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

De Assu[m]pcione beate Marie [folio 113a:1]

[A different hand begins here in the Cotton MS.] Quen ihesus crist was don on rode, And thold ded al for vr gode, He cald til him þan saint iohan þat was his flexsli kinesman, Line 20068 And his aun modir; bot tam tua Ne cald he men til him nama. "Womman," he said, "lo! her sun þine For mans luue tholi þis pine. [MS. þine.] Line 20072 Lo! hou i hing a-pon þis tre, For-soth i wat, it reus te.

Mi fete, mi hend, o blod er red, Wit-outen right thol i þis ded; Line 20076 Min aun þat aght me to luuen, For quam i com dun fra o-bouen. þai me do þis mikel scham, Line 20079 Bot aght i noght to ber þe blame." ¶ His moder stod and sare sco grete, þe teres fell dun til hir fete, Line 20082 Was na ferli þou sco wepe sare, For sco moght haf na soru mare. For he þat nam of hir his flexs, Als his suet will al wess, Line 20086 Hang a tre þare naild to. "Alas! alas! alas!" said sco, "How mai i liue, how mai i be! How might i on þis soru se! Line 20090 Ne cuth ic ar o soru noght! Leif sun, quat has þou thoght, How sal i liue wit-outen þe? Leif sun, quat sais tu me." Line 20094 þan spak ihesus words gode, Als he hang þar on þe rode, He said til hir, "mi moder dere, I sal biteche þe a fere Line 20098 þat treuli sal ta kep to þe Quils þat tu in erth be." He said son to saint iohane, Line 20101 "For luue þou kep wel þis woman, Kep hir and serue wit al þi might; þat naman do hir oght vnright." þan name þe apostil son o-nan [folio 113a:2] In-til his keping, þat maidan, Line 20106 He seruid hir bath day an night, And hir will wit all his might; To temple wit him hir he name, And alson sa he þider came Line 20110

Line 20110 Omang þe nunnes a þat stedde, Godde for to serue þar hir did; þar scho bileft for al hir lijf, Line 20113 Ne luued scho notþer fight ne strijf. All þe leuedis þat tar war In all hir will þai hir forbar, For quils scho was wit þam þar Line 20117 þai serued hir, all lesse and mare. To fere and seke ai did scho bote, And serued taim till hand and fote, Naked and hungri sco cled & fede, þe sek alswa broght to þair bedd; Ne was tar noiþer seke ne fere Line 20123 þat tai ne had of hir mister, For þai hir luued with al þair might; Oft scho it seruid and tat wit right. Scho wok wil mar þan scho slepp, Hir sun to serue was al hir kepe, Line 20128 Til him scho cald wit reufull steuen, And he hir sent an angel of heuen, He-self com quilum þat [scho bare] For to confort his moder care. Line 20132 Saint iohn hir keped & had ful dere, For he was hir a treu fere, Ne wald he neuer fra hir gan, For bath þair willes war als an; Al þat scho badd gladli he did, Line 20137 To-quils þai lenged in þat sted. ¶ Quen scho had tare wellang bene, þe leuedi, þat es heuen quene, Hir langed sare hir sun cum to, Line 20141 And quen scho gernd son was scho. An angel sent he hir fra heuen, And gret hir wit a mild steuen; In þe temple wit her he met, Line 20145 Anurd hir and tar hir grette,

