Cursor mundi (The cursur o the world). A Northumbrian poem of the XIVth century in four versions. Ed. by the Rev. Richard Morris ...

[Christ's Entry into Jerusalem, and the Last Supper.]

Iesus went tilward ierusalem Gan[g]and on his fete, Line 14938 And com he til a littel hill Man calles mont oliuete. Sex dais forwit pask-dai Wit his he went þe strete, Line 14942

Line 14942 Til his disciplis þat he ledd Line 14943 Sli wordes spak he suete: "Wat yee breþer qui," he said, "I weind again sua snell? Line 14946 Herkens nu and vnderstandes, þe sothe i sal yow tell. Yon Iues ar, wel wat yee it, [folio 82a:2] A folk selcuth fell, Line 14950 þai wil me neuer luue, i-wiss, For thing i mai þam tell. ¶ For luue or agh ne for na thing þat i for þam ha wroght, Line 14954 Wit mani selcut, als yee haf herd, And wit sothfastnes soght. Bot al mi suinc nu es it sua, Standes me for noght, Line 14958 þe time es nu man sun sal dei, And mans kind be boght. ¶ To yon castel ga yee," he said, "Yee se again yow stand, Line 14962 þar sal yee find an ass beist Wit hir fole dun in band. Gais fotte hir me, if animan Lais apon yow hand Line 14966 To lette yow, ye sai yee haf þe lauerd to your warand. ¶ A moder ass yee sal þar find, And yee hir sal vn-do Line 14970 Vte of hir band; if animan Askes yow quar-to, Yee sai to þam þe lauerd has Wit þam for to do. Line 14974 And sal naman yow sai bot god. þe sted es yonder, lo!" ¶ Son þar went disciplis tua Vnto þe said castel, Line 14978

Line 14978 Bunden þat þai soght þis ass Line 14979 þai fand bi a postel. Broght þai noþer on hir bak Na sadel ne panel Line 14982 To þair lauerd was noþer cledd Wit silk ne yeitt cendel.

¶ "Mi freindes," said he, "wat yee qui I wend nu to þe tun? Line 14986 þe soth to wijt, i sal yow scau Al mi priue resun, þe tim es comen nu þat i sal Suffur mi passiun, Line 14990 þe fest es nu, mismay yow noght, Bot mas mi riding bun. ¶ Nu," he said, "sal womman son [folio 82b:1] In mans hand be laght, Line 14994 þai sal him tak and deme to ded Wit-vten ani saght. And wit tresun him do on tre, Als it es forwit taght, Line 14998 He sal be ded, bot rise he sal Wit-in þe thrid naght."

¶ þai kest þair clothes on þis ass And did him þar-on sett; Line 15002 Son it ras þe word þat he Was command bi þe strete. þe folk þat comen was to þe fest, Almast for ioi þai grette, Line 15006 þe simple folk al o þe tun þai went him for to mete. ¶ Wit alle þe mirthes þat þai moght Darworthli þai him gett, Line 15010 Wit harp and pipe, and horn and trump, þe strette þai him vmsette. Ald and yong, bath less and mare, Wit a word alle him grett, Line 15014

Line 15014 "Welcum sauuer! lang has þou ben, Al sal thoru þe be bett." ¶ þe lauerdinges and þe riche men To-quils o-bak þam drogh, Line 15018 And temprid tresun for to tri To tak iesum wit wogh. þai murn, quils þe pouer men And þe childir logh, Line 15022 Bifor þair king þe childer kest Branches þai brak o bogh, ¶ And sum þai kest þai clothes dun, In midward þe thrang; Line 15026 þai spred þe strete wit cloth and flur, His ass on for to gang. þe folk him folud and forwit went, þai mensked him wit sang, Line 15030 "Osanna, lauerd! welcum þou be, Quar has þou ben sa lang?" ¶ Bot þe childer þat war waike To ga þat pres a-mang, Line 15034 O walles and windos, als þair hefdes ouer þai hang, Bi-held þair lauerd þar he come, For-soth had þai na wrang, Line 15038 All þai sang als wit a muth þat all þe cite rang. ¶ "Gloria laus" (þat es, wirscip) [folio 82b:2] "Ha þou nu lauerd and ai, Line 15042 Crist and king and ransconer O folk o godds lai. Al to þin aun welcum þou be, þar þou es comen to dai. Line 15046 þou tak to thanc þat we þe mak Sli mensking als we mai. ¶ Osanna king! to þe we cri A sang wit suete steuen, Line 15050

