,
Never heard to speak so free,
“I would rather have a kiss of dead Matty’s lips
Than you in your finerie.”
Then up jumped this Lord Donald,
And loudly he did bawl.
He stuck his sword right through her chest,
And he pinned her against the wall.
Jean Ritchie sings Little Musgrave
One day, one day, one fine hollyday,
As many there be in the year,
We all went down to the old church house
Some clorious words to hear,
We all went down to the old church house
Some glorious words to hear.
[last two lines of each verse repeated]
Little Musgrave stood by the old church door,
The priest vas at private mass,
But he had more mind of the fair women
Then he had for Our Lady’s grace.
The first come was a-clad in green,
The next was a-clad in pale,
And then come in Lord Arnol’s vife,
She’s the fairest one of them all.
She cast an eye on Little Musgrave,
As bright as the summer sun,
And then bethought this little Musgrave,
This lady’s heart have I won.
O then …
Quoth she, I have loved thee, Little Musgrave,
Full long and many a day.
Quoth he, I have loved you, fair lady,
Yet never one word durst I say.
I have a bower at the Bucklesfordberry,
It’s dainty and it’s nice,
If you’ll go in a-thither, my little Musgrave,
You can sleep in my arms all night.
I cannot go in a-thither, said little Musgrave,
I cannot for my life,
For I know by the rings on your little fingers,
You are Lord Arnol’s wife.
But if am Lord Arnol’s wife,
Lord Arnol he is not home,
He is gone unto the academie
Some language for to learn.
Quoth he, I thank you, fair lady,
For this kindness you show to me,
And whether it be to my well or my woe
This night I vill lodge with thee.
All this vas heard by a little footpage,
By his lady’s coach as he ran,
Says he, I’ am my lady’s footpage,
1 vill be Lord Arnol’s man.
Then he cast off his hose and shoes,
Set down his feet and he run,
And where the bridges were broken down,
He smote his breast and he swum.
Awake, awake now, Lord Arnol,
As thou art a man of life,
Little Mrusgrave is at the Bueklesfordberry
Along with your wedded wife.
If this be true, my little footpage,
This thing thou tellest to me,
Then all the land in the Bucklesfordberry
I freely will give it to thee.
But if it be a lie, thou little footpage,
This thing thou tellest to me,
On the highest tree in the Bucklesfordberry
It’s a-hanged thou shall’t be.
He called up his merry men all,
Come saddle to me my steed,
This night I am away to the Bucklesfordberry
For I never had greater need.
Some men they vhistled and some they sung,
And some of them did say,
Whenever Lord Arnol’s horn doth blow,
Away, Musgrave, away!
I think I hear the noisey cock,
1 think I hear the jay,
1 think I hear the jay, hear Lord Arnol’s horn:
Avay, Musgrave, away!
Lie still, lie still, my little Musgrave,
Lie still with me till morn,
Tis but my father’s shepherd boy
A-callin’ his sheep with his horn.
He hugged her up all in his arms
And soon they fell asleep,
And when they awoke at earlie dawn
Lord Arnol stood at the bedfeet.
O how do you like my coverlid,
O how do you like my sheet?
O how do you like my fair lady
Who lies in your arms so sweet?
O I like your handsome coverlid,
Likewise your silken sheet,
But best of all your fair lady
Who lies in my arms so sweet.
Arise, arise now, Little Musgrave,
And dress soon as you can;
It shall not be said in my countree
I killed a naked man.
I cannot arise, said Little Musgrave,
I cannot for my life,
For you have got two broadswords by your side
And I have got nary a knife.
I have tvo swords down by my side,
They both sweet and clear,
You take the best, I’ll keep the worst,
Let’s end this matter here.
The first stroke that Little Musgrave struck,
He wounded Lord Arnol full sore;
The first stroke that Lord Arnol struck
Musgrave lay dead in his gore.
Then up and spoke this fair lady,
In bed vhere as she lay,
Although you are dead, my little Musgrave,
Yet for your sake will I pray.
Lord Arnol stepped up to the bedside
Whereon these lovers gad lain,
He took his svord in his right band
And split her head in twain.
Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl sing Matty Groves
It was on the high holiday,
Very first day of the year.
Matty Grove to church did go,
God’s holy word to hear,
God’s holy word to hear.
First come down was a lady in red,
Then a lady in pearl;
Last come down was Lord Banner’s wife,
The fairest among them all.
She set her eyes on Matty Grove
And Matty Grove on she.
“How much wil you take, little Matty Grove,
To spend this night with me?”
“To spend this night with you,” said he,
“Would cause no end of war.
For I know you to be Lord Banner’s wife
By the gold rings that you wear.”
“So what if I be Lord Banner’s wife?
Lord Banner is not at home.
He’s gone down to London town,
To fetch young Henry’s throne.”
A little footpage was a-standing by,
He took to his heel and run.
He run till he come to the waterside,
Then bent his breast and swum.
“What news do you bring, my little footpage?
Is my castle burning down?
Or is my lady brought to bed
Of a daughter or a son?”
“Your castle is not burning down,
You have nor daughter nor son.
