The Oxford Book of Ballads :: 109. Dives and Lazarus

109. Dives and Lazarus

As it fell out upon a day,
Rich Dives he made a feast,
And he invited all his friends
And gentry of the best.

Then Lazarus laid him down and down,
And down at Dives’ door;
‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives,
Bestow upon the poor!’—

‘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.’

Then Lazarus laid him down and down.
And down at Dives’ wall,
‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives,
Or with hunger starve I shall!’—

‘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.’

Then Lazarus laid him down and down,
And down at Dives’ gate:
‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives,
For Jesus Christ his sake!’—

‘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.’

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.

Then Dives sent out his hungry dogs,
To bite him as he lay;
They had no power to bite at all,
But lickÈd his sores away.

As it fell out upon a day,
Poor Lazarus sicken’d and died;
Then came two angels out of heaven
His soul therein to guide.

‘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.’

As it fell out upon a day,
Rich Dives sicken’d and died;
Then came two serpents out of hell,
His soul therein to guide.

‘Rise up, rise up, brother Dives,
And go with us to see
A dismal place, prepared in hell,
To sit on a serpent’s knee.’

Then Dives look’d up with his eyes,
And saw poor Lazarus blest:
‘Give me one drop of water, brother Lazarus,
To quench my flaming thirst.

‘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!

‘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.’

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