Line 15050 Na less ai be þou loued in erth þan þou es loued in heuen. Of israel þan er þou king, þat aght man trou ful euen, Line 15054 And comen of hei dauid kin, Of heier nan can neuen. ¶ Cummen forth, þou blisced king In vr lauerds name, Line 15058 þe receiues þin aun folk, And welcums þe hame. On þin worthi werkes don Farr spredes þi fame, Line 15062 Welcum lauerd þat leches [[MS. lethes]] all And leching [[MS. lething]] giues to lame. ¶ Cum forth til vs ur saueur, We haf desired þe, Line 15066 þou es right king of israel, Qua þe soth can se. [Wit prop]hecies was þou forsaid [þa]t þou born suld be, Line 15070 O þe king hei dauid kin And o rote o iesse. ¶ Osanna! sir king, cum forth" þai cried, less and mare, Line 15074 "Vn-to þin aun, for we ar þai, And sal be euer mare. Blisced be þou and þi time þat þe þi moder bar, Line 15078 For king sa mekeli cummen to tun Herd was neuer ar. ¶ Welcum be þou lauerd," said þai, "Duell þou noght wit-vte, Line 15082 To þis gret vr solempnite Welcum wit-vten dute." þai him ledd wit-in to þe tun, Ful gret it was, þat rute, Line 15086

Line 15086 To temple þai him ledd wit sang [folio 83a:1] On ilk-a side a bute. ¶ "þis es vr sauueur," þai said, "þat commen til vs es nu, Line 15090 O þe kind o king dauid His name es cald iesu. þe ded mai noght him wit-stand, He dos it til him bu, Line 15094 To mani seke hele he has giuen, In him man agh to tru. ¶ Lang has he nu ben a-wai, Lang efter him vs thoght; Line 15098 Tuelue or ma o men vnscod þan has he wit him broght, And o þair fete þat semed sare For-þi þarof vs roght, Line 15102 Vr mantels vnder þam we spred, For oþer had we noght. ¶ Nu es he commen þat es vr king, Nu sais alle ossanna! Line 15106 We wend he had for-huud vs all þar-for was vs ful wa, Welcum es he, fra nu he ne sal Na langer leue vs sua. Line 15110 For wa es þaim þat moght him hald! þat lates him þam fra."

¶ Quen þe princes and þe riche Wist wel of his fare, Line 15114 þai bicome þan sorfuller þan euer war þai are. Bituix þam, þaa cursed men, Mened þam þair care, Line 15118 To caiphas in son þai went, And gadrid þaim alle þar. ¶ "Lauerdinges," þan said caiphas, Mi ert es selcut sare, Line 15122

Line 15122 O þis iesu þat es sa wis Sa mikel alsua o lare. Line 15124 It es wel sene, all folus him, Nu bath less and mare, Suilc a man was neuer yeitt Sin ani werldes ware; Line 15128 ¶ It es wonder for to tell, þe ferles þat he mas, We se þe folk all fall to him Ouer-al quar he gas. Line 15132 All vr lagh he sal for-do, [folio 83a:2] Vr aun folk allas Sal he do again vs rise, And be vr grettest faas. Line 15136 [¶] All þis werld es turnand Til him als yee wel se, For-þi a rede i sal yow giue, And herkens all to me. Line 15140 Thoru a man, þis es þe soth, þis werld sal losen be, And he be slan, it sal be broght Al in to sauuete. Line 15144 ¶ Better it es þat o [There has been an erasure here.] man dei, þan al þe folk be lorn, And þat þis ilk iesus be Tan arli to morn. Line 15148 þat mai noght we [There has been an erasure here.] for þis folk þof man had it suorn, Bot langer þan þis fest be don Be he noght for-born." Line 15152 ¶ Iesus þam prechand ilk a [In a later hand.] dai Stable in temple stod, Ilk night of oliuete To þe mont he yode; Line 15156 þar he wit his disciplis lai, For sua þan thoght him gode,