Litle Matty Grove is in bed with your wife,
They lie as they was one.”
They weren’t in bed but an hour or more,
Nor yet fell fast asleep,
When up there stepped Lord Banner himself,
And stood at their bed feet.
“How do you like my blankets, sir?
How do you like my sheets?
How do you like my gay young wife
That lies in your arms asleep?”
“Right well do I like your blankets, sir,
Right well do I like your sheets.
Better do I like your gay young wife,
That lies in my arms asleep.”
“Arise and dress, little Matty Groves
As fast as ever you can.
It’ll never be said in the morning sun,
That I killed a naked man.
“By my side hang two broadswords,
They cost so deep in purse,
And you shall have the better one
And I shall have the worst.”
Little Matty had the very first blow,
He struck and hit the floor.
Lord Banner had the second blow,
And Matty struck no more.
He took his lady by the hand
And set her on his knee.
“Come, tell to me which you love best,
Little Matty Grove or me.”
“Right well do I like your cheek,” said she,
“Right well do I like your chin.
Better do I like little Matty Grove
Than you and all your kin.”
He took his lady by the hand
And led her through the hall.
He took her to the uppermost rom
And slew her befor them all.
“Go bury these lovers in one grave,
Bury them soft within,
But lay my lady on the top,
For she’s of a nobler kin.”
Dillard Chandler sings Mathie Grove
First come was dressed in red
The next come down was green,
Well the next come down was Lord Daniel’s wife
As fine as any queen, queen,
As fine as any queen.
Well she stepped up to little Mathie Grove
Go home with me tonight
I know very well by the ring you wear
You are Lord Daniel’s wife, wife,
You are Lord Daniel’s wife.
It makes no difference who’s wife I am
To you (or) no other man;
Says my husband’s away from home,
He’s in some distant land, land,
He’s in some distant land.
It’s little Robert Port was a-standing by,
Hearing every word was said.
If I don’t die before daylight
Lord Daniel shall hear this news, news,
Lord Daniel shall hear this news.
He only had but fifteen mile to go
And ten of that he run,
He run til he come to the broken down bridge
And he fell on his breast and he swum, swum,
And he fell on his breast and he swum.
He swum til he came to the green river shore
And he sprung on his feet and he run, run,
And he sprung on his feet and he run.
He came to Lord Daniel’s halls
And he rattled his bells and rung, rung,
And he rattled his bells and rung.
O what’s the matter, little Robert Port,
O what’s the matter now?
It’s another man in the bed with your own true lover
Gonna be some hugging done, done,
Gonna be some hugging done.
He got him up a few good men
And he started out with a free good will.
He put his buglee to his mouth
And he blowed it loud and swill, swill,
And he blowed it loud and swill.
It’s little Mathie Grove was a-laying awake,
It’s time for me to go.
Says I hear your husband comng now
For I heared his buglee blow, blow,
For I heared his buglee blow.
Lie down, lie down little Mathie Grove,
Lie down and go to sleep
That’s nothing but my father’s shepherd
A-calling for his sheep, sheep,
A-calling for his sheep.
So they both fell off to huggin’ and kissin’
And they both fell off to sleep,
Next morning when they woke up
Lord Daniel was at their bed feet, feet,
Lord Daniel was at their bed feet.
So how do you like my pillow, sir?
Well, how do you like my sheets?
Well, how do you like my pretty fair miss
Who lies in your arms and sleeps, sleeps,
Who lies in your arms and sleeps?
Very well do I like your pillows sir
Much better do I .ike your sheets,
Much better do I like your pretty fair miss
Who lies in my arms and sleeps, sleeps,
Who lies in my arms and sleeps.
Get up, get up littlle Mathie Grove,
Get up and put on your clothes.
I never want it to be said
A naked man I slew, slew,
A naked man I slew.
So give me a chance,
So give me a chance (it’s) for my life
It’s there you stand with two glittering swords
And me not as much as a knife, knife,
And me not as much as a knife.
It’s I will give you the best I’ve got
And I will take the worst,
You will strike the very first lick,
And strike it like a man,
I will strike the very next lick.
I’ll kill you if I can, can,
I’ll kill you if I can.
It’s little Mathie Grove took the very first lick,
He struck an awful blow
Lord Daniel struck the very next lick
And he laid him on the floor, floor,
And he laid him on the floor.
He took his little woman by the hand,
He set her on his knee.
Saying which one do you like the best
Little Mathie Grove or me, me,
Little Mathie Grove or me?
Very well do I like your red rosy cheeks
Much better do I like your chin,
But I wouldn’t give little Mathie Grove
For you and all your kin, kin,
For you and all your kin.
He took his little woman by the band
He led her through the ball
He placed a special asainst ber head
Let her bave a special ball, ball,
Let her bave a special ball.
Sandy Denny sings Matty Groves
A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the year.
Lord Darnell’s wife came into church, the gospel for to hear.
And when the meeting it was done, she cast her eyes about,
And there she saw little Matty Groves, walking in the crowd.
“Come home with me, little Matty Groves, come home with me tonight.
