This yah neet, this yah neet,Ivvery neet an’ awl (all),Fire an’ fleet an’ cann’l leet,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.When thoo fra hither gans awaay,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti Whinny Moor thoo cum’st at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.If ivver thoo gav’ owther hosen or shoon,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Clap tha doon an’ put ’em on,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Bud if hosen or shoon thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ whinnies ’ll prick tha sair ti t’ beean,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Fra Whinny Moor that thoo mayst pass,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti t’ Brigg o’ Dreead thoo’ll cum at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.If ivver thoo gav’ o’ thi siller an’ gawd,Ivvery neet an’ awl,At t’ Brigg o’ Dreead thoo’ll finnd footho’d,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Bud if o’ siller an’ gawd thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Thoo’ll doon, doon tumm’l tiwards Hell fleeams,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Fra t’ Brigg o’ Dreead ’at thoo mayst pass,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti t’ fleeams o’ Hell thoo’ll cum at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.If ivver thoo gav’ owther bite or sup,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ fleeams ’ll nivver catch tha up,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Bud if bite or sup thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ fleeams ’ll bo’n tha sair ti t’ beean,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
This yah neet, this yah neet,Ivvery neet an’ awl (all),Fire an’ fleet an’ cann’l leet,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.When thoo fra hither gans awaay,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti Whinny Moor thoo cum’st at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.If ivver thoo gav’ owther hosen or shoon,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Clap tha doon an’ put ’em on,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Bud if hosen or shoon thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ whinnies ’ll prick tha sair ti t’ beean,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Fra Whinny Moor that thoo mayst pass,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti t’ Brigg o’ Dreead thoo’ll cum at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.If ivver thoo gav’ o’ thi siller an’ gawd,Ivvery neet an’ awl,At t’ Brigg o’ Dreead thoo’ll finnd footho’d,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Bud if o’ siller an’ gawd thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Thoo’ll doon, doon tumm’l tiwards Hell fleeams,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Fra t’ Brigg o’ Dreead ’at thoo mayst pass,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti t’ fleeams o’ Hell thoo’ll cum at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.If ivver thoo gav’ owther bite or sup,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ fleeams ’ll nivver catch tha up,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.Bud if bite or sup thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ fleeams ’ll bo’n tha sair ti t’ beean,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
This yah neet, this yah neet,Ivvery neet an’ awl (all),Fire an’ fleet an’ cann’l leet,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
This yah neet, this yah neet,
Ivvery neet an’ awl (all),
Fire an’ fleet an’ cann’l leet,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
When thoo fra hither gans awaay,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti Whinny Moor thoo cum’st at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
When thoo fra hither gans awaay,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
Ti Whinny Moor thoo cum’st at last,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
If ivver thoo gav’ owther hosen or shoon,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Clap tha doon an’ put ’em on,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
If ivver thoo gav’ owther hosen or shoon,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
Clap tha doon an’ put ’em on,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Bud if hosen or shoon thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ whinnies ’ll prick tha sair ti t’ beean,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Bud if hosen or shoon thoo nivver ga’ neean,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
T’ whinnies ’ll prick tha sair ti t’ beean,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Fra Whinny Moor that thoo mayst pass,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti t’ Brigg o’ Dreead thoo’ll cum at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Fra Whinny Moor that thoo mayst pass,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
Ti t’ Brigg o’ Dreead thoo’ll cum at last,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
If ivver thoo gav’ o’ thi siller an’ gawd,Ivvery neet an’ awl,At t’ Brigg o’ Dreead thoo’ll finnd footho’d,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
If ivver thoo gav’ o’ thi siller an’ gawd,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
At t’ Brigg o’ Dreead thoo’ll finnd footho’d,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Bud if o’ siller an’ gawd thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Thoo’ll doon, doon tumm’l tiwards Hell fleeams,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Bud if o’ siller an’ gawd thoo nivver ga’ neean,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
Thoo’ll doon, doon tumm’l tiwards Hell fleeams,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Fra t’ Brigg o’ Dreead ’at thoo mayst pass,Ivvery neet an’ awl,Ti t’ fleeams o’ Hell thoo’ll cum at last,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Fra t’ Brigg o’ Dreead ’at thoo mayst pass,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
Ti t’ fleeams o’ Hell thoo’ll cum at last,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
If ivver thoo gav’ owther bite or sup,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ fleeams ’ll nivver catch tha up,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
If ivver thoo gav’ owther bite or sup,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
T’ fleeams ’ll nivver catch tha up,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Bud if bite or sup thoo nivver ga’ neean,Ivvery neet an’ awl,T’ fleeams ’ll bo’n tha sair ti t’ beean,An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Bud if bite or sup thoo nivver ga’ neean,
Ivvery neet an’ awl,
T’ fleeams ’ll bo’n tha sair ti t’ beean,
An’ Christ tak up thi sowl.
Although there is a place called Whinny Moor, as used in the Lyke Wake song it is mythical, simply representing a wearying hindersome tract of land through which the soul must perforce pass, the ease or difficulty of such passage being lesser or greater according to the good deeds done and alms bestowed during life. There are other versions of the song; the one here given is as it was dictated to me. How the original from which it was taken was worded, I cannot say. There is another version in the North Riding which seems to have been written according to the tenets of Rome; at least I imagine so, as purgatory takes the place of hellish flames, as given above. It may be mentioned that the influence of the Reformation never reached many of the dales in Cleveland and those further westward. Hence the more commonly known version is in the phraseology of the predominant belief of that time.
Evidently the version given is one of a much later date, and must have been sung by a Protestant.
As to the ‘Brigg o’ Dreead,’ I dare say but little; ‘Fools only rush gaily in where angels fear to tread.’ However, I may venture this far; just as Whinny Moor had to be passed, so the ‘Brigg o’ Dreead’ had to be crossed. Upon one point all authorities agree. Wherever it was, or whatever its form, the Brigg was the real crux. Whether we incline to the theory that it was as narrow as a thread, shaky as an aspen leaf, or slippery as a glacier side, it had to be crossed. This accomplished, the soul was fairly safe. But did it slip or stumble whilst crossing, then the length of time occupied in its fearful descent, the depth to which it fell, together with all the concomitant evils belonging thereto, depended solely upon the amount of good and evil with which it had been accredited during its earthly pilgrimage.