FOOTNOTES:

2.When Joseph and Marywalked in the garden good,There was cherries and berries,as red as the blood.

3is wanting.43. some cherries.52. so unkind.53. the cherries.61,2. bespoke Jesus in.64. that my mother may.71,2. tallest tree, it bent to Mary's.After 8:

3is wanting.

43. some cherries.

52. so unkind.

53. the cherries.

61,2. bespoke Jesus in.

64. that my mother may.

71,2. tallest tree, it bent to Mary's.

After 8:

Then Joseph and Marydid to Bethlehem go,And with travels were weary,walking to and fro.They sought for a lodging,but the inns were filld all,They, alas! could not have it,but in an ox's stall.But before the next morningour Saviour was born,In the month of December,Christmas Day in the morn.

Then Joseph and Marydid to Bethlehem go,And with travels were weary,walking to and fro.

They sought for a lodging,but the inns were filld all,They, alas! could not have it,but in an ox's stall.

But before the next morningour Saviour was born,In the month of December,Christmas Day in the morn.

9-12are wanting.

B. b.

22. and his cousin Mary got.24. by whom Joseph knew not.31. As Joseph.32. the garden.43. Gather me some.

22. and his cousin Mary got.

24. by whom Joseph knew not.

31. As Joseph.

32. the garden.

43. Gather me some.

45,6.Gather me some cherries,for I am with child.

51. O then bespoke.52. with words most.

51. O then bespoke.

52. with words most.

6.O then bespoke Jesus,all in his mother's womb:Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow down.7.Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow to thee,And the highest branch of allshall bow down to Mary's knee.And she shall gather cherries,by one, by two, by three:Now you may see, Joseph,those cherries were for me.

6.O then bespoke Jesus,all in his mother's womb:Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow down.

7.Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow to thee,And the highest branch of allshall bow down to Mary's knee.

And she shall gather cherries,by one, by two, by three:Now you may see, Joseph,those cherries were for me.

133. with the spring.

15.This world shall be likethe stones in the street,For the sun and the moonshall bow down at thy feet.

(my feetin a Warwickshire broadside: Sylvester.)

17.And upon the third daymy uprising shall be,And the sun and the moonshall rise up with me.

18is wanting.For 9-13 we have, as a separate carol, in Chappell's Christmas Carols, edited by Dr E. F. Rimbault, p. 22, the following verses, traditional in Somersetshire:[4]

18is wanting.

For 9-13 we have, as a separate carol, in Chappell's Christmas Carols, edited by Dr E. F. Rimbault, p. 22, the following verses, traditional in Somersetshire:[4]

1As Joseph was a walkinghe heard an angel sing:'This night shall be the birth-timeof Christ, the heavnly king.2'He neither shall be bornin housen nor in hall,Nor in the place of Paradise,but in an ox's stall.3'He neither shall be clothedin purple nor in pall,But in the fair white linenthat usen babies all.4'He neither shall be rockedin silver nor in gold,But in a wooden manger,that resteth on the mould.'5As Joseph was a walkingthere did an angel sing,And Mary's child at midnightwas born to be our king.6Then be ye glad, good people,this night of all the year,And light ye up your candles,for his star it shineth clear.

1As Joseph was a walkinghe heard an angel sing:'This night shall be the birth-timeof Christ, the heavnly king.

2'He neither shall be bornin housen nor in hall,Nor in the place of Paradise,but in an ox's stall.

3'He neither shall be clothedin purple nor in pall,But in the fair white linenthat usen babies all.

4'He neither shall be rockedin silver nor in gold,But in a wooden manger,that resteth on the mould.'

5As Joseph was a walkingthere did an angel sing,And Mary's child at midnightwas born to be our king.

6Then be ye glad, good people,this night of all the year,And light ye up your candles,for his star it shineth clear.

13. When he.2is omitted.After 3:

13. When he.

2is omitted.

After 3:

Joseph and Mary walkedthrough an orchard good,Where were cherries and berries,as red as any blood.

5is omitted.

6, 7.Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow to thee,And the highest branch of allshall bow down to Mary's knee.Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow to thee,And you shall gather cherries,by one, by two, and three.Then bowed down the highest treeunto his mother's hand:See, Mary cried, see, Joseph,I have cherries at command.

6, 7.Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow to thee,And the highest branch of allshall bow down to Mary's knee.

Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow to thee,And you shall gather cherries,by one, by two, and three.

