Diversus and Lazarus

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

Then Lazarus laid him down and down
Laid him down at Diversus door
“Some meat, some drink, my brother Diversus
Will you bestow upon the poor”

“Thou art none of my brothers, Lazarus
That lies begging at my door
No meat nor drink will I give to thee, Lazarus
Nor bestow upon the poor”

Diversus sent his men
To whip poor Lazarus away
But they had no power to strike a stroke
But flung their whips away

Diversus sent his hungry dogs
To bite him as he lay
But they had no power to bitе
But licked his sores away

It fell out upon a day
Poor Lazarus grеw sick and died
There came two angels out of heaven above
His souls thereto to guide

“Rise up, rise up, my brother Lazarus
And you come along with me
There is a place prepared in heaven
Upon an Angel's knee”

And it fell out upon a day
Rich Diversus sickened and died
There came a serpent out of hell
His souls thereto to guide

“Rise up, rise up, my evil brother
Won't you come along with me
There is a place prepared in hell
Upon a serpent's knee"

If I were alive again
In the space of one half hour
I would make my peace secure
And take the devil's power