Come home with me, little Matty Groves, and sleep with me till light.”
“O I can’t come home, I won’t come home and sleep with you tonight,
By the rings on your fingers I can tell you are Lord Darnell’s wife.”
“What if I am Lord Darnell’s wife? Lord Darnell’s not at home.
For he is out in the far cornfields, bringing the yearlings home.”
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was said,
He swore Lord Darnell he would know before the sun would set.
And in his hurry to carry the news, he bent his breast and ran,
And when he came to the broad mill stream, he took off his shoes and swam.
Little Matty Groves, he lay down and took a little sleep.
When he awoke, Lord Darnell he was standing at his feet.
Saying “How do you like my feather bed? And how do you like my sheets?
How do you like my lady who lies in your arms asleep?”
“O well I like your feather bed, and well I like your sheets.
But better I like your lady gay who lies in my arms asleep.”
“Well, get up, get up,” Lord Darnell cried, “get up as quick as you can!
It’ll never be said in fair England that I slew a naked man.”
“O I can’t get up, I won’t get up, I can’t get up for my life.
For you have two long beaten swords and I not a pocket-knife.”
“Well it’s true I have two beaten swords, and they cost me deep in the purse.
But you will have the better of them and I will have the worse.”
“And you will strike the very first blow, and strike it like a man.
I will strike the very next blow, and I’ll kill you if I can.”
So Matty struck the very first blow, and he hurt Lord Darnell sore.
Lord Darnell struck the very next blow, and Matty struck no more.
And then Lord Darnell he took his wife and he sat her on his knee,
Saying, “Who do you like the best of us, Matty Groves or me?”
And then up spoke his own dear wife, never heard to speak so free.
“I’d rather a kiss from dead Matty’s lips than you and your finery.”
Lord Darnell he jumped up and loudly he did bawl,
He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her against the wall.
“A grave, a grave!” Lord Darnell cried, “to put these lovers in.
But bury my lady at the top for she was of noble kin.”
Martin Carthy sings Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
On a day, on a day, on a bright holiday as many there be in the year
When Little Musgrave to the church did go, god’s holy word to hear.
He went and he stood all at the church door; he watched the priest at his mass.
But he had more mind of the fair women than he had of Our Lady’s grace.
For some of them were clad in the green and some were clad in the pall,
And in and come Lord Barnard’s wife, the fairest among them all.
She cast her eye on Little Musgrave, full bright as the summer sun,
And then and thought this Little Musgrave, this lady’s heart I have won.
Says she, “I have loved thee, Little Musgrave, full long and many’s the day.”
“So have I loved, lady fair, yet never a word durst I say.”
“O I have a bower at Bucklesfordberry all daintily painted white
And if thou’d went thither, thou Little Musgrave, thou’s lie in my arms all this night.”
Says he, “I thank thee, lady fair, this kindness thou showest to me
And this night will I to Bucklesfordberry, all night for to lay with thee.”
When he heard that, her little foot page all by her foot as he run
He says, “Although I am my lady’s page, yet am I Lord Barnard’s man.
My Lord Barnard shall know of this, whether I do sink or do swim.”
And ever where the bridges were broke, he laid to his breast and he swum.
“O sleep thou wake, thou Lord Barnard, as thou art a man of life.
For Little Musgrave is at Bucklesfordberry in bed with thine own wedded wife.”
“O if this be true, thou little foot page, this thing that thou tellest to me
Then all my land in Bucklesfordberry freely I give it to thee.
But if this be a lie, thou little foot page, this thing that thou tellest to me
Then from the highest tree in Bucklesfordberry high hanged thou shalt be.”
And he called to him his merry men, all by one by two by three,
Says, “this night must I to Bucklesfordberry, for never had I greater need.”
And he called to him his stable boy, “Go saddle me me milk-white steed.”
And he’s trampled o’er them green mossy banks, till his horse’s hooves did bleed.
And some men whistled, and some men sang, and some these words did say
Whene’er my Lord Barnard’s horn blew, “Away, Musgrave away.”
“Methinks I hear the thistle cock, methinks I hear the jay,
Methinks I hear the Lord Barnard’s horn, and I wish I were away.”
“Lie still, lie still, thou Little Musgrave, come cuddle me from the cold,
For tis nothing but a shepherd boy, adriving his sheep to the fold.
Is not thy hawk sat upon his perch, they steed eats oats and hay,
And thou with a fair maid in thy arms and would’st thou be away.”
With that my Lord Barnard come to the door and he lit upon a stone,
And he’s drawn out three silver keys and he’s opened the doors each one.
And he’s lifted up the green coverlet and he’s lifted up the sheet:
“How now, how now, thou Little Musgrave, dost find my lady sweet?”
“I find her sweet,” says Little Musgrave, “The more tis to my pain
For I would give three hundred pounds, that I was on yonder plain.”
“Rise up, rise up,” thou Little Musgrave, “and put thy clothes on
For never shall they say in my own country i slew a naked man.
O I have two swords in one scabbard, full dearly they cost my purse.
And thou shall have the best of them, and I shall have the worst.”