Then bowed down the highest treeunto his mother's hand:See, Mary cried, see, Joseph,I have cherries at command.

172. my uprising.173. moon, mother.174. shall both rise.18is wanting, and is suspiciously modern.

172. my uprising.

173. moon, mother.

174. shall both rise.

18is wanting, and is suspiciously modern.

11. When Joseph.12. andwanting.

11. When Joseph.

12. andwanting.

21, 2.When Joseph he hadhis cousin Mary got.

24. by whom Joseph knew not.31. As Joseph.32. the garden gay.

24. by whom Joseph knew not.

31. As Joseph.

32. the garden gay.

33, 4.Where cherries were growingupon every spray.43, 4.Gather me some cherries,for I am with child.5.Gather me some cherries,they run so in my mind.Then bespoke Joseph,with wordes so unkind,I will not gather cherries.Then said Mary, You shall see,By what will happen,these cherries were for me.

33, 4.Where cherries were growingupon every spray.

43, 4.Gather me some cherries,for I am with child.

5.Gather me some cherries,they run so in my mind.Then bespoke Joseph,with wordes so unkind,

I will not gather cherries.Then said Mary, You shall see,By what will happen,these cherries were for me.

61. Then bespoke Jesus.

63, 4.Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow down.7.And the highest branchshall bow to Mary's knee,And she shall gather cherries,by one, two, and three.

63, 4.Go to the tree, Mary,and it shall bow down.

7.And the highest branchshall bow to Mary's knee,And she shall gather cherries,by one, two, and three.

8wanting.10wanting.113. But in fine.

8wanting.

10wanting.

113. But in fine.

131, 2.He never did requirewhite wine and bread.

133. But cold spring.13precedes 12.143, 4. Come tell me, dear child, how.

133. But cold spring.

13precedes 12.

143, 4. Come tell me, dear child, how.

15.This world shall belike the stones in the street,For the sun and the moonshall bow down at my feet.

The rest is wanting.

32. to the garden school.

The first stanza is said to have this variation in Worcestershire:

Joseph was a hoary man,and a hoary man was he.

Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, III, 75.

FOOTNOTES:[1]A copy of the Cherry-Tree carol in The Guardian, Dec. 27, 1871, is partly compiled "from several ancient sources," and partly composed by the contributor: see Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, X, 73.[2]Cf. the very naiveD5: 'Mary shall have cherries, and Joseph shall have none.'[3]Liber de Infantia Mariæ et Christi Salvatoris, O. Schade, 1869, p. 38 f, follows almost word for word the Pseudo-Matthew. In note 234 the editor points out passages where the story occurs in Hróthsvítha, and other mediæval poetry. See, also, Schade, Narrationes de vita et conversatione beatæ Mariæ Virginis, 1870, pp 16, 24.[4]The same in Christmas and Christmas Carols [by J. F. Russell], p. 26, with an additional modern-sounding stanza.

[1]A copy of the Cherry-Tree carol in The Guardian, Dec. 27, 1871, is partly compiled "from several ancient sources," and partly composed by the contributor: see Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, X, 73.

[2]Cf. the very naiveD5: 'Mary shall have cherries, and Joseph shall have none.'

[3]Liber de Infantia Mariæ et Christi Salvatoris, O. Schade, 1869, p. 38 f, follows almost word for word the Pseudo-Matthew. In note 234 the editor points out passages where the story occurs in Hróthsvítha, and other mediæval poetry. See, also, Schade, Narrationes de vita et conversatione beatæ Mariæ Virginis, 1870, pp 16, 24.

[4]The same in Christmas and Christmas Carols [by J. F. Russell], p. 26, with an additional modern-sounding stanza.

'The Carnal and the Crane.'a.Sandys, Christmas Carols, p. 152, Christmastide, p. 246, from a broadside.b.Husk, Songs of the Nativity, p. 97, apparently from a Worcester broadside,c.Birmingham chap-book, of about 1843, in B. Harris Cowper's Apocryphal Gospels, p. xli.

