You muses nine with me combine,
Assist me with your aid
Whilst here I am endeavouring
To praise a lovely maid,
Her heart and mine were bound in love
As you may understand,
It was our whole intention
For to join in wedlock bands.
2. I hope you'll pay attention,
And the truth to you I'll tell;
She was a Quaker's daughter,
A maid I loved right well.
We being not of one persuasion,
Her father made a plan,
He done his whole endeavour
To hang me in the wrong.
3. My name is John McGoldrick,
The same I'll ne'er deny
They swore I was a radical;
Condemned I was to die.
As soon as my dead letter came,
My sorrows did renew,
Saying, "For to die I do deny -
Brave boys, what shall I do?"
4. At length my dearest jewel
Became servant in the jail;
She found her opportunity
And did it not conceal.
She says, "Young John McGoldrick,
I hope to be your wife;
I will do my best endeavour
To save your precious life."
5. That night the god of Bacchus
To the jailer did appear,
All with a club of gentlemen
Inviting him to beer.
They had the strongest liquor
And the very best of wine
The jailer and the turnkey
To sleep they did incline.
| 6. She says, "Young John McGoldrick,
I hope you will agree.
And bind yourself upon your oath,
And come along with me;
For I have stole the jailer's keys,
And I could do no more,"
That very night I took my flight
Out of the prison door.
7. It was early the next morning
The hurry it begun,
The Sixty-sixth pursued us
Without either fife or drum.
The jailer and the turnkey
They quickly ran us down,
And brought us back as prisoners
Once more to Cavan town.
8. And there we lay bewailing,
All in a prison bound,
With heavy bolts of iron
Secured unto the ground.
All for a second trial
They brought us to the jail;
Their intention was to hang me,
And send her to New South Wales.
9. But I may thank Lord Corry,
And his father, Lord Belmore
Long may they live in splendour
Around Loch Erne shore!
They sent me a grand character,
As plainly you may see,
Which caused the judge and jury
That day to set us free.
10. You reader, now excuse me,
I did refine my quill,
The praises of a lovely maid
These papers for to fill.
For I have become her husband,
And she my loving wife;
In spite of her old father,
She saved my precious life.
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