I was in the UK and Ireland last summer (in fact it really sux that Wordapalooza is in Ireland THIS summer, because I blew my dough on last year's trip!), and one of the sites I visited was Salisbury Cathedral. There are some very cool tombs in there, including at least two that are in the memento mori kinda style, with emaciated bodies looking very ill and not at all glorified. I asked a passing member of the clergy about it and he said the style was much favoured in the 15th c. And then he repeated a little poem to me, I can't remember where he said he'd heard/read it, and then he moved on. I shoulda asked him, at the time, to repeat it; as soon as he was gone I scribbled it down in my little notebook, but I couldn't remember all of it. I got the first three lines:

Remember me as you pass (walk?) by
For as you are, so once was I
And as I am, so you will be

and that's all I got, and I remember there were at least two or three more lines, possibly more. I *think he said he'd seen it on a grave, or that it was popular on tombs/monuments/gravestones from a certain time period, but I'm not sure.

Anyone know how it ends?

help help
M

I just googled part of your quote, and it appeared on at least this tombstone, but there's no reference to the original:

In memory of Mrs. Abigail, wife of Capt. Josiah Snell; she died Dec. ye 2, 1784, in ye 76 year of her age.

Remember me as you pass by,
For as you are so once was I;
As I am now so you must be;
Prepare for death and follow me.

If you google part of it, you'll end up with about four pages (not too many, all things considered, to search further).

Thanks DubDub. I don't know why I don't always think of googling first....I do when a friend asks me something, why don't I think of it for myself?!

I seem to recall there were a few more lines, fairly righteous in tone, but I'm not positive....Anyway, this'll do me - merci bien!