From a broadside at The National Library of Scotland, "Probable period of publication: 1860-1880":


A LOVE OF GOD SHAVE.

1. It was in this town, not far from this spot,
A barber he opened a snug little shop.
He at Birmingham had been for many a year,
And he shav'd all the natives so clean and so clear.

2. But one evil practice he swore he would stop:
No one would ever come for trust twice to his shop;
For a razor he'd got full of notches and rust,
And he'd warm well their jaws should they come for trust.

3. It happened an Irishman came by that way,
Whose beard had been growing for many a day.
He went to the door and he laid down his hod.
"Arrah! Would you give me a shave, for the love of God?

4. "For divil a pinny I have in my purse.
Sure, give me a shave; you will be none the worse."
"Walk in," said the barber. "Sit down on this chair,
And your strong bristly beard I'll mow down to a hair."

5. So he spread a lather o'er Paddy's broad chin,
And with his rusty razor to shave did begin.
"Stop! Stop, man! What the devil are you doing?
Lave off my face or my jaws you will ruin!"

6. The barber kept on, and never pitied his case,
While tears big as peas ran down poor Paddy's face.
"Hold your tongue," said the barber. "Don't make such a din.
You're sure to be cut by moving your chin."

7. "Cut, no, but sawed, for the razor you've got,
By jabbers, it would not cut butter if hot.
You may lather and shave all your friends till you're sick,
But by japers I'd sooner be shaved wid a brick.

8. "O, by japers that's surely a teaser,
A love-of-God shave with the devil's own razor!"
So grumbling and growling, he left the shop door,
And no mortal man was shav'd so before.

9. It happened one day when Paddy was walking,
By the barber's shop-door he was quietly stalking,
He heard a donkey give a terrible roar,
And thought the sound came from the barber's shop-door.

10. "O, bad luck to the barber, the vagabond knave,
He's just giving another a love-of-God shave.
O, by da japers, he's surely a teaser,
A love-of-God shave, wid the devil's own razor!"