Volume 2 — 56 DIVES AND LAZARUS
Reading edition
A. 'Dives and Lazarus.' a. Sylvester's Christmas Carols, p. 50. b. Husk, Songs of the Nativity, p. 94.
B. 'Diverus and Lazarus,' F. S. L., in Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, III, 76.
A ballet "of the Ryche man and poor Lazarus" was licensed to Master John Wallye and Mistress Toye, 19 July, 1557-9 July, 1558. W. Pekerynge pays his license for printing "of a ballett, Dyves and Lazarus," 22 July, 1570-22 July, 1571. Arber, Registers of the Company of Stationers, I, 76, 436. A fiddler in Fletcher's Monsieur Thomas, printed 1639, says he can sing The merry ballad of Diverus and Lazarus: Act 3, Scene 3, Dyce, VII, 364. The name Diverus is preserved in C, and F. S. L., who contributed this copy to Notes and Queries, had heard only Diverus, never Dives. Dr Rimbault, Notes and Queries, as above, p. 157, had never met with Diverus. Hone cites two stanzas, a 10, b 11, nearly, in his Ancient Mysteries, p. 95, and Sandys the last three stanzas, nearly as in a, in Notes and Queries, p. 157, as above. A copy in Bramley and Stainer's Christmas Carols, p. 85, seems to have been made up from Sylvester's and another copy. The few variations are probably arbitrary.
The subject could not escape the popular muse: e. g., Socard, Noëls et Cantiques imprimés à Troyes, Histoire de Lazare et du Mauvais Riche, p. 118 ff; 'El mal rico,' Milá, Romancerillo, p. 16, No 16, A-F; 'Lazarus,' Des Dülkener Fiedlers Liederbuch, p. 53, No 63; 'Lazar a bohatec,' Sušil, Moravské Národní Písnĕ, p. 19, No 18, Wenzig, Bibliothek Slavischer Poesien, p. 114; Bezsonof, Kalyeki Perekhozhie, I, 43-97, Nos 19-27.
There is a very beautiful ballad, in which the Madonna takes the place of Lazarus, in Roadside Songs of Tuscany, Francesca Alexander and John Ruskin, 'La Madonna e il Riccone,' p. 82.
A
a. Sylvester, A Garland of Christmas Carols, p. 50, from an old Birmingham broadside. b. Husk, Songs of the Nativity, p. 94, from a Worcestershire broadside of the last century.
1 As it fell out upon a day, Rich Dives he made a feast, And he invited all his friends, And gentry of the best. 2 Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dives' door: 'Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, Bestow upon the poor.' 3 'Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus, That lies begging at my door; No meat nor drink will I give thee, Nor bestow upon the poor.' 4 Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dives's wall: 'Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, Or with hunger starve I shall.' 5 'Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus, That lies begging at my wall; No meat nor drink will I give thee, But with hunger starve you shall.' 6 Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dives's gate: 'Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, For Jesus Christ his sake.' 7 'Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus, That lies begging at my gate; No meat nor drink will I give thee, For Jesus Christ his sake.' 8 Then Dives sent out his merry men, To whip poor Lazarus away; They had no power to strike a stroke, But flung their whips away. 9 Then Dives sent out his hungry dogs, To bite him as he lay; They had no power to bite at all, But licked his sores away. 10 As it fell out upon a day, Poor Lazarus sickened and died; Then came two angels out of heaven His soul therein to guide. 11 'Rise up, rise up, brother Lazarus, And go along with me; For you've a place prepared in heaven, To sit on an angel's knee.' 12 As it fell out upon a day, Rich Dives sickened and died; Then came two serpents out of hell, His soul therein to guide. 13 'Rise up, rise up, brother Dives, And go with us to see A dismal place, prepared in hell, From which thou canst not flee.' 14 Then Dives looked up with his eyes, And saw poor Lazarus blest: 'Give me one drop of water, brother Lazarus, To quench my flaming thirst. 15 'Oh had I as many years to abide As there are blades of grass, Then there would be an end, but now Hell's pains will ne'er be past. 16 'Oh was I now but alive again, The space of one half hour! Oh that I had my peace secure! Then the devil should have no power.'
B
From memory, as sung by carol-singers at Christmas, in Worcestershire, at Hagley and Hartlebury, 1829-39: F. S. L., in Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, III, 76.
1 As it fell out upon one day, Rich Diverus he made a feast, And he invited all his friends, And gentry of the best. 2 And it fell out upon one day, Poor Lazarus he was so poor, He came and laid him down and down, Evn down at Diverus' door. 3 So Lazarus laid him down and down Even down at Diverus' door: 'Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus, Do bestow upon the poor.' 4 'Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus, Lying begging at my door: No meat, no drink will I give thee, Nor bestow upon the poor.' 5 Then Lazarus laid him down and down, Even down at Diverus' wall: 'Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus, Or surely starve I shall. 6 'Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus, Lying begging at my wall; No meat, no drink will I give thee, And therefore starve thou shall.' 7 Then Lazarus laid him down and down, Even down at Diverus' gate: 'Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus, For Jesus Christ his sake.' 8 'Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus, Lying begging at my gate; No meat, no drink will I give thee, For Jesus Christ his sake. 9 Then Diverus sent out his merry men all, To whip poor Lazarus away; They had not power to whip one whip, But threw their whips away. 10 Then Diverus sent out his hungry dogs, To bite poor Lazarus away; They had not power to bite one bite, But licked his sores away. 11 And it fell out upon one day, Poor Lazarus he sickened and died; There came two angels out of heaven, His soul thereto to guide. 12 'Rise up, rise up, brother Lazarus, And come along with me; There is a place prepared in heaven, For to sit upon an angel's knee.' 13 And it fell out upon one day Rich Diverus he sickened and died; There came two serpents out of hell, His soul thereto to guide. 14 'Rise up, rise up, brother Diverus, And come along with me; There is a place prepared in hell, For to sit upon a serpent's knee.'
A. a.
14-16. There are only these trifling variations in the stanzas cited by Sandys:
162. of an.
163. I'd made my peace.
b.
13. his guests.
73. I'll give to thee.
83. But they.
84. And flung.
93. But they.
94. So licked.
103. came an angel.
104. there for.
112. come along.
113. For there's a place in heaven provided.
123. There came a serpent.
124. there for.
132-4. And come along with me, For there's a place in hell provided To sit on a serpent's knee.
141. lifting his eyes to heaven.
142. And seeing.
153, 4. Then there would be an ending day, But in hell I must ever last. 163, 4. I would make my will and then secure That the.
B.
13, 14 differ but slightly in Hone:
131. As it.
132. Rich Dives.
134. therein.
141. Dives.
143. For you've a place provided.
144. To sit.