Matty Groves chords by Fairport Convention

Tuning: Standard EBGDAE

Difficulty: Novice

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

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

Dm
"Come home with me, little Matty Groves
                     F
Come home with me tonight
                          C
Come home with me, little Matty Groves
    Dm         C       Dm
And sleep with me 'til light"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dm
"Well, get up, get up", Lord Darnell cried
                         F
"Get up as quick as you can
                       C
It'll never be said in fair England
    Dm   C     Dm
I slew a naked man"

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

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

Dm
"And you will strike the very first blow
                     F
And strike it like a man
                    C
I will strike the very next blow
         Dm        C   Dm
And I'll kill you if I can"

Dm
So Matty struck the very first blow
                         F
And he hurt Lord Darnell sore
                         C
Lord Darnell struck the very next blow
    Dm     C        Dm
And Matty struck no more

Dm
And then Lord Darnell he took his wife
                         F
And he sat her on his knee
                         C
Saying, "Who do like the best of us
Dm     C        Dm
Matty Groves or me?"

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

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

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