Now the very first blow Little Musgrave struck, he hurt Lord Barnard sore;
But the very first blow Lord Barnard struck, little Musgrave ne’er struck more.
Then up and spoke his lady fair, from the bed whereon she lay,
She says, “Although thou art dead, thou Little Musgrave, yet for thee will I pray.
I will wish well to thy soul, as long as I have life,
Yet will I not for thee Lord Barnard, though I am your own wedded wife.”
O he’s cut the paps from off her breast, great pity it was to see
How the drops of this lady’s heart’s blood came a-trickling down her knee.
“O woe be to ye, me merry men, all you were ne’er born for my good.
Why did you not offer to stay my hand, when you see me grow so mad?”
“A grave, a grave,” Lord Barnard cried, “to put these lovers in.
But lay my lady on the upper hand, she was the chiefest of her kin.”
Nic Jones sings Little Musgrave
As it fell out upon a day, as many in the year,
Musgrave to the church did go to see fair ladies there.
And some came down in red velvet and some came down in pall,
And the last to come down was the Lady Barnard, the fairest of them all.
And she’s cast a look on the little Musgrave as bright as the summer’s sun.
And then bethought this little Musgrave, this lady’s love I’ve won.
“Good day, good day, you handsome youth, God make you safe and free,
What would you give this day, Musgrave, to lie one night with me?”
“O I dare not for my lands, lady, I dare not for my life,
For the ring on your white finger shows you are Lord Barnard’s wife.”
“Lord Barnard’s to the hunting gone and I hope he’ll never return;
And you shall sleep into his bed and keep his lady warm.”
“There’s nothing for to fear, Musgrave, you nothing have to fear.
I’ll set a page outside the gates to watch till morning clear.”
And woe be to the little footpage and an ill death may he die,
For he’s away to the greenwood as fast as he could fly.
And when he came to the wide water he fell on his belly and swam,
And when he came to the other side he took to his heels and ran.
And when he came to the greenwood, ’twas dark as dark can be,
And he found Lord Barnard and his men a-sleeping ’neath the trees.
“Rise up, rise up, master,” he said, “Rise up and speak to me.
Your wife’s in bed with the little Musgrave, rise up right speedily.”
“If this be truth you tell to me then gold shall be your fee,
And if it be false you tell to me then hanged you shall be.”
“Go saddle me the black,” he said, “Go saddle me the grey,
And sound you not the horn,” said he, “Lest our coming it would betray.”
Now there was a man in Lord Barnard’s train who loved the little Musgrave,
And he blew his horn both loud and shrill: “Away, Musgrave, away.”
“O I think I hear the morning cock, I think I hear the jay,
I think I hear Lord Barnard’s horn: Away, Musgrave, away.”
“O lie still, lie still, you little Musgrave, and keep me from the cold.
It’s nothing but a shepherd boy driving his flock to the fold.
Is not your hawk upon its perch, your steed has eaten hay,
And you a gay lady in your arms and yet you would away.”
So he’s turned him right and round about and he fell fast asleep,
And when he woke Lord Barnard’s men were standing at his feet.
“And how do you like my bed, Musgrave, and how do you like my sheets?
And how do you like my fair lady that lies in your arms asleep?”
“O it’s well I like your bed,” he said, “And well I like your sheets,
And better I like your fair lady that lies in me arms asleep.”
“Well get up, get up, young man,” he said, “Get up as swift you can,
For it never will be said in my country I slew an unarmed man.
I have two swords in one scabbard, full dear they cost me purse,
And you shall have the best of them and I shall have the worse.”
And so slowly, so slowly, he rose up and slowly he put on,
And slowly down the stairs he goes a-thinking to be slain.
The first stroke little Musgrave took it was both deep and sore,
And down he fell at Barnard’s feet and word he never spoke more.
“And how do you like his cheeks, lady, and how do you like his chin?
And how do you like his fair body now there’s no life within?”
“O it’s well I like his cheeks,” she said, “And well I like his chin.
And better I like his fair body than all your kith and kin.”
And he’s taken up his long, long sword to strike a mortal blow,
And through and through the lady’s heart the cold steel it did go.
As it fell out upon a day, as many in the year,
Musgrave to the church did go to see fair ladies there.
Ruby Bowman Plemmons sings Little Massie Grove
My high, my high, my high holiday
And the very first day in the year,
Little Massie Grove to the church did go,
The gospel for to hear, hear,
The gospel for to hear.
The first one in was a fair lady,
And the next one was a girl,
And the next one was Lord Darnold’s wife,
And the fairest of them all, all,
And the fairest of them all.
Little Massie Grove was standing by
To him she cast an eye,
Saying. “You must go home with me today
All night in my arms to lie, lie,
All night in my arms to lie.”
“O no, O no,” said little Massie Grove,
“I daresn’t for my life.
For I can tell by the ring that you wear on your hand,
That you are Lord Darnold’s wife. wife,
That you are Lord Darnold’s wife.”
“Why should we hold such vows sacred,
When he’s so far away,
He’s gone on top of the King’s mountain,
Prince Henry for to see, see,
Prince Henry for to see.”