And euer on dai þe folk he gaf O godds word þe fode. Line 15160

¶ Quen þat suet mighti king Was commen to þe tide, þat in his suete wil was sett, þat he for mans pride Line 15164 Wald suffer pine and passion, Wald he na langer bide, Bot buxumli him-self he bedd Til all þat moght bi tide. Line 15168 ¶ Mani sari sight, i-wiss, þar sanc vn-til his hert, þe fleche was dutand for to dei, þat kindli wald ha quert. Line 15172 It was ful sconand for þe sare, Na selcut sa smert, þat es mikel charite For vs [to] thole him gert Line 15176 þe thre dais was runnen vte, And þe ferth on hand, His disciplis, na selli was, [folio 83b:1] Bigun to be dutand. Line 15180 "Sir," þai said, "yee tell it hus, And we sal vnderstand, Sal ani man yow paskes dight Our-quar in land?" Line 15184 þe lauerd loked þam opon, And ansuard þam ful suete, "Gas til-ward þe tun," he said, "A man þar yow sal mete, Line 15188 A watrin vescel in his hand, O-gains yow þat strett, Yee ga wit him, he sal yow bring Vntil a nin ful skete. Line 15192 ¶ Folus forth þat ilk man Right in to þe bi;

Til þe lauerd o þat hus Yee sai on mi parti, Line 15196 þat he yow wald len sum place, To mak vr mangeri, And he sal yow deliuer an, þat þis be don priueli." Line 15200

¶ þai went þam forth in-to þe tun, Wit þis man þai mette, Wit a vescel in his hand Water for to fette. Line 15204 He ledd þam til his lauerd hus, þat darworthli þai grett, And he þam lent an par charite, A celer in at ete. Line 15208 ¶ Quen þis hus was commli dight, Was þar na lang a-bide, Ihesus comme wit his felauscip, þat littel luued pride. Line 15212 It was a suete fernet, i-wiss, Was gadird to-gedir þat tide, þe lauerd was to super sett, His felaus him bi-seid. Line 15216

¶ Iudas o þe tuelue was an þat o scarioth hight, Was iesu crist oumener, Bot he was maledight. Line 15220 Wit þe Iuus had he spoken. þar-bi-for a night, His aun lauerd þaim for to sell, Sua hasteli als he might. Line 15224 ¶ þe lauerd es to super sette, [folio 83b:2] þe mete al redi bun, Vp he lift his hali hand, And gaf þe benisun. Line 15228 þan he tok þe bred and brack, Als it es redd in run,

Til his disciplis he it delt, Line 15231 And said þaim þis sarmun;— "Takes and etes o þis bred, For fless þan es it min þat sal þis ilk night be don For yow to mikel pine." Line 15236 Siþen þe chalice vp he laght, And blisced als þe win, And gaf þam alle þar-of to drinc, þat derworthi drightin. Line 15240 ¶ "Drinckes all o þis," he said, "For-qui it es mi blod þat for yow þan sal be scedd, And for man-kind on rod." Line 15244 Quen sant Iohn, his cosin dere, þis wordes vnderstod, On his lauerd brest he sleped For menging of his mod. Line 15248 ¶ "Vnderstandes quat i sai, Mi breþer," coth iesu, "Gladli vnderfang þe gift þat I yow here gif nu. Line 15252 I sal noght o na suilkin drinc For-soth drinc wit yow, Til we be samen in mi king-rike, Giuen i haf a wou. Line 15256 ¶ To mi fader þat wons þar-in þider i sal yow lede, And wit neu mete þat þar sal be, Wit-al I sal yow fede. Line 15260 And o mi drinc þar i sal Drinc to yow for yur mede; For þat i sai yow her wit word, þar sal yee find in dede. Line 15264 ¶ Mismai yow noght, mi breþer dere, Quat-sum yee her or se,

þe traitur þat me trai sal, Line 15267 Emang vs her es he." Ilkan on oþer þai biheld, "Quilk of hus mai þis be?" "Bot he þat etes o mi dische,¹ Line 15271 He sal be-trais me. [folio 84a:1]