Mr Husk, who had access to a remarkably good collection of carols, afterwards unfortunately dispersed, had met with no copy of 'The Carnal and the Crane' of earlier date than the middle of the last century. Internal evidence points us much further back. The carol had obviously been transmitted from mouth to mouth before it was fixed in its present incoherent and corrupted form by print.[5]

The well-informed Crane instructs his catechumen, the Crow, in several matters pertaining to the birth and earliest days of Jesus: the Immaculate Conception; the Nativity; the conference of Herod with the Wise Men, including the miracle of the roasted cock; the Flight into Egypt, with the Adoration of the Beasts and the Instantaneous Harvest; the Massacre of the Innocents. Of the apocryphal incidents, the miracle of the cock, sts 10, 11, has been spoken of under No 22. The adoration of the beasts, sts 15, 16, is derived from the Historia de Nativitate Mariæ, etc. (Pseudo-Matthæi Evangelium), c. 19, Thilo, p. 394, Tischendorf, p. 81, and is of course frequent in legendaries of the infancy of the Saviour,[6]but is not remarkable enough to be popular in carols. The miraculous harvest, by which the Holy Family evade Herod's pursuit, is, on the contrary, a favorite subject with popular poetry, as also, like the bowing of the palm-tree, with pictorial art. I do not know where and when this pretty and clever legend was invented. In the Greek Gospel of Thomas, ch. 12, Jesus sows one grain of wheat, in the Latin Gospel of Thomas, ch. 10, and ch. 34 of the Pseudo-Matthew, a very little, and reaps an immense crop at harvest time; Tischendorf, pp 143 f, 165 f, 97: but this passage would hardly even suggest the miracle in question.[7]In a Swedish carol, 'Staffans-Visan,' reprinted from a recent broadside, in Dansk Kirketidende, 1861, cols 35, 36, by Professor George Stephens, and afterwards by Grundtvig, Danmarks Folkeviser, III, 882, the legend of the Cock and that of the Sower are combined, as here. The legend of the Sower is followed by that of the Palm-tree, and others, in La Fuito en Egypto, Arbaud, Chants p. de la Provence, II, 235. Another Provençal version of the Sower is given by Briz, IV, 70; a Catalan at pp 65 and 68, 'Lo rey Herodes;' ten Catalan versions by Milá, 'Herodes,' Romancerillo, pp 6-9, No 10. To these add: 'La Fuite en Égypte,' Poésies p. de la France, MS., I, fol. 226, 'Le roi Hérode,' VI, 192; 'De Vlucht naar Egypten,' Lootens et Feys, p. 32, No 20, Hoffmann von Fallersleben, Horæ Belgicæ, Part Ten, p. 22, No 4; 'Die Flucht Maria's,' Haupt und Schmaler, Volkslieder der Wenden, I, 275, No 283; Bezsonof, Kalyeki Perekhozhie, II, 116, No 319. The legend of the Sower occurs also in Le Geu des Trois Roys,Jubinal, Mystères inédits du 15eSiècle, II, 117-131.

It is ordinarily Mary, and not Jesus, who operates the miracle; in the French mystery it is perhaps Joseph.[8]In the Provençal and Catalan ballads the Virgin commonly hides behind a sheaf or a stack, and does not pass on.[9]

