In Praise of John Magee

DESCRIPTION: John Magee finds no peace with his wife "So he says, 'I can auction you according to the law.'" The bidding is active and she goes to a farmer from Killarney for twenty-five shillings. "May the devil follow after her, the auctioneer did say"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1970 (Morton-FolksongsSungInUlster)
KEYWORDS: shrewishness abandonment commerce humorous husband wife
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Morton-FolksongsSungInUlster 12, "In Praise of John Magee" (1 text, 1 tune)
Morton/Maguire-ComeDayGoDayGodSendSunday 36, pp. 90-91,122,170, "In Praise of John Magee" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #2899
RECORDINGS:
John Maguire, "In Praise of John Magee" (on IRJMaguire01)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Sale of a Wife" (subject)
cf. "The Scolding Wife (V)" (theme: sale of a wife)
cf. "Danny Sim's Sow" (theme: sale of a wife)
NOTES [72 words]: I don't believe this should be lumped with "Sale of a Wife." While they both have the auction they have no lines in common.
[It's interesting to note that both songs seem to be Irish, though; perhaps one inspired the other, and some editors lump them. - RBW]
Morton-FolksongsSungInUlster: .".. such sales were quite common in England between 1750 and 1860." - BS
For background on wife-selling, see the notes to "Sale of a Wife." - RBW
Last updated in version 2.5
File: MorU012

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