And said, "leuedi! sua ful grace. [folio 113b:1] Wel be þe euer in ilk place! Be þou noght dred for me her, Ic am þi sun messager, Line 20150 Fra him i com, to þe i com; þe gretes wel þi dere sun, Flour of erth, of heuen quene, Blisced mot þou euer bene; Line 20154 Wel be þe time þat þou was born. For al þis werld it war for-lorn If þou ne war, and te frut o þe, Maria leuedi, godd wit þe be. Line 20158 Leuedi! best of all thing, Blisced bodes i þe bring, Tak þis palme her in þi hand, It es þi dir sun saand; Line 20162 þe thinc wellang þi sun to se, Her mon tu noght lang be, He sal send efter þe wel son, Line 20165 Ne sal tu nawjght lang her hon. þou sal be broght til heuen blis þar þou sal euer ha mirth i-wisse; þar he es king, þou sal be quene, Al heuen fer sal blith bene. Line 20170 Al heuen curt nu thing lang Til þou be cummen þam emang;" . . . . . . . . . . [Blank here, two lines erased.] ¶ þan him ansuerde vr leuedi, Line 20175 And said to þe angel, "belami, Er tu mi sun messeger þat bringes me þir bodes her? Has he sete me ani dai Line 20179 þat i wit in me grait mai? I wald wijt gladli tuix & quene, To tak leue at mi kinesmen, Line 20182

Line 20182 O freindes þat me fedd & ladd, Line 20183 And helped als mi son þam badde." [[MS. tadde]] ¶ þan said te angel, "i sai it te, þou sal be her bot dais thre, þe thrid dai sal we cum doun, Line 20187 þe angels all lok þou be bun, And fotte þan wit meri sang For after þe vs thinc fullang." [folio 113b:2] ¶ þan said maria, vr lauedi Line 20191 To þe angel þar stod hir bi, "Quat es ti name, þou suet ami? Gladli þar-of wijt wald i." "Mi nam i now sai þe noght, Line 20195 Bot haf þis palme ic ha þe broght, Kepe it wel i prai it te, Lat tu neuer it be fra þe. I mai noght lang bileue her, Line 20199 For i was sent als messager; I sal to þe a-postles weind onan, And sceu þam sundri an and an, þat tai be her þe thrid dai. Line 20203 Langer bileue nu i ne mai."

¶ Quen þe angell had his erand made, He went ur leuedi efter bade, Line 20206 þat palme scho nam þat was hir broght, O þat bode forgat sco noght. Line 20208 Vntil hir chamber scho it bare, Als scho [[so in MS.]] als scho hir com þare, Of scho did tan al hir hater, And wessh hir suet bodi in water; And quen þat lauedi sua had don, A neu smock scho did hiron. Line 20214 Quen scho was schod and neu clad, To ihesu crist a bone scho badde, And said, "sun, i thanck it te Line 20217 þat tu sua has þi thoght on me;

Sun þou hert of heuen king, Line 20219 I bi-seke þe þi bliscing. Sun, for þin hali name, Kepe me fra pine alsua scham, þat te deuil haf na might Line 20223 To deri me, it war vnright. Sun help me, for now is ned, þat i haf o þe deuil na dred, For wit þe giles þat he can, Line 20227 He bi-suikes many man. Leif sun, gif þou him noght Man-kind þat tu der boght. Sun, þou ert ful o pite, Line 20231 For sinful man bisek i þe, þat tu sun, for þin hali grace, [folio 114a:1] Gif þam to bath might and space, þam to mend ar þai be ded, Line 20235 þat tai haf o þe feind na dred. Sun, thinc hou þou has tam wroght And hou þou þam has dere boght, Sun þou kep þam for þi fa, Line 20239 For quam þou thold al þis wa." ¶ Quen scho had praid tus als scho wald, Hir freind-men til hir scho cald, Hir sibmen, and hir kinesmen, Line 20243 Wit reuful steuen þus spak scho þen:— "Mi leue freind, mine aun sun Wil na langer ic hir won, He wil i cum and wit him be; Line 20247 Quarfor i prai yuu, parcharite, If i haf anithing mis-wroght, Yee sai it me and hels noght, Line 20250 I wil it mend, and tat es right, þat mi saul haf na plight. þat god þat yee haf don to me, Mi sun, þat don was on þe tre. Line 20254