1As I passd by a river side,And there as I did reign,In argument I chanced to hearA Carnal and a Crane.2The Carnal said unto the Crane,If all the world should turn,Before we had the Father,But now we have the Son!3'From whence does the Son come,From where and from what place?'He said, In a manger,Between an ox and ass.4'I pray thee,' said the Carnal,'Tell me before thou go,Was not the mother of JesusConceivd by the Holy Ghost?'5She was the purest virgin,And the cleanest from sin;She was the handmaid of our LordAnd mother of our king.6'Where is the golden cradleThat Christ was rocked in?Where are the silken sheetsThat Jesus was wrapt in?'7A manger was the cradleThat Christ was rocked in:The provender the asses leftSo sweetly he slept on.8There was a star in the east land,So bright it did appear,Into King Herod's chamber,And where King Herod were.9The Wise Men soon espied it,And told the king on highA princely babe was born that nightNo king could eer destroy.10'If this be true,' King Herod said,'As thou tellest unto me,This roasted cock that lies in the dishShall crow full fences three.'11The cock soon freshly featherd was,By the work of God's own hand,And then three fences crowed he,In the dish where he did stand.12'Rise up, rise up, you merry men all,See that you ready be;All children under two years oldNow slain they all shall be.'13Then Jesus, ah, and Joseph,And Mary, that was so pure,They travelld into Egypt,As you shall find it sure.14And when they came to Egypt's land,Amongst those fierce wild beasts,Mary, she being weary,Must needs sit down to rest.15'Come sit thee down,' says Jesus,'Come sit thee down by me,And thou shalt see how these wild beastsDo come and worship me.'16First came the lovely lion,Which Jesus's grace did bring,And of the wild beasts in the fieldThe lion shall be king.17We'll choose our virtuous princesOf birth and high degree,In every sundry nation,Whereer we come and see.18Then Jesus, ah, and Joseph,And Mary, that was unknown,They travelled by a husbandman,Just while his seed was sown.19'God speed thee, man,' said Jesus,'Go fetch thy ox and wain,And carry home thy corn againWhich thou this day hast sown.'20The husbandman fell on his knees,Even upon his face:'Long time hast thou been looked for,But now thou art come at last.21'And I myself do now believeThy name is Jesus called;Redeemer of mankind thou art,Though undeserving all.'22'The truth, man, thou hast spoken,Of it thou mayst be sure,For I must lose my precious bloodFor thee and thousands more.23'If any one should come this way,And enquire for me alone,Tell them that Jesus passed byAs thou thy seed did sow.'24After that there came King Herod,With his train so furiously,Enquiring of the husbandmanWhether Jesus passed by.25'Why, the truth it must be spoke,And the truth it must be known;For Jesus passed by this wayWhen my seed was sown.26'But now I have it reapen,And some laid on my wain,Ready to fetch and carryInto my barn again.'27'Turn back,' says the captain,'Your labor and mine's in vain;It's full three quarters of a yearSince he his seed has sown.'28So Herod was deceived,By the work of God's own hand,And further he proceededInto the Holy Land.29There's thousands of children youngWhich for his sake did die;Do not forbid those little ones,And do not them deny.30The truth now I have spoken,And the truth now I have shown;Even the Blessed VirginShe's now brought forth a son.

1As I passd by a river side,And there as I did reign,In argument I chanced to hearA Carnal and a Crane.

2The Carnal said unto the Crane,If all the world should turn,Before we had the Father,But now we have the Son!

3'From whence does the Son come,From where and from what place?'He said, In a manger,Between an ox and ass.

4'I pray thee,' said the Carnal,'Tell me before thou go,Was not the mother of JesusConceivd by the Holy Ghost?'

5She was the purest virgin,And the cleanest from sin;She was the handmaid of our LordAnd mother of our king.

6'Where is the golden cradleThat Christ was rocked in?Where are the silken sheetsThat Jesus was wrapt in?'

7A manger was the cradleThat Christ was rocked in:The provender the asses leftSo sweetly he slept on.

8There was a star in the east land,So bright it did appear,Into King Herod's chamber,And where King Herod were.

9The Wise Men soon espied it,And told the king on highA princely babe was born that nightNo king could eer destroy.

10'If this be true,' King Herod said,'As thou tellest unto me,This roasted cock that lies in the dishShall crow full fences three.'

11The cock soon freshly featherd was,By the work of God's own hand,And then three fences crowed he,In the dish where he did stand.

12'Rise up, rise up, you merry men all,See that you ready be;All children under two years oldNow slain they all shall be.'

13Then Jesus, ah, and Joseph,And Mary, that was so pure,They travelld into Egypt,As you shall find it sure.

14And when they came to Egypt's land,Amongst those fierce wild beasts,Mary, she being weary,Must needs sit down to rest.

15'Come sit thee down,' says Jesus,'Come sit thee down by me,And thou shalt see how these wild beastsDo come and worship me.'

16First came the lovely lion,Which Jesus's grace did bring,And of the wild beasts in the fieldThe lion shall be king.

17We'll choose our virtuous princesOf birth and high degree,In every sundry nation,Whereer we come and see.

18Then Jesus, ah, and Joseph,And Mary, that was unknown,They travelled by a husbandman,Just while his seed was sown.

19'God speed thee, man,' said Jesus,'Go fetch thy ox and wain,And carry home thy corn againWhich thou this day hast sown.'

20The husbandman fell on his knees,Even upon his face:'Long time hast thou been looked for,But now thou art come at last.

21'And I myself do now believeThy name is Jesus called;Redeemer of mankind thou art,Though undeserving all.'

22'The truth, man, thou hast spoken,Of it thou mayst be sure,For I must lose my precious bloodFor thee and thousands more.

23'If any one should come this way,And enquire for me alone,Tell them that Jesus passed byAs thou thy seed did sow.'

24After that there came King Herod,With his train so furiously,Enquiring of the husbandmanWhether Jesus passed by.

