Dives and Lazarus- Evans (Dilwyn) 1907 Williams
Carols from Herefordshire
by Ella M. Leather, Lucy E. Broadwood, A. G. Gilchrist, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frances Tolmie, Cecil J. Sharp
Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 4, No. 14 (Jun., 1910), pp. 3-51
11. - DIVES AND LAZARUS
Noted by R. Vaughan Williams, SUNG BY MR. J. EVANS, from a Phonograph Record. DILWYN, JANUARY, 1907.
[As it] fell out up - on one day
Rich Div'rus made a feast,
And he invit ed all his friends
And gentry of the best.
For a distinct tune, and words, with notes and references, see Journal ii, p. 125. The singer of the above tune sang in conclusion-after the "serpent's knees" verse -as follows:
Then Divus [1] lifted up his eyes,
And saw poor Lazarus blest,
A drop of water, brother Lazarus!
For to quench my flaming thirst.
If I had as many years to live
As there is blades of grass,
I would make it in my will secure
That the Devils should have no power!"
Oh, hell is dark, oh, hell is deep,
Oh, hell is full of mice,[2]
It is a pity that any poor sinful soul
Should depart from our Saviour Christ.
And now my carol's ended,
No longer can I stay,
God bless you all, both great and small,
And God send you a happy New Year.
Another version, kindly supplied to me by Mr. H. C. Beddoe, of Hereford, was learnt by his brother in this county many years ago. It ends:
If I had as many years to abide
As there are blades of grass
Then I should have (an ending) unending day,
But in hell for ever must last.
If I had as many years to abide
As there are stars in the sky
Then I should have an ending (unending) day,
But in hell for ever must lie.
At merry Christmas time,
And among good Christians all,
This Christmas car-i-ol might be sung
In either house or hall.
The last verse in this and in Mr. Evans' version was probably not peculiar to this song, but shows, as the folk say who sing it, that it was used by them as a Christmas Carol. Mr. W. Colcombe sings the words of "Dives and Lazarus" to the tune noted from him in 1905 (see "The Moon shines bright," Journal, Vol. ii, p. 131).
Some Herefordshire singers use practically the same air as the traditional tune to "Dives and Lazarus" given in Bramley and Stainer's Christmas Carols. - E. M. L.
For another tune, words, and references see Journal, Vol. ii, p. I25. Howitt quotes four verses in Rural Life of England, ii, 2I3. Hone mentions it amongst carols "annually printed," (1823). A "ballet of the Ryche man and poor Lazarus" was licensed in 1558, and Child shows how popular the subject of this carol is in the folk-song of most European nations. Mr. Sidgwick, who included a reprint with eighteen stanzas in Popular Carols, (The Watergate Booklets, Sidgwick and Jackson, London, I908), points out that the only considerable variations in Mr. Evans' words from Child's A text (which is Sylvester's and Husk's), are in the three final stanzas printed above.-L. E. B.
Footnotes:
1. Mr. Evans sang and wrote "Divus" consistently, partly preserving the usual old form of Diverus."
2. Cf. " Christ made a Trance." Other versions give " mist," "lies," or " lice."