The 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 She's cast a look on the Little Musgrave As bright as the summer 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 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 slip 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 gate To watch til morning clear And woe be to the little footpage And an ill death may he die For he's away to the green wood 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 green wood 'Twas dark as dark can be And he found Lord Barnard and his men Asleep beneath the trees Rise up Rise up Master he said Rise up and speak to me Your wife's in bed with 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 I think I hear the morning cock I think I hear the jay I think I hear Lord Barnard's horn Away Musgrave Away |
 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 is eating 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 It's well I like your bed he said And well I like your sheets But better I like your fair lady That lies in my arms asleep Get up, get up young man he said Get up as swift as 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 my purse And you shall have the best of them I shall have the worst So slowly, so slowly he rose up And slowly he put on And slowly down the stairs he goes Thinking to be slain And 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 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 |
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A song of tragic lust, "Little Musgrave And Lady Barnard" is the name of Child Ballad #81, though it is better known to rock fans by the name "Matty Groves", as sung by Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson with Fairport Convention. This is a different version and in his original liner notes to Ballads And Songs, Nic Jones says he was originally drawn to it because of its length! Christy Moore has also sung this song and noted that his version is from Nic's original. The ultimate folk ballad of sexual deceit and violent death, "Little Musgrave" was known as far back as 1611: "And some they whistled, and some they sung |
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