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Thomas Lynch (the Undertaker Poet) has a poem about this, set in Ireland, no specific date I think but maybe turn of the 19/20th century, called (appropriately enough) "The Sin-Eater". I can't remember which of his books this comes from, I think later than _Skating With Mary Jane_, but it's the first poem in the book. Don't have it to hand as I'm currently twice removed from my library, but it's a fine poem, as is all of Tom Lynch's work in prose and verse that I've read. (Admission of special interest -- I've heard Tom Lynch read, met him, and liked him, so I may be a bit biased. A nice person and a fine poet and memorialist.) Robin --- On Mon, 8/2/10, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > From: Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: the sin-eater > To: [log in to unmask] > Date: Monday, 8 February, 2010, 3:54 > In the late 17th century, the > Englishman John Aubrey described sin-eating like > so: > “When the Corps was brought out of the house, and layd on > the Biere, a Loafe of > Breade was brought out, and delivered to the Sinne-eater