So they went home, huggin’ and a-kissin’.
And then they fell asleep.
But when they awoke on the next day’s morn,
Lord Darnold stood at their feet, feet,
Lord Darnold stood at their feet.
Saying, “How do you like my new coverlet,
And how do you like my sheets?
How do you like my fair young wife
Who lies in your arms and sleeps, sleeps,
Who lies in your arms and sleeps?”
“Pretty well do I like your new coverlet,
Pretty well do I like your sheet,
But much better do I like your fair young wife,
Who lies in my arms and sleeps, sleeps,
Who lies in my arms and sleeps.”
“Rise up, rise up little Massie Grove.
Put on your clothes just as quick as you can,
It shall never be said in this wide world,
That I slayed a naked man, man,
That I slayed a naked man”
“O no, O no,” said the little Massie Grove,
“I daresn’t for my life,
For around your waist you have two swords
And me not as much as a knife, knife,
And me not as much as a knife.”
“If around my waist I have two swords.
And you not as much as a knife,
Then you may take the best of them,
And then I’ll take your life, life,
And then I’ll take your life.
“And you may strike the first blow,
Now strike it like a man,
And I will strike the next blow,
And I’ll kill you if I can, can,
And I’ll kill you if I can.”
So little Massie Grove struck the first blow,
It wounded deep and sore.
But Lord Darnold struck the next blow,
Little Massie couldn’t fight no more, more,
Little Massie couldn’t fight no more.
Then he took his lady by the hand,
And he set her on his knee.
Saying. “Which one do you love the best,
Little Massie Grove or me, me
Little Massie Grove or me?”
“Pretty well do I like your deep blue eyes,
Pretty well do I like your chin,
But much better did I love the little Massie Grove
Than you and all your kin, kin,
Than you and all your kin.”
Nimrod Workman sings Lord Daniel
Well, the first come down was dressed in red
The next come down in green
Next come down was Daniel’s wife
Fair as any queen, queen,
Fair as any queen.
“May I go home with you, little love,
Home with you tonight?
I can tell by the rings you wear
You are Lord Daniel’s wife, wife,
You are Lord Daniel’s wife.”
The little footpath was standing by
And he heard every word that was said
“If I don’t die ’fore the break of day
Lord Daniel hear of that, that,
Lord Daniel’ll hear of that.”
Well, he had about sixteen mile to go
Eight of them he run
Run ’til he came to the broken down bridge
Fell to his breast and he swum, swum
Fell to his breast and he swum, swum
Rattled at the door and she rung
Rattled at the door and it rung, rung,
Rattled at the door and it rung.
“What is the matter, my little footpath,
What is the matter now?”
“Another man’s in the bed with your wife
And both their hearts is one, one,
Both their hearts is one.”
Well, he called his army to his side
Told them for to go.
They threw them bugles to their mouths
They began to blow, blow,
They began to blow.
“Get up, get up my own true love,
You better get up and go.
Lord Daniel’s coming home this night,
I can hear them bugles blow, blow,
Hear them bugles blow.”
They began to hugging and a-kissing,
They both fell off to sleep.
When they awoke their hearts was broke
Lord Daniel was at their feet, feet,
Lord Daniel was at their feet.
“Get up, get up, little Mathie Grove,
Fight me for your life.”
“How can I fight you for my life,
You two brand new sword,
Me not much as a pocket knife, knife,
Not much as a pocket knife?”
“O yes, I have two brand new swords,
The best I’ll give to thee.”
And the very first lick Lord Daniel took
Brought Mathie Grove to his knee,
And the very first lick little Mathie Grove took
He destroyed Lord Daniel’s soul, soul,
He destroyed Lord Daniel’s soul.
Eunice Yeatts McAlexander sings Little Massie Grove
Spoken: This song, in this area, was called Little Massie Grove
My high, my high, my high holiday,
And the very first day in the year.
Little Massie Grove to the church did go,
The Gospel for to hear, to hear,
The Gospel for to hear.
The first one in was a lady fair,
And the next one was a girl.
The next one was Lord Barnard’s wife,
The fairest of them all. etc.
Little Massie Grove was standing near,
To him she cast an eye.
Saying, “You must go home with me today,
All night in my arms to lie” etc.
“O no, no,” said little Massie Grove,
“I dare not for my life.
For I see by the ring that you wear on your hand,
That you are Lord Barnard’s wife.” etc.
“Why should I hold those vows sacred,
When he’s so far away?
He’s gone on the top of King’s Mountain,
Prince Henry for to see.” etc.
So they went home, a-hugging and kissing,
And then they fell asleep.
And when they awoke on the next day’s morning,
Lord Barnard stood at their feet. etc.
Saying, “How do you like my new coverlid?
And how do you like my sheet?
And how do you like my fair young wife
Who lies in your arms and sleeps?” etc.
“Very well do I like your new coverlid.
Very well do I like your sheet.
Much better do I like your fair young wife
Who lies in my arms and sleeps.” etc.
“Rise up, rise up little Massie Grove,
Put on your clothes as quick as you can.
