(In which Dr. Knox makes the acquaintance of Misters Burke and Hare, Resurrectionists by trade)

“The bulk of the work was done at night, using wooden shovels... and a “dark lanthorn” - a device commonly used by burglars: designed to shed light where necessary, but not to attract attention... A hole would be dug at the head of the grave, down to the coffin, and hooks or a crow-bar inserted under the lid. The weight of earth on the rest of the lid acted as a counter-weight, so that when pressure was exerted lid invariably snapped across, and the body could be hoisted out of the grave with ropes.” - Ruth Richardson ​Death, Dissection, and the Destitute​ 1987

“The corporation of corpse-stealers, I am told, support themselves and Families very comfortably, and that no-one should be surprised at the Nature of Such a Society, the late Resurrectionists in St. Saviours, St. Giles's and St. Pancras churchyards, are memorable Instances of this laudable Profession.” Anonymous ​A View of London and Westminster 1728

“Blest be ye man [that] spares these stones, And curste be ye [that] moves my bones” - William Shakespeare's epitaph 1616

Hare: ​Welcome to our nocturnal vocation
Disembalming we grimly extract the expired
Disinterring by lanthorn illumination
To fulfill anatomists' cadaverous desires –

Dr. Knox: ​Giving Nightwatchmen fits with the mortsafes you've picked Finding fresh graves to dig, I must say it's a hell of a gig

Chorus: ​Night work be done, the lifeless made graveless. our prize to be won
Exhumed by torchlight, dead weight dead to rights
This night work, an unholy sight, undertaken tonight

Hare: ​A livelihood in death we scrape
Your casket vacant, corpse taken forthwith
From our fell spades you will not escape
Second coming ignominious, unclean and sick –

Dr. Knox: ​Wooden shovels and picks, from your tomb you'll be nicked
Sink to new depths of sick, compunction cut to the quick
Chorus: ​Night work be done, the lifeless made graveless our prize to be won
Exhumed by torchlight, dead weight dead to rights
This night work, an unholy sight, undertaken tonight

Solo - Matthew Harvey

Dr. Knox: ​It's a dirty job, finding fresh graves to rob
Solo - Michael Burke

Dr. Knox: ​These are dirty deeds, six feet of dirt, dug dirt cheap

Solo – Matthew Harvey

Dr. Knox: ​It's a dirty job, finding fresh graves to ro
Toil as the casket's slaves, death is our living wage

Chorus: ​Night work be done, the lifeless made graveless our prize to be won
Exhumed by torchlight, dead weight dead to rights
This night work, an unholy sight, undertaken this -
Night work be done, the lifeless made graveless our prize to be won Exhumed by torchlight, dead weight dead to rights
This night work, an unholy sight, undertaken tonight