pour about a tablespoon of oil into each plug hole the rotate the engine several times by hand.
If you have some old plugs handy . fit them loose and crank the engine with the starter ( this will oil up the plugs ).
Now crank the engine plugs out to expell the excess oil.
Try to start the engine.
The seal between the rings & the bore is actually made by the oil and when the bore dries right out you will not get much compression.
If you have ever boiled your car engine you will have noticed that when cooled down it spins very fast, for the same reason .