THE SILLY MARE AND THE FOAL

A story, a story to you I will unfold,
Its of an old silly mare and a young sucking foal,
My story is true and its come for to pass,
This old mare and foal went into the church yard to grass,
Derry down &c.

The clerk of the parish you know very well,
He us’d to ring the eight o’clock bell,
One night being late, thro’ sitting o’er his black pot,
He quite forgot the church doors to lock.

The old mare and foal went in with all speed,
They open’d the books and began for to read,
Said the foal to the mare, I pray now begin,
And whate’er you pray for, I’ll say Amen.

To pray for these publicans I’m very leath (loth),
That fill their quart pots half full of froth,
Some fill them half full, others fill them whole,
The devil go with them – Amen says the foal.

To pray for those bakers that bake all the year
They buy the corn cheap, and they sell the bread dear,
I wish they may burn their best rustling pole,
And stand in the pillory – Amen says the foal.

To pray for those brewers that brew night and day,
They get all the money and carry the sway,
I wish they may burn the best copper of all,
And let out the liquor – Amen says the foal.

To pray for those drunkards that drink day and night,
When they get drunk they’ll quarrel & fight,
Some drinks them half full, and some drinks them whole,
God bless the swallow – Amen says the foal.

To pray for those blacksmiths, those jolly brave boys,
That shoe all the horses that work on the roads
I wish they may never want pincers and coal,
Then we shall walk easy – Amen says the foal.