25'Why, the truth it must be spoke,And the truth it must be known;For Jesus passed by this wayWhen my seed was sown.

26'But now I have it reapen,And some laid on my wain,Ready to fetch and carryInto my barn again.'

27'Turn back,' says the captain,'Your labor and mine's in vain;It's full three quarters of a yearSince he his seed has sown.'

28So Herod was deceived,By the work of God's own hand,And further he proceededInto the Holy Land.

29There's thousands of children youngWhich for his sake did die;Do not forbid those little ones,And do not them deny.

30The truth now I have spoken,And the truth now I have shown;Even the Blessed VirginShe's now brought forth a son.

81. West land.162. spring;perhaps a preposition has been dropped.

81. West land.

162. spring;perhaps a preposition has been dropped.

12. did rein.22. Sure all the world will turn.31. Whence does the Son come from.33. Out of the land of Egypt.42. goest.52. all sin.53. of the.74. slept in.81. East land.94. No prince should.102. tellest me.124. Now slaughtered shall be.131. aye and.133. Egypt land.134. find most.141. Egypt.142. Among some.143. Mary grown quite.153. see that these.154. Will come.162. did bring.164. be king.173. every nation of the world.181. aye and.183. passed by.184. As he his seed had.194. hath sown.

12. did rein.

22. Sure all the world will turn.

31. Whence does the Son come from.

33. Out of the land of Egypt.

42. goest.

52. all sin.

53. of the.

74. slept in.

81. East land.

94. No prince should.

102. tellest me.

124. Now slaughtered shall be.

131. aye and.

133. Egypt land.

134. find most.

141. Egypt.

142. Among some.

143. Mary grown quite.

153. see that these.

154. Will come.

162. did bring.

164. be king.

173. every nation of the world.

181. aye and.

183. passed by.

184. As he his seed had.

194. hath sown.

203, 4.And made a lowly reverenceTo Jesus Christ His grace.21.Long time thou hast been looked for,But now thou art come at last;And I myself do now believeThy name is Jesus called.

203, 4.And made a lowly reverenceTo Jesus Christ His grace.

21.Long time thou hast been looked for,But now thou art come at last;And I myself do now believeThy name is Jesus called.

223. must shed.234. seed had sown.242. train most.251. spoken.254. As I my seed had sown.261. And now.263. The other you see is fit to carry.264. barns.271. said the Captain of the guard.291. There were.292. Who for.293. these little.303. Thus the.304. Brought forth our Lord the Son.

223. must shed.

234. seed had sown.

242. train most.

251. spoken.

254. As I my seed had sown.

261. And now.

263. The other you see is fit to carry.

264. barns.

271. said the Captain of the guard.

291. There were.

292. Who for.

293. these little.

303. Thus the.

304. Brought forth our Lord the Son.

1-7.not given.

8.There was a star in the west land,Which shed a cheerful rayInto King Herod's chamber,And where King Herod lay.

124. Now shall destroyed be.21, 22.not given.254. When I my seed had sown.29, 30.not given.

124. Now shall destroyed be.

21, 22.not given.

254. When I my seed had sown.

29, 30.not given.

FOOTNOTES:[5]Carnal,cornicula,corneille, might be thought to have been long obsolete from the word not occurring in ordinary dictionaries, if in any: but it is hazardous to build conclusions on the omissions of dictionaries.[6]As, Horstmann, Altenglische Legenden, 1875, p. 4, 1878, pp 101, 112; Cursor Mundi, 11, 629 ff, Morris, II, 660; Fornsvenskt Legendarium, p. 71; Feifalik, Kindheit Jesu, p. 103; Schade, Liber de Infantia, etc., p. 38, and note 226; etc.[7]In Cursor Mundi, v. 12, 323ff, II, 707, the sowing is according to the Apocrypha. In Luzel's Breton Ballads, I, 80/81, the Virgin, to keep a poor widow from killing one of her children to feed two others, makes corn sown at Christmas in early morning ripen before day.[8]Joseph stops a moment to speak to the sower, asks the direct road to Egypt, and begs that if any inquiry is made he will say that nobody has passed that way. The sower is not punctilious, and answers, Je le feray très volontiers, que je voy bien qu'estez prodoms. The Swede is scrupulous. When the Virgin says, If anybody asks after us, say that you have seen nobody, he replies, I have promised my God never to tell a lie, "thinking she was only a lady." In the Wendish ballad the Virgin's demand is simply, If the Jews pass, conceal me not, reveal me not.[9]In one Provençal version, Arbaud, II, 245 f, Joseph and Mary ask a man at work in the fields to save them from Herod, and he tells them to hide under mint. The mint depresses its leaves so as to afford no concealment. For this the mint is cursed; though it flower, it shall not seed. The good man then tells them to hide under sage; the sage stretches itself out to cover them. The mint betrays the Virgin in many of the Catalan ballads: She is under the stack! The salvia answers in Milá,C, 'ment la menta y mentirá.' InDparsley is the good plant: the mint is cursed with barrenness as before. In Milá,J, the partridge (one symbol of the devil) sings: Catxacatatxá! Sota la garbera la Mare de Deu está! for which its head is cursed, never to be eaten. So Briz, IV, 69.

