Matt Gallant

Matt Hyland

[A7]There lived aD] lord wiG]thin this[D] land
Who[G] had a fair and[D] lovely daugh[A7]ter
[D]She was courted by a[G] nice young[D] man
Who[G] was a servan[D]t to her[A] fath[D]er
But when[Bm] her parents came to[A] know,,[A7]
They swore[D] they'd drive him from[G] the[A] is[D]land
[D]But this maid she knew that her heart[G] would[D] break
If[G] she should part[D] from young Matt[A] Hy[D]land
Straightway into his room she goes
Into his room him to awaken
Saying, "Arise and go, my own true love
This very night you will be taken
For I have heard my father say
In spite of me he will transport you
So arise and go, my own true love
I wish to God I'd gone before you"
"Ah, must I go," the young man said
"Ah, must I go without my wages
With ne'er a penny in my purse
Just like some poor forlorn stranger?"
"Here's fifty guineas in bright gold
And that's far more than father owes you
So arise and go, my own true love
I wish to God I'd gone before you"
They both sat down upon the bed
Just side by side for one half hour
And ne'er a word did either say
Yet down their cheeks the tears did shower
She's laid her head all on his breast
Round his waist her arms entwined
"No lord or duke or earl I'll wed
I'll wait for you my Young Matt Hyland"
The lord discussed with his daughter dear
One night alone in her bedchamber
Saying, "I'll give you leave to bring him back
Since there are none you style above him"
She wrote a letter then in haste
Still for him her heart entwined
She's brought him back, to the church they went
She's made a lord of young Matt Hyland
******************************************************************
The last verse was added by Frank Heart
There was a lord lived in the North
who had a very lovely daughter
She was courted by a handsome man
who was a servant to her father
But when her parents came to know
they swore they'd ban him from the island
The maid she knew her heart would break
had she to part with youg Mat Hyland
So straightaway to her love she went
and then into her room to wake him
Saying rise my love and go away
this very night you will be taken
I overheard my parents say
in spite of me they would transport you
So rise my love and go away
I wish to God I'd gone before you
They both sat down upon the bed
all for the sight of one another
And not one word did either speak
till down her cheeks the tears did shower
She lay her head upon his breast
around his neck her arms entwined then
Not a duke nor lord nor earl I'll wed.
I'll wait for you my own Mat Hyland
How can I go away my love?
How can I leave without my wages?
Without one penny of my own
just like some low and lonesome vagrant
Here's 20 guineas in bright gold.
That's far much more than father owes you.
So take it love and go away.
You know right well I do adore you
'Tis then these lovers severed were,
That he might elude transportation;
Since he was gone, perhaps fore'er,
Her sad heart knew no consolation;
As days passed by, she then began
To roam the groves alone and slighted;
And, in her grief, she cried aloud,
"Send back, send back my own Matt Hyland."
The lord conversed with his daughter fair
one night above in her bed chamber
I'll give you leave to bring him back
since there's no one can win your favour
She wrote a letter then in haste
for him her heart was still repining
They brought him back, to the church they went