It shall never be said in this wide world,
That I slew a naked man.” etc.
“O no, no,” said little Massie Grove.
“I dare not for my life.
For around your waist you have two swords,
And me not so much as a knife.” etc.
“If around my waist I have two swords,
And you not so much as a knife.
You may take the best of them,
And then I’ll take your life. etc.
“You may strike the first blow,
Now strike it like a man.
And I will strike the second blow,
And I’ll kill you if I can.” etc.
Little Massie struck the first blow,
It wounded deep and sore.
Lord Barnard struck the second blow,
Little Massie couldn’t fight no more. etc.
Lord Barnard took his fair young wife,
And he set her on his knee.
“Now which one did you love the best?
Little Massie Grove or me?” etc.
“Very well do I like your deep blue eyes.
Very well do I like your chin.
Much better did I like little Massie Grove,
Than you and all of your kin.” etc
Cas Wallin sings Lord Daniel
Spoken: I’m gonna sing an old-timey song, Lord Daniel. Way back, I’ve heard it all my life.
First come down was dressed in red.
And the next come a-down was green.
Next come a-down Lord Daniel’s wife,
She’s as fine as any queen, queen,
Just as fine as any queen.
She stepped up to little Mathie Grove,
“Come home with me tonight.”
“I really know by the ring you wear,
You are Lord Daniel’s wife, wife,
You are Lord Daniel’s wife.”
“It makes no difference who’s wife I am,
For you or no other man.
My husband’s away, he’s away from home,
He’s in some distant land, land,
He’s in some distant land.”
Little Robert Ford was standing nigh,
He’s a-hearing every word was said.
“If I don’t die before daylight,
Lord Daniel will hear these words, words,
Lord Daniel will hear these words.”
Spoken: Spoken: He busied hisself, didn’t he?
He had a-fifteen miles to go,
Ten of them he run.
Run ’til he came to the fell-down bridge,
And he fell on his breast and swam, swam,
He fell on his breast and swam.
He run ’til he came to Lord Thomas’s hall,
He jingled on the bell.
“What’s the matter?” Lord Thomas said.
“What’s a-making you ring?”
“There’s a man in the bed with your true-love,
There’s gonna be some old huggin’ done, done,
There’s gonna be some old huggin’ done.”
He got him up a few good men,
And started with a free good will.
Placed his bugle to his mouth,
He blewed it loud and shrill, shrill,
He blewed it loud and shrill.
“Let’s get up,”’ little Mattie Grove said,
“Let’s get up, put on our clothes.
I hear your husband a-coming home,
I heard his bugle blow, blow.
I heard his bugle blow.”’
“Lie down, lie down, lie down,”’ she says,
“Lie down, go off to sleep.
Nothing but my father’s shepherd,
A-calling for his sheep, sheep,
A-calling for his sheep.”
From that they both fell a-huggin’ and a-kissing,
And they both fell off to sleep.
When they awoke at the break of day,
Lord Daniel was at their bed feet, feet,
Lord Daniel was at their bed feet.
“Get up, get up, get up,” he says,
“Get up and put on your clothes.
Never wanted it to be said,
That a naked man I slew, slew,
That a naked man I slew.”’
“How can I get up?” he says,
“How can I put on my clothes?
There you stand with two glittering swords
And me not as much as a knife, knife,
And me not as much as a knife.”
“O yes I have two glittering swords,
They cost me deep in pearl.
But I’ll give to you the best
And I will take the worst, worst,
And I will take the worst.
“You can have the very first lick
And strike it like a man.
I will take the very next lick,
I’ll kill you if I can, can,
I’ll kill you if I can.”
Little Mathie Grove struck the very first lick,
He struck an awful blow.
Lord Daniel took the very next lick,
He laid him on the floor, floor,
He laid him on the floor.
He took his little bitty wife on his lap,
And he look-ed straight at her.
Says, “Which one of the two do you like the best?
Little Mathie Grove or me, me,
Little Mathie Grove or me?”
“Very well do I like your red rosy cheeks,
Much better do I like your chin.
But I wouldn’t give little Mathie Grove
For you and all your kin, kin,
For you and all your kin.”
He took his little bitty wife by the hall [sic]
He led her through the hall.
He took his sword and he cut off her head,
And he kicked it against the wall, wall,
And he kicked it against the wall.
“Dig my grave in the meadow.
Dig it wide and deep.
Bury little Mathie Grove in my arms,
Lord Daniel at my feet, feet,
Lord Daniel at my feet.”
Billy Ross sings Matty Groves
Was on the high, high holy day
And the very best day in the year,
Little Matty Groves has gone to church,
High preaching for to hear,
High preaching for to hear.
Well the first to come up was dressed in red,
And the second one dressed in green,
And the third to come up was Lord Daniel’s wife,
As fair as any queen,
As fair as any queen.
Said Matty Groves 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.”
But the little page boy was standing by
And every word he heard.
He said, “Lord Daniel shall know of this
Before I go to bed,
Before I go to bed.”
He had fifteen miles to cover that night,
And ten of them he ran.
