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

¶ Ioseph, wen þe Iews wist þat he hade doluen iesu crist, Line 17290 Wrothe with him þai wore & wode, Alle for-menged in þar mode. þai send sergantz for to nym both sir nichodem & him; Line 17294 [ [[From Laud MS. 416.]] And oþer xij that for hym spake when they sought Iesu with wrake, Alle they hem hid to queme But forth come Sir Nicodeme] Line 17298 sir nichodeme sone come þan, als þer prince & ouerman. [ [[From Laud MS. 416.]] he come to hem with-outyn spare As in her synagog they ware] Line 17302 "say, ȝe man mortherar so crus, How dare ȝe come in godis hus!" þai said, "bot what þer-in dose þou? þat hild agayns vus with iesu. Line 17306 þi part mot euer with him be." "Amen, amen, amen," said he. ¶ þen com Ioseph of abaramathi, vnto þe Iews & asked "qwy Line 17310 Blame ȝe me with-outen pliȝt, for I aman in graf diȝt, Line 17312 In a toumb þat was my nawen? me think ȝe haf to me misknawen of þat prophetz þat ȝe gart hang, Als men say alle with wrang." Line 17316 [[Here begins 1st hand again.]] At þir wordes forth þai lepe, [folio 99a:1] And son laid hand on ioseph, þair Iailers to þaim þai cald, Line 17319 And bad þam do him up at hald, In a hald in prisun state, Bituixand efter þair sabat. Line 17322

Line 17322 "He has us don despit and scam For-þi yee loke þat his licam Line 17324 Be noght doluen under lame, Bot taght to beistes wild and tame." þan said ioseph of aramathi, Line 17327 "Me-thinc ye spek als did goli, þat vnder-tok to striue and fight Wit child dauid gain godd almight. For godd had said gan siþen lang, 'Mi-self es sett to wrek þe wrang.' Pilate was þar, his blod was blend, Quen he wessen had his hend, Line 17334 'O þis man,' said he, 'lele and godd, I am vn-saked of his blod,' And yee me gaue to your ansuer, 'Late us and urs þe birthen ber,' And als yee said, it sal i wene Line 17339 On yow and yours bath be sene." þai ledd ioseph, þaa bremli bald, To prisun in a stalworth hald, þar he o naman suld ha sight, Line 17343 Ne nankins leme o dais light, For mete and drinc bath for to fast, And did to sper þe dors fast, Line 17346 Locked bath wit-vte and in And seild wit þair seiles tuin; And sett þair waites þaim a-bute, þat he suld noþer-quar get vte. Line 17350 And eftir þair sabat þai badd togedir, þat þai suld all þaim gedir þider For to lok al wit a rede, Hu to do ioseph to dede. Line 17354 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] þai sperd fast wit lok and kai, þe seles als-sua þai bar away, Line 17358

Line 17358 Bot ioseph, þat þai left had þar, Was son awai, bot þai ne wist ware! Ful for-farled þan war þai, Line 17361 þat þat ne wist quat to sai, For sele and lok all fast þai fand, [folio 99a:2] þe keis þam-self þai had in hand.