Mi leif breþer and frendes als, Yee be noght radd," he said, "Ful wel i wat þe quilk o yow þe tresun has puruaid. Line 15276 þat i ha luued, he sal me trai, þe gait it es al graid, He mai sai wirdes warid þat forwit him es laid." Line 15280 Quen þis super was all don, Iesus ras of his sette, Bot his disciplis þat war sett Nan vp-rise he lete. Line 15284 Wit a tuell he belted him His side sitand ful mete, Wit a basin he broght water, For to wasche þair fete. Line 15288 þe mekenes o þis suet iesus, Suilk herd man neuer tell, þat boghed sua his lauerdhede To buxumnes o threll. Line 15292 For-wit his disciplis fete Ful freindli he fell, O sli seruis was [na] selcut þai wondird þam emell. Line 15296 First wit water he þam wesche Alle þair fete bedene, And wit his tueil efterward þair fete he weped clene. Line 15300 Quen he til sant petre com þar he sait þam bituene,

His fote ful tite he til him tite, Line 15303 Him schamed it was well sene. 'Lauerd," he said, "quat wil þou doo? Fra mi fete do þin hand, Ne sal þou neuer wasche mi fete Quils i am man liuand." Line 15308 "Peris, if i ne þe wasche," he said, "I wil þou vnderstand, Sal þou haf na part wit me O blis þat es lastand." Line 15312 ¶ þat coth peris "to be tide, Lauerd, it ai for-bede Noth fete allan, bot hefd and hand, Ar to wasche i bede." Line 15316 "He þat has his bodi clene," [folio 84a:2] Iesus said, "es na nede þat he do wasch oght bot his fete, For sample tas mi dede. Line 15320 ¶ Herkens nu," he said, "mi freindes, þe thing i tell yow sall, Me yur maister yee bi-clepe, And yur lauerd yee call. Line 15324 Sotht it es þat sal be sene, Sli dai yeitt sal fall, For a forebisining nu your fete þus haf i weschen all. Line 15328 ¶ Sin i þat lauerd and maister es Has þus-gat seruid yuu, Lok ilkan til oþer o yow, þat yee als breþer bu. Line 15332 þe seruis al i yow ha don; All ha yee sene it hu, Dos wel for i sal noght lang Wit yow duell fra nu. Line 15336

¶ Mi leif breþer, i yow for-bede þat prid be yow a-mang

Yee haf me folud hider-to Tuelue in mikel thrang. Line 15340 Bot an o yow þis ilk night Sal do me mikel wrang; To-morn dai sal i be dempt On rode tre to hang; Line 15344 I sal be ded, and I sal rise, þar-to sal noght be lang." ¶ Quen þai herd þat he suld dei, And thoru þair tresun, Line 15348 And þat his bodi suld be taght His fas þat war felun, And þat he suld a-pon þe rode Thole herd passiun, Line 15352 Qua suld do þis suike, ilkan Of oþer had mistrun. Sorful þai þam bicom emell, þar-of þai had resun. Line 15356 ¶ þan spak peris first of all, "Lauerd, to me þou sai, If þou sais it oght be me Quar i þan sal þe trai? Line 15360 Or wat i qua þi traitur es þat sua þe luued has ai?" [folio 84b:1] Vr lauerd sueteli his ansuar said, "Nai, þou leif peris, nai, Line 15364 For in þis felauscip es he, He mai sai walawai! ¶ Ful walwa! þan mai he sing, þat cursed, ful o care, And walwa! þan mai sco sai Line 15369 þe moder þat him bare, To mare blis it had him ben Vnborn if þat he ware. Line 15372 I sal yow teche him for to knau Wit mistruing namare,

Her efterward yeit sal yee se, Ful il sun sal he fare. Line 15376 ¶ He þat i to wete þe bred, þat ilk es he, þat baald;" Iudas opend þan his muth ar he þat to was cald, Line 15380 Son it was þat morsel bun, he dight it als he wald, And Iudas suelid it onan, þat siþen his maister sald. Line 15384