Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
George Fox. 1815?734. The County of Mayo FROM THE IRISH OF THOMAS LAVELLE
ON the deck of Patrick Lynch’s boat I sat in woful plight, | |
Through my sighing all the weary day and weeping all the night; | |
Were it not that full of sorrow from my people forth I go, | |
By the blessèd sun! ’tis royally I’d sing thy praise, Mayo! | |
When I dwelt at home in plenty, and my gold did much abound, | 5 |
In the company of fair young maids the Spanish ale went round— | |
‘Tis a bitter change from those gay days that now I’m forced to go | |
And must leave my bones in Santa Cruz, far from my own Mayo. | |
They are alter’d girls in Irrul now; ’tis proud they’re grown and high, | |
With their hair-bags and their top-knots, for I pass their buckles by— | 10 |
But it ‘s little now I heed their airs, for God will have it so, | |
That I must depart for foreign lands and leave my sweet Mayo. | |
‘Tis my grief that Patrick Loughlin is not Earl of Irrul still, | |
And that Brian Duff no longer rules as Lord upon the hill: | |
And that Colonel Hugh McGrady should be lying dead and low, | 15 |
And I sailing, sailing swiftly from the county of Mayo. |