[5]Carnal,cornicula,corneille, might be thought to have been long obsolete from the word not occurring in ordinary dictionaries, if in any: but it is hazardous to build conclusions on the omissions of dictionaries.

[6]As, Horstmann, Altenglische Legenden, 1875, p. 4, 1878, pp 101, 112; Cursor Mundi, 11, 629 ff, Morris, II, 660; Fornsvenskt Legendarium, p. 71; Feifalik, Kindheit Jesu, p. 103; Schade, Liber de Infantia, etc., p. 38, and note 226; etc.

[7]In Cursor Mundi, v. 12, 323ff, II, 707, the sowing is according to the Apocrypha. In Luzel's Breton Ballads, I, 80/81, the Virgin, to keep a poor widow from killing one of her children to feed two others, makes corn sown at Christmas in early morning ripen before day.

[8]Joseph stops a moment to speak to the sower, asks the direct road to Egypt, and begs that if any inquiry is made he will say that nobody has passed that way. The sower is not punctilious, and answers, Je le feray très volontiers, que je voy bien qu'estez prodoms. The Swede is scrupulous. When the Virgin says, If anybody asks after us, say that you have seen nobody, he replies, I have promised my God never to tell a lie, "thinking she was only a lady." In the Wendish ballad the Virgin's demand is simply, If the Jews pass, conceal me not, reveal me not.

[9]In one Provençal version, Arbaud, II, 245 f, Joseph and Mary ask a man at work in the fields to save them from Herod, and he tells them to hide under mint. The mint depresses its leaves so as to afford no concealment. For this the mint is cursed; though it flower, it shall not seed. The good man then tells them to hide under sage; the sage stretches itself out to cover them. The mint betrays the Virgin in many of the Catalan ballads: She is under the stack! The salvia answers in Milá,C, 'ment la menta y mentirá.' InDparsley is the good plant: the mint is cursed with barrenness as before. In Milá,J, the partridge (one symbol of the devil) sings: Catxacatatxá! Sota la garbera la Mare de Deu está! for which its head is cursed, never to be eaten. So Briz, IV, 69.

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.'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 inC, 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,a10,b11, nearly, in his Ancient Mysteries, p. 95, and Sandys the last three stanzas, nearly as ina, 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.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.

1As it fell out upon a day,Rich Dives he made a feast,And he invited all his friends,And gentry of the best.2Then 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.'4Then 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.'6Then 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.'8Then Dives sent out his merry men,To whip poor Lazarus away;They had no power to strike a stroke,But flung their whips away.9Then 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.10As it fell out upon a day,Poor Lazarus sickened and died;Then came two angels out of heavenHis 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.'12As 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 seeA dismal place, prepared in hell,From which thou canst not flee.'14Then 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 abideAs there are blades of grass,Then there would be an end, but nowHell'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.'

1As it fell out upon a day,Rich Dives he made a feast,And he invited all his friends,And gentry of the best.

2Then 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.'

4Then 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.'

6Then 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.'

8Then Dives sent out his merry men,To whip poor Lazarus away;They had no power to strike a stroke,But flung their whips away.

9Then 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.

10As it fell out upon a day,Poor Lazarus sickened and died;Then came two angels out of heavenHis 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.'

12As 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 seeA dismal place, prepared in hell,From which thou canst not flee.'

14Then 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 abideAs there are blades of grass,Then there would be an end, but nowHell'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.'

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.

1As it fell out upon one day,Rich Diverus he made a feast,And he invited all his friends,And gentry of the best.2And 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.3So Lazarus laid him down and downEven 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.'5Then 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.'7Then 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.9Then 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.10Then Diverus sent out his hungry dogs,To bite poor Lazarus away;They had not power to bite one bite,But licked his sores away.11And 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.'13And it fell out upon one dayRich 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.'

