The Lyke Wake Dirge

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Words

This ay neet, this ay neet, any neet and all,
Fire and fleet and candle leet, and Christ receive thy saule.

When thou from here away may'st pass, any neet and all,
To Whinny Moor thou com'st at last, and Christ receive thy saule.

If thou ga'est ever hosen or shoon, any neet and all,
Then sit ye doon and put them on, and Christ receive thy saule.

But if hosen or shoon thou ne'er ga'est nane, any neet and all,
The whinnies shall prick thee to thy bare bane, and Christ receive thy saule.

When thou from here away may'st pass, any neet and all,
To Brig o' Dread thou com'st at last, and Christ receive thy saule.

When thou from there away may'st pass, any neet and all,
To Purgatory's fire thou com'st at last, and Christ receive thy saule.

If thou ga'est ever meat or drink, any neet and all,
The fire shall never make thee shrink, and Christ receive thy saule.

But if meat nor drink thou ne'er ga'est nane, any neet and all,
The fire shall burn thee to thy bare bane, and Christ receive thy saule.

This ay neet, this ay neet, any neet and all,
Fire and fleet and candle leet, and Christ receive thy saule.

Traditional English

Glossary

ay — one, very ('this very night')
bane — bone
com'st — comes ('comest')
doon — down
ga'est — gave ('gavest')
hosen — stockings
leet — light
lykewake — a watch over the dead, often with merry-making
may'st — may ('mayest')
nane — none
neet — night
Purgatory — where the souls of the dead are purged of their sins
saule — soul
fleet — house-room
shoon — shoes
whinny — gorse (very thorny)

Purchase – 2004: The Lyke Wake Dirge