Hey there, Nigel. That reminds me of a hymn that was sung at the Cornish service following the Gorseth Kernow ceremony this past September - it named the Cornish saints. I must have the word sheet here somewhere ... 'cause I never throw anything out. Can't put my hand on it though.

Just thought I'd throw the following into the pot. It's interesting on a couple of fronts, I think. It's one of those "O, Death" songs - which would make a great Hallowe'en/All Souls Eve collection in themselves. Also, it's an early version of "All Through the Night", the one most of us would have sung in school, but in a minor key. It was collected in 1911 by Mrs Herbert Lewis in Mold, N.E. Wales.

Angau (Death)

Ar ryw noswaith yn fy ngwely,
Ar hyd y nos yn ffaelu cysgu
Gan fod fy meddwl yn ddiamau
Yn cydfeddwl am fy siwrnai.

(One evening in my bed,
(Through the night, failing to sleep
(Because my mind was, without doubt,
(Brooding about my journey.

Galw am gawg a dw^r i 'molchi
Gan ddisgwyl hyn i fi sirioli,
Ond cyn rhoi deigryn ar fy ngruddiau
Ar fin y cawg mi welwn Angau.

(I called for a basin and water to wash
(Expecting that this would calm me.
(But before I could put a drop on my cheeks
(On the edge of the basin sat Death.

Mynd i'r eglwys i weddio
Gan dybio'n siwr na ddeuai yno,
Ond cyn i mi godi oddi ar fy ngliniau
Ar ben y fainc mi welwn Angau.

(I went to church to pray
(Thinking surely he wouldn't come there,
(But before I could get up from my knees
(At the end of the pew I saw Death.

Mynd i siambr clos i ymguddio
Gan dybio'n siwr na ddeuai yno,
Ond er cyn closied oedd y siambr
Angau ddaeth o dan y ddaear.

(I went to a locked room to hide
(Thinking sure he wouldn't come there,
(But even though the room was so tightly locked
(Death came in through from underground.

Mynd i'r mo^r a dechrau ymrwyfo
Gan dybio'n siwr na fedrai nofio;
Ond cyn cyrraedd dyfnion donnau
Angau oedd y capten llongau.

(I wend to the sea and began to row
(Thinking surely he couldn't swim;
(But before I could get as far as the deep sea
(Death was the capten of all ships.

Ffarwel ferched, ffarwel feibion,
Ffarwel holl ryganau gwyrddion;
Duw a faddau i mi 'meiau.
Mynd sydd raid i ganlyn Angau.

(Farewell lasses, farewell lads,
(Farewell to the evergreen songs of my youth;
(God forgive me my sins.
(Now I must go to follow Death.


sian