A variant of the traditional song Matty Groves, Little Musgrave tells the story of a young man paying the price for a brief tryst with a noble woman.
This version recorded live at the Oxford Folk Festival of 2008 features some amazing guitar work from Martin Simpson, enhanced (in my opinion) by the long reverberation time of the venue (but it does make the words hard to follow, so I have posted them below). In the You Tube link this video is followed by 46 more featuring bassist Danny Thompson with a variety of artists.
As it fell out upon a day
As many in the year
Musgrave to the church did go
To see fair ladies thereAnd 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 allShe’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 wonGood day good day you handsome youth
God make you safe and free
What would you give this day musgrave
To lie one night with meI 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 wifeLord barnard’s to the hunting gone
And I hope he’ll never return
And you shall slip into his bed
And keep his lady warmThere’s nothing for to fear musgrave
You nothing have to fear
I’ll set a page outside the gate
To watch til morning clearAnd 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 flyAnd 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 ranAnd when he came to the green wood
’twas dark as dark can be
And he found lord barnard and his men
Asleep beneath the treesRise up rise up master he said
Rise up and speak to me
Your wife’s in bed with little musgrave
Rise up right speedilyIf 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 beGo saddle me the black he said
Go saddle me the grey
And sound you not the horn said he
Lest our coming it would betrayNow 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 awayI think I hear the morning cock
I think I hear the jay
I think I hear lord barnard’s horn
Away musgrave awayLie still, lie still, you little musgrave
And keep me from the cold
It’s nothing but a shepherd boy
Driving his flock to the foldIs not your hawk upon it’s perch
Your steed is eating hay
And you a gay lady in your arms
And yet you would awaySo 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 feetAnd 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 asleepIt’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 asleepGet 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 manI have two swords in one scabbard
Full dear they cost my purse
And you shall have the best of them
I shall have the worstSo slowly, so slowly he rose up
And slowly he put on
And slowly down the stairs he goes
Thinking to be slainAnd 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 moreAnd 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 withinIt’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 kinAnd 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 goAs it fell out upon a day
As many in the year
Musgrave to the church did go
To see fair ladies there
Although I’m not an engineer, I love your Celtic songs, above all those that come with the proper words, thank you.
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Glad you enjoy the music.
Feel free to select “Bach” under categories to hide the engineering stuff 🙂
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Doug
Thanks for this little hidden jewel.
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