On a high holiday,
on the very best day of the year,
little Mathie Grove to the church did go,
the Holy Word to hear,
Holy Word to hear.

Some come in all dressed in white,
some dressed in purple and blue,
and then come in Lord Darnell's wife,
a flower among the few,
flower among the few.

She looked at him, he looked at her,
the like had never been done,
'til she got up and took his hand,
and bade him come along,
and bade him come along.

Well, a-huggin' and a-kissin' in the bed all night
'til they lay fast asleep.
When they woke in the new morn's dawn,
Lord Darnell was at their feet,
Lord Darnell was at their feet.

He said "Get up, little Mathie Grove,
get up and throw on your clothes.
It'll never be known to anyone
a naked man I slew, slew,
naked man I slew."

"I shan't get up, I won't get dressed,
I fear so for my life!
For you have got two bare short swords,
and me not even a knife,
me not even a knife."

"Well yes I've got two bare short swords;
they cost me deep in the purse,
but you shall have the better of the two
and I shall take the worse,
and I shall take the worse."

Hmmm-mmm

"And you will strike the very first blow,
and strike it like a man.
and I will strike the very next blow,
and kill you if I can,
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 Mathie lay dead on the floor, floor,
Mathie lay dead on the floor.

He turned his to his wife in his bed,
and rage and hate saw she.
"Who do you like now best?" he asked,
Little Mathie Grove or me?
Little Mathie Grove or me?"

Very well do I like your eyes," said she,
"much better I like your chin,
but I love Mathie Groves much better, good son,
than you and all your kin, kin,
you and all your kin.

Well, he took her by the hair of her head
and he led her through the hall,
and with his sword he cut off her head,
and kicked it against the wall, wall,
kicked it against the wall.
kicked it against the wall, wall,
kicked it against the wall.