Line 20254 Man to bij fra pine and ded, Line 20255 For-yeild it yuu at time o mede, And bring yuu to þat ilk blis þar i sal be, quar mi sun is." ¶ All þat tar war hir bi Line 20259 O suilk bodes war sari, And seid, "leuedi, hou mai þat be, Hou we liue quen þou wil fle! Leuedi! þou has vs serued sua, Allas! hou sal we part in tua. Line 20264 Leuedi leue, quat has tu thoght? þou reu of vs þou part noght. Wit mikel soru and mikel wa Sal we liue, be þou us fra." Line 20268 ¶ In hi þan ansuerd vr leuedi Til þam þat war stad hir bi, "Lat be weping, it helps noght, And halds ioi into yur thoght. Line 20272 Quils ic am her ye wak wit me, It dos me god þat i yuu se. Has na dred, bot wijts it wele, Line 20275 O pine [[MS. puce]] ne sal i thol na dele, To me ne sal it negh na wa, [folio 114a:2] For my son wil þat it be sua, For my licam his bodi bare, Line 20279 He wel [[so in MS.]] i suffer o na care, He þat i bar, þat bligh brid, Sal me send of heuen wird; Line 20282 Iohn and þe apostles quar-sum þai be, All þai sal me cum to se." ¶ Quils scho spac þus, þat suet woman, þar-of it wist noght saint iohan, Line 20286 He com to speke wit our lauedi, Ferli him thoght þai war sari.

"Ful o grace, leuedi, quat es te, And tis oþer leuedis þat i se? Line 20290

Line 20290 Leuedi qui mas tu sli cher, Line 20291 Ded war me leuer þat i wer þan i þe saghe sli semblant mak, For i sal neuer sli leuedi tak. Line 20294 Has tu oght hard þat ine can Ome or ani oþer man? Ne sal i neuer mar ha blis, Til i wit, leuedi, quat tis es." Line 20298 ¶ Vre leuedi wep, saint iohan alsua, Treu luue was omang þam tua. "Leuedi," he said, "quat ails te, For mi seruis þou sai it me." Line 20302 ¶ Maria ansuerd wit reuful steuen, "Me com tiþand arquil fra heuen, Mi sun me sent his messager, Line 20305 He wil noght lang þat i be her. Wijt tu forsoth, it reus me þat i sal part so son fra þe, For þi luue and þi seruise, Line 20309 þou has me kid on ilkin wise, þou has me don mi sun þe badde, þou has me bath wel fed & cladd; Mi sun sal wel yeild it te, Line 20313 I sal him say quen ic him se." ¶ þan her ansuerd saint iohan, For he was a ful sari man, Line 20316 And said, "leuedi, hou sal it be Quen i now sal þe namar se! Mi ioi es don euerilk dele, Line 20319 Ne sal me neuer fra nu be wele Sin we sa son sal part in tua." [folio 114b:1] "Iohn! john! qwi sais tu sua? þow i be her þe noght bi-forn Line 20323 þi seruis has tu noght for-lorn; I sal mon mi suet sun, He sal te do til him com, Line 20326

Line 20326 Quen time es þat he has me. Line 20327 Suet iohn, bi-sek i þe, þou lat na juus negh me to, Despit ful fain wald tai me do. Line 20330 Mi bodi wald tai seke wit scham, þai hat na-thing mar þan mi nam, Mi bodi þou kepe fra þaim, i sai; þou we be sib, bath ic and tai, Line 20334 þai hat na-thing mar þan me; Mi sun þai hang o rode tre; I wat wel þat tai luue me noght, þar-for þaron hei þou þe thoght, Line 20338 þan i be parted iohn, fra þe, þat tai do me na vilete, Mi sun þat wons in heuen bright Lat tam þar-to haf na might." Line 20342 "Sai me leuedi, sin it es sua, þat we sal now be delt in tua, Sai me hou lang it es til þan." Line 20345 "Sikerli," scho said, "iohn, Bituix þis and þe thrid dai Na langer duell her i mai." Quen he þis herd he was sari, Line 20349 Wepand he said, "leuedi, merci! Hou sal i liue, hou sal i fare, Hou sal i ioi haf euermar? Mi lauerd first was don to ded, Thoru þe fals Iuus red, Line 20354 And nu wel tu leuedi me fra; Now me neus al mi wa. Wald mi lauerd i wald be dede, O me-self can i na rede." Line 20358 "Iohn! iohn! qwi sais tu so, Angels sal fele cum þe to, To kepe þe in al þi stat, And clad te, bath ar and lat." Line 20362

