John Myrc’s Instructions for
Parish Priests (circa 1450).
Aubrey’s version of The Lyke-Wake Dirge is printed, more or less correctly, in the following places:—
i. Brand. Observations on Popular Antiquities, ed. Ellis (1813), ii. 180-81. (Not in first edition of Brand.)
ii. W. J. Thoms. Anecdotes and Traditions, Camden Society, 1839, pp. 88-90, and notes pp. 90-91, which are reprinted by Britten (see below).
iii. W. K. Kelly. Curiosities of Indo-European Tradition and Folklore, 1863, pp. 116-17.
iv. Edward Peacock. In notes, pp. 90-92, to John Myrc’s Instructions for Parish Priests, E.E.T.S., 1868. (Re-edited by F. J. Furnivall for the E.E.T.S., 1902, where the notes are on pp. 92-94.)
v. James Britten. Aubrey’s Remains of Gentilisme and Judaisme: the whole MS. edited for the Folklore Society, 1881, pp. 30-32.
Aubrey’s remarks and sidenotes are as follow (Lansdowne MS. 231, fol. 114 recto):—
‘From Mr. Mawtese, in whose father’s youth, sc. about 60 yeares since now (1686), at country vulgar Funerals, was sung this song.