“Corpse Wake Dirge”

[thewylddream]

“Corpse Wake Dirge”
This fine Night, this fine night,
-Every night and all,
Fire, storm, sleet and candle-light,
-May you free thy soul.
When you from hereafter are past
To many roses you come to at last
If ever you gave cans of food,
Sit thee down and eat your fill;
If cans of food never you gave
The roses and briar prick you to the bare bone.
From many roses when you may pass,
When the Bridge of the Dead you come to at last;
From Bridge of Dead when thou may pass,
To Purgatory fire thou come at last;
If ever thou gave coats or clothes
The fire shall never make thee shrink;
If coats or clothes never you gave
The fire will burn thee to the bare bone;
This fine Night, this fine night,
-Every night and all,
Fire, storm, sleet and candle-light,
-May you free thy soul.


Lyrics as sang:

If ever thou gavest hosen or shoon,
Then every night and all,
Sit thee down and put them on;
And Christ receive thy soul.
This aye night, this aye night,
Every night and all.
Fire and fleet and candle-leet,
And Christ receive thy soul.
If ever thou gavest meat or drink,
Then every night and all,
The fire shall make thee shriek;
And Christ receive thy soul.

Taken from Neverwhere (of course) but also from Lyke-Wake Dirge or the Corpse-Wake Dirge from the from the late 1600's England.