Dear Rob -
It's good to see the text of the Lyke-Wake Dirge!
*Brig* is certainly `bridge' in some northern dialects (see OED s.v.) - my
father, now in his late seventies, pronounces the word that way still. But
*dread* as an allusion to `swords' is unknown to me.
Best wishes,
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Rob Durk
Sent: 05 January 2001 13:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The "Hell Mouth" in medieval art & architecture.
If I may contribute a little something...
I've never seen a date for this lyric from Yorkshire,
but it provides an interesting set of images of a
journey through the afterlife helped or hindered by
how your days were lived out.
The 'brig of dread' I have seen interpreted as an
allusion to a bridge of swords. Anyone else?
A Lyke-Wake Dirge
This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
-- Every nighte and alle,
Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,
And Christe receive thy saule.
When thou from hence away art past,
-- Every nighte and alle,
To Whinny-Muir thou com'st at last;
And Christe receive thy saule.
If ever thou gavest hosen and shoon,
-- Every nighte and alle,
Sit thee down and put them on;
And Christe receive thy saule.
If hosen and shoon thou ne'er gav'st nane
-- Every nighte and alle,
The whinnes sall prick thee to the bare bane;
And Christe receive thy saule.
From Whinny-muir when thou mayst pass,
-- Every nighte and alle,
To Brig o' Dread thou com'st at last;
And Christe receive thy saule.
From Brig o' Dread when thou mayst pass,
-- Every nighte and alle,
To Purgatory fire thou com'st at last;
And Christe receive thy saule.
If ever thou gavest meat or drink,
-- Every nighte and alle,
The fire sall never make thee shrink;
And Christe receive thy saule.
If meat or drink thou ne'er gav'st nane,
-- Every nighte and alle,
The fire will burn thee to the bare bane;
And Christe receive thy saule.
This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
-- Every nighte and alle,
Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,
And Christe receive thy saule.
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