He ran till he came to the broken down bridge,
He bent to his breast and swam,
He bent to his breast and swam.
“What news, what news, what news to me is brought,
What news to me is sung?”
“Little Matty Groves is in the bed with your wife,
And their hearts both beat as one,
Their hearts both beat as one.”
“Well 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 that tree,
I’ll hang you to that tree.”
Then he’s gathered him up about fifty good men,
He’s done it with a right good will.
And then he swore upon his life
Little Matty Groves to kill,
Little Matty Groves to kill.
And they’d lain 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.
For it never will be said across the land
That a naked man I slew,
That a naked man I slew.
“And I have got two very fine swords
And they cost me deep in the purse.
You shall have the best of them
And I shall have the worst,
I shall have the worst.”
Well Matty struck the very first blow
And he wounded Lord Daniel sore.
Lord Daniel struck the very next blow
And Matty struck no more,
Matty struck no more.
He’s taken his lady by the hand
And sat her on his knee,
Saying, “Who do you like the best of us,
Little Matty Groves or me,
Little Matty Groves or me?”
“Well I like your rosy cheeks,
Well I like your chin.
Better I like little Matty Groves
Than you and all of your kin,
Than you and all of your kin.”
So he’s taken his lady by the hand
And led her through the hall.
He’s taken her to the highest room
And slew her against the wall,
Slew her against the wall.
“Go bury these lovers in one grave,
Bury them within.
But bury my lady at the top
For she was of noble kin,
She was of noble kin.”
Was on the high, high holy day
And the very best day in the year,
Little Matty Groves has gone to church,
High preaching for to hear,
High preaching for to hear.
Cara sing Little Musgrave
It fell upon a holy day,
As many in the year
Musgrave to the church did go
To see fine ladies there
And some were dressed in velvet red,
Some in velvet pale
Then in came Lord Barnard’s wife,
Fairest amongst them all
She cast an eye on the Little Musgrave,
As bright as summer’s sun
Said Musgrave unto himself,
This lady’s heart I’ve won.
I have loved you, fair lady,
Full long and many’s the day
And I have loved you, Little Musgrave,
And never a word did say
I’ve a bower in Bucklesfordbury,
It’s my heart’s delight
I’ll take you back there with me
If you’ll lie in my arms tonight
But standing by was a little footpage,
From the lady’s coach he ran
Although I am a lady’s page,
I am Lord Barnard’s man
And my Lord Barnard will hear of this,
Whether I sink or swim
Everywhere the bridge was broken
He’d enter the water and swim
O my Lord Barnard, my Lord Barnard,
You are a man of life
But Musgrave, he’s at Bucklesfordbury,
Asleep with your wedded wife
If this be true, my little footpage,
This thing that you tell me
All the gold in Bucklesfordbury
I gladly will give to thee
But if this be a lie, my little footpage,
This thing that you tell me
From the highest tree in Bucklesfordbury
Hanged you will be
Go saddle me the black, he said,
Go saddle me the gray
And sound ye not your horns
Lest our coming be betrayed
But there was a man in Lord Barnard’s train
Who love the Little Musgrave
He blew his horn both loud and shrill,
Away, Musgrave, away
I think I hear the morning cock,
I think I hear the jay
I think I hear Lord Barnard’s men,
I wish I was away
Lie still, lie still, Little Musgrave,
Hug me from the cold
It’s nothing but a shepherd lad,
A-bringing his flock to fold
Is not your hawk upon its perch,
Your steed eats oats and hay
And you a lady in your arms,
And yet you’d go away?
He’s turned around, kissed her twice,
Then they fell asleep
When they awoke Lord Barnard’s men
Were standing at their feet
How do ye like my bed, he said,
And how do you like my sheets?
How do you like my fair lady
That lies in your arms asleep?
It’s well I like your bed, he said,
Great it gives me pain
I’d gladly give a hundred pound
To be on yonder plain
Rise up, rise up, Little Musgrave,
Rise up and then put on
It’ll not be said in this country
I slayed a naked man
So slowly, slowly he got up,
Slowly he put on
Slowly down the stairs,
Thinking to be slain
There are two swords down by my side,
And dear they cost my purse
You can have the best of them,
And I will take the worst
And the first stroke Little Musgrave struck,
It hurt Lord Barnard sore
And the next stroke Lord Barnard struck,
Little Musgrave ne’er struck more
And then up spoke the lady fair
From the bed whereon she lay
Although you’re dead, Little Musgrave,
Still for you I’ll pray
How do you like his cheeks, he said,
And how do you like his chin?
How do you like his dead body,
Now there’s no life within?
It’s more I love his cheeks, she cried,
More I love his chin
More I love that dead body
Than all your kith and kin
He’s taken out his long long sword,
To strike the mortal blow
Through and through the lady’s heart
The cold steel it did go
A grave, a grave, Lord Barnard cried,
To put these lovers in
With my lady on the upper hand,
She came from better kin
For I’ve just killed the finest knight
That ever rode a steed
And I’ve just killed the finest lady
That ever did a woman’s deed
It fell upon a holy day…
Iona Fyfe sings Little Musgrave
One day, one day, one holyday,
The first one of the year,
Little Matty Groves has went to church,
The Holy Word to hear, to hear,
The Holy Word to hear.