1As it fell out upon one day,Rich Diverus he made a feast,And he invited all his friends,And gentry of the best.

2And 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.

3So Lazarus laid him down and downEven 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.'

5Then 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.'

7Then 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.

9Then 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.

10Then Diverus sent out his hungry dogs,To bite poor Lazarus away;They had not power to bite one bite,But licked his sores away.

11And 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.'

13And it fell out upon one dayRich 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.

14-16. There are only these trifling variations in the stanzas cited by Sandys:

162. of an.

163. I'd made my peace.

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.

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 providedTo sit on a serpent's knee.

141. lifting his eyes to heaven.142. And seeing.

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 secureThat the.

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 secureThat the.

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.

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.

Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 110. Motherwell's MS., p. 580.

The only known version of 'Brown Robyn's Confession' is the one printed in Ballads of the North of Scotland, the copy in Motherwell's MS. having been derived from Buchan.

The ballad, as we have it in English, celebrates a miracle of the Virgin, and is our only example of that extensive class of legends, unless we choose to include 'The Jew's Daughter,' and to take Robin Hood's view of the restoration of his loan, in the fourth Fit of the Little Gest. Of rescues on the sea, by which Mary "vere maris stella indiciis evidentissimis comprobatur," we have two in most of the collections of the Virgin's miracles, e. g., Vincent of Beauvais, 1.VII, cc 88,89, Gautier de Coincy, ed. Poquet, pp 515, 605. The deliverance, however,isfor honor done to Mary, andnotfor a fair confession.

A fine ballad, very common in Sweden, and preserved by tradition also in Denmark and Norway, has the same story with a tragical termination for the hero, saving a single instance, in which there is also a supernatural interference in his behalf.

Swedish.'Herr Peders Sjöresa.'A, Afzelius, II, 31, No 36, new ed. No 30, from oral traditions, compared with a printed copy of the date 1787.B, Atterbom's Poetisk Kalender, 1816, p. 52, apparently from Gyllenmärs' Visbok, after which it is given by Bergström, Afzelius, II, 158.C, Arwidsson, II, 5, No 67, one of three closely resembling copies.D, 'Herr Peder,' Wigström, Folkdiktning, I, 43, No 21.E, Fagerlund, p. 194, No 4.F,G, Aminson,IV, 20, 22.

Norwegian.'Unge herr Peder pá sjöen,' Landstad, p. 617, No 82.

Danish.A, manuscript of the fifteenth century, in a copy communicated by Professor Grundtvig.B, 'Jon Rimaardssøns Skriftemaal,' Vedel, 1591, It Hundrede udvaalde Danske Viser, p. 3, No 2 (Bergström); Danske Viser, II, 220, No 92.C, 'Lodkastningen,' Kristensen, I, 16, No 6.D, 'Sejladsen,' the same, p. 322, No 119.

SwedishC-E, the Norwegian version, DanishC,D, are all from recent oral tradition.

With a partial exception of DanishA,B,[10]the story of these ballads is this. Sir Peter asks his foster-mother what death he shall die. You are not to die in your bed, she says, and not in fight, but beware of the waves. Peter cares not for the waves, and builds a splendid ship, the hulk and masts of whalebone (elm, SwedishD; walnut, Norwegian, DanishD), the flags of gold (oars, DanishA). Let us drink to-day, while we have ale, says Peter; to-morrow we will sail where gain shall guide. The skipper and helmsman push off, forgetful of God the Father, God's Son, and the Holy Ghost. They sail a year or two on the boiling sea, and when they come where water is deepest the masts begin to go, SwedishA; the ship stops, SwedishC,D,F, Norwegian, DanishA,C,D;[11]will not mind her helm, DanishB. They cast lots to see who is thesinner; the skipper and captain do this while Peter is in his cabin sleeping,[12]in SwedishD, Norwegian, DanishC,D. The lot falls on Peter. He makes his shrift, since there is no priest, before the mast (which, with the yard, forms a cross), SwedishA,B, Norwegian, DanishB,C; before an oar, on which Our Lord stands written, DanishA. "Churches have I plundered, and convents have I burned, and stained the honor of many a noble maid. I have roamed the woods and done both robbery and murder, and many an honest peasant's son buried alive in the earth:" SwedishA. He then says his last words, DanishC,D, and nearly all.

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