Line 20362 Als scho spac þus to saint iohan, Com þe apostles euerilk man Line 20364 To-geder, bot þai it wist noght [folio 114b:2] Hou þai war to-gider broght, Line 20366 Of oþer com it wistar [[so in MS.]] nan; Bot oþair com ful blith was iohn, All he þam kist, sa fain he was, And said þam, "deo gracias, Line 20370 ¶ Blisced be, ihesu, þi might, For it es fair and it es right, Sin þi moder sal com to þe, þat scho fair bi-waked be Line 20374 Wit þin apostles, þat mikel þe luuen; Ine wat hou þai be hider cummen." ¶ "Sai now broþer, suet iohan, Qui ertu sa sari man? Line 20378 Qui wepes tu sua, quat es tu [[so in MS.]] ? For felaured now sai þou me." "I sal þe sai þe resun qui, Line 20381 Now þou seis me sa sari, Bot do me ferst at vndurstand Hou yee er gadrid her to hand, Line 20384 Yee þat sa wide war sunder spred, Sais me quat has you hider ledde." ¶ "Here me now iohn, a ferli thing, I was ferr heþen at a preching Line 20388 Ferr vte in anoþer land, Ic held mi bok þar in mi hand, I liuerd me of mi sarmon, Line 20391 I ne wat hou i com in þis town. Als help me lauerd suet ihesus, I ne wat how i com in þis hous. Line 20394 We se wel þat we all er her, Sli ferli sagh we neuer her; Of vs es nan þat wat for quam, Line 20397 Ne wat quat-wis we heder cam."

¶ "Listes all i bi-seke i wise, Line 20399 I sal ȝow tell alquat it es, Cums wit me into yon hous, Vr lauedi es tare, abides vs, And graithes hir to far vs fra, Line 20403 For hir sun will þat it be sua. Hir sun has sent his messager, He will na langer scho be her, And heder he has vs all send Line 20407 Wit hir to spek ar scho hir wend. Cums now all her in wit me, [folio 115a:1] Be-fore hir fair þan knel yee, Line 20410 And sais hir 'leuedi, wel þe be! Our lauer[d] vs has now sent to þe, To visite þe and be þe bi, For-þe we er cummen to þe, leuedi.' Bot a thing," said saint Iohan Line 20415 To petre and to apostlis ilkan, "Lokes quen ȝe cum þarin, þar er welmani of hir kin, þat naman of all our fer Line 20419 Bi-fore hir mak latli chere, Bot fair sembland and mak hir glad. Yee do nu all als i yuu bald [[so in MS.]] ." Line 20422 ¶ þai ȝode þam forth, þe postlis tuelue, Right be-for our leuedi selue, Vn-to hir chamber þar scho was in, Wit mikel folk al of her kin. Line 20426 On knes þai sett þam euer ilkan, Als þam had biden saint iohan, "Suet leuedi, of heuen quene, Blisced mot þou euer bene! Line 20430 Of alle wimmen best te be, Our lauerd vs has nu sent to þe þe to serue and do þi will, Wel vs thinc þat it es skill. Line 20434

Line 20434 Heuen and erth buus te to, Line 20435 For-qui þi sun wil it be so. He has na [[so in MS.]] keping alkin thing, He es þi sun, es heuen king." Line 20438 ¶ Sun þan tas [[so in MS.]] vp our lauedi Kist þa postlis þat stod hir bi, O þair com scho was ful gladd, Line 20441 þai sett þam all als scho þam bad. Scho asked þaim hou þai com þar? For þai war spred wel wide quare. "Leuedi, fild of god thoght, Line 20445 þi sun nu has vs hider broght To kepe al þe als our leuedi, Als lang sai þou ert her vs bi." Line 20448 Sa fain scho was