Lord Riner's Wife- Jones (KY) 1917 Sharp M
[My title. Single stanza (2nd stanza) with music from English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians I where the name mistakenly appears as Lord Riner's wife. Sharp/Karpeles 1932, p. 161-182, versions A-Q. Notes from 1932 edition and notes from Sharp's diary follow. Additional text from Bronson.
The first two lines of the first stanza are missing and it has been combined with the second stanza- otherwise this is an excellent text.
R. Matteson 2015]
1932 Edition Notes: No. 23. Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard.
Texts without tunes:— Child s English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 81. Reed Smith's South Carolina Ballads, p. 125. Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 94. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxiii. 371; xxv. 182.
Texts with tunes:—Rimbault's Musical Illustrations of Percy's Reliques, p. 92. Chappel's Popular Music of the Olden Times, i. 170. MotherwelJ's Minstrelsy,
Appendix, tune No. 21. W. R. Mackenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs of Nova Scotia, No. 8. Wyman and Brockway's Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs, pp. 22 and 62. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxx. 309. British Ballads from Maine, p. 150. Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 289 and 577.
Sharp diary 1917 page 244. Friday 24 August 1917 - Manchester:
Another very bad night, similar to the previous one, and for the same reason viz thunderstorms! Felt just awful when I rose but improved as the day went on. Campbell the jeweller came to do my trunk which I had to empty at 8 a.m. The new part arrived from the Hartmann people last night. We got away soon after 9. Mrs Cis Jones sang us Musgrove and Lover’s tasks — the latter a new "child". Then on to Mrs Polly Patrick who with Mrs Nanny Jones sang us several. Had dinner with them at 2, and got back to Drug Store at 4.30 where we regaled ourselves on grapejuice — Maud is fast becoming a toper. In the evening sang some songs to the Webbs, Patterson and Ralston etc. A really lovely day with fresh air, fleecy clouds, just like an English summer’s day with S.W. wind. Quite cold in the evening
M. [Lord Diner's Wife] - Sung by Mrs. Cis JONES at Goose Creek, Manchester, Clay Co., Ky., Aug. 24, 1917.
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
1. The first one came down was Lord Diner's wife,
The finest among them all,
Little Matthy Groves was standing by,
He fixed his eyes on her,
Says, You must go home with me to-night,
Lord Diner's gone away.
2. I will not go, nor I shall not go,
Not for my very life,
For I know by the rings on your left hand
That you are Lord Diner's wife.
3. Little foot-Page was standing by,
He took to his heels and he run,
He run till he came to the old salt sea,
He leaned to his breast and he swum.
4. He swum till he came to the other shore side,
And he took to his heels and he run,
He run till he came to King Henry's white hall,
He rattled the bell and it run.
5. What news, what news, my little foot-page?
What news have You brought to me?
Little Matthy's going home to-night
With your lady.
6. If this a lie, my little foot-page,
A lie you tell to me,
The very first tree will bear you up,
It's hanged you shall be.
7. He mustered up his sixteen men,
He strung them all in a row,
He ordered for not one word to be spoken
And the bugle not to be blown.
8. There were a man a-standing by,
He knew little Matthy well,
He fixes the bugle up to his mouth,
He blows it loud and swift.
9. Little Matthy says to the lady:
I am surrounded with fear.
O, she says, that's my father's two little boys
A-calling sheep to the stall.
10. From that they fell to hugging and kissing,
From that they fell to sleep.
The very next morning they woke up
Lord Diner was at their feet.
11 O how do you like my blanket, said he,
Or how do you like my sheet,
Or how do you like my gay lady
That lies in your arms to sleep?
12. I like your blanket very well,
O well do I like your sheet,
Still better I like your gay lady
That is in my arms to sleep.
13. O rise you up, little Matthy Groves,
And put it's on your clothes;
I will never have it said in this town
I killed a naked man,
13. I will not rise, nor I shall not rise,
For my very life,
For you have two bright swords in hand
And I have ne'er a knife.
15. The very first lick little Matthy made
He wounded Lord Diner bad;[1]
The very first lick Lord Diner made,
Little Matthy said no more.
16. He took his lady by the hand,
He set her on his knee:
Which one of these two men you like best,
Little Matthy Groves or me?
17 I love Lord Diner very well,[2]
[Very well I love his chin]
I love Matthy's little finger,
Better [than you and all your kin]
18. He took his lady by the hand,
He led her through the street,
He drew his sword out from his side,
He laid her down to sleep.
1. sore
2. I've added missing lines