In his brother's church they buried him,

That safer he might be,

They lock'd the door, and would not trust
The Sexton with the key.

And three men in the vestry watch

To save him if they can,

And should he come there to shoot they swear

A resurrection man.

And the first night by lanthorn light

Through the church-yard as they went,

A guinea of gold the Sexton shew'd

That Mister Joseph sent.

But conscience was tough, it was not enough, And their honesty never swerved,

And they bade him go with Mister Joe

To the Devil as he deserved.

So all night long by the vestry fire
They quaff'd their gin and ale,

And they did drink as you may think,
And told full many a tale.

The second night by lanthorn light
Through the church-yard as they went,
He whisper'd anew and shew'd them two
That Mister Joseph sent.

The guineas were bright and attracted their sight They look'd so heavy and new,

And their fingers itch'd as they were bewitch'd,

And they knew not what to do.

But they waver'd not long, for conscience was strong, And they thought they might get more,

And they refused the gold, but not

So all night long by the vestry fire
They quaff'd their gin and ale,
And they did drink, as you may think,
And told full many a tale.

The third night as by lanthorn light
Through the church-yard they went,

He bade them see and shew'd them three
That Mister Joseph sent.

They look'd askaunce with greedy glance,
The guineas they shone bright,
For the Sexton on the yellow gold

Let fall his lanthorn light.

And he look'd sly with his roguish eye,

And gave a well-timed wink,

And they could not stand the sound in his hand, For he made the guineas chink.

And conscience, late that had such weight,

All in a moment fails,

For well they knew that it was true

A dead man told no tales.

And they gave all their powder and ball,

And took the gold so bright,

And they drank their beer and made good cheer,

Till now it was midnight.

Then, though the key of the church-door

Was left with the parson, his brother,

It open'd at the Sexton's touch,...

Because he had another.

And in they go with that villain Joe,

To fetch the body by night,

And all the church look'd dismally

By his dark-lanthorn light.

They laid the pick-axe to the stones,
And they moved them soon asunder ;
They shovell'd away the hard-prest clay,
And came to the coffin under.

They burst the patent coffin first,

And they cut through the lead;

And they laugh'd aloud when they saw the shroud, Because they had got at the dead.

And they allow'd the Sexton the shroud,
And they put the coffin back;

And nose and knees they then did squeeze
The Surgeon in a sack.

The watchmen as they past along
Full four yards off could smell,

And a curse bestow'd upon the load

So disagreeable.