Lord Darnell’s wife was standing by,
She cast her eye on him,
“Go home with me, Little Matty Groves,
A wedded wife to be, to be,
A wedded wife to be.”
“I can’t come home, and I won’t come home,
I cannot spare my life.
But by the rings upon your hands
You are Lord Darnell’s wife, his wife,
You are Lord Darnell’s wife.”
“It’s if I am Lord Darnell’s wife,
Lord Darnell’s gone today,
He’s across the waterside,
He’s gone over there to stay, to stay,
He’s gone over there to stay.”
But the little foot-page was standing by,
And hearing what was said
He swore Lord Darnell he would know
Before the sun was set, was set,
Before the sun was set.
He ran till he came to the riverside,
He bent his breast and swam.
He swam till he came to the other side,
He picked up his heels and ran and ran,
Picked up his heels and ran.
When he came to Lord Darnell’s haa
He tinkled at the pin,
Lord Darnell he was ready there
For to rise and let him in, him in,
To rise and let him in.
“O is my bower a-falling down,
Or does my castle burn?
Or is my lady lighter yet
Of a daughter or a son, a son,
A daughter or a son?”
“O no your bower’s not fallin’ down
Or does your castle burn,
But Little Matty Groves he sleeps tonight
Keeping your lady warm, her warm,
Keeping your lady warm”
Then Lord Darnell took his men
And lined them in a row,
The orders that he gave to them
That ne’er a horn should blow, should blow,
That ne’er a horn should blow.
Matty Groves he was laid down,
He took a little sleep.
And when he woke Lord Darnell,
He was standing at his feet, his feet,
He was standing at his feet.
“Rise up rise up, Little Matty Groves,
Rise up as quick as you can.
It shalln’t be said in old Scotland
I slew a naked man, a man,
I slew a naked man.”
“O I can’t get up, and I won’t get up,
I cannot spare my life.
For you have two swords by your side
And I have ne’er a knife, a knife,
And I have ne’er a knife.”
“It’s I’ve got two swords by my side,
They cost me from my purse.
And you can have the very best
And I shall have the worst, the worst,
And I shall have the worst.”
Matty struck the very first blow,
He wounded Darnell sore.
Lord Darnell struck the very next blow,
Little Matty struck no more, no more,
Little Matty struck no more.
Then Lord Darnell took his wife,
He sat her on his knee,
Sayin’, “Who do you like best of all,
Little Matty Groves or me, or me?
Little Matty Groves or me?”
“Very well I like your rosy cheeks,
Very well I like your skin,
But better I like Little Matty Groves
Than you and all your kin, your kin,
Than you and all your kin.”
C.S. MacCath sings Matty Groves
It happened on a holiday,
The very first day of the year,
That Matty Groves went to church,
The holy word to hear,
The holy word to hear.
Some came dressed in satin fine,
And some in purple and blue,
But last stepped in Lord Barnett’s wife,
The flower of the crew,
The flower of the crew.
She cast her eyes on Matty Groves,
And whispered cunning and sweet;
“O lovely man, come home with me,
With me this night to sleep,
With me this night to sleep.”
“O no, not me,” said Matty Groves.
“I dare not risk my life.
By the ring on your finger I can tell
You are Lord Barnett’s wife,
You are Lord Barnett’s wife.”
“Well, if I am Lord Barnett’s wife,
Lord Barnett’s not at home.
He’s gone down to the high toll-gate
To call his hirelings home,
To call his hirelings home.”
A loyal page was standing by
And hearing what was said.
He swore Lord Barnett would know his wife
Was taking a man to bed,
Was taking a man to bed.
Lady Barnett and Matty Groves
Lay down and went to sleep.
When they awoke, Lord Barnett himself
Was standing at their feet,
Was standing at their feet.
“I can’t get up,” said Matty Groves,
“I can’t get up for my life.
When you have two long, beaten swords,
And I not a pocket knife,
And I not a pocket knife.”
“It’s true, I have two beaten swords,
And they cost me deep in the purse,
But you will have the better of them,
And I will have the worse,
And I will have the worse.”
“And you will have the very first blow,
But strike it like a man,
Because I will have the very next blow,
And I’ll kill you if I can.
I’ll kill you if I can.”
Matty struck the very first blow,
And hurt Lord Barnett sore.
Lord Barnett struck the very next blow,
And Matty struck no more.
Matty struck no more.
He took his lady by the hand,
And sat her on his knee,
Saying, “Which of us do you love the best,
Matty Groves or me,
Matty Groves or me?”
Lady Barnett stared him down,
And said, “It’s plain to see
That I’d rather a kiss from dead Matty’s lips
Than you in your finery,
Than you in your finery.”
Sing on, sing on, ye nightingale.
Sing on, sing on, little jay.
Lord Barnett has murdered his beautiful wife
And hangs at the break of day.
He hangs at the break of day.
Acknowledgements
Transcribed from the singing of Martin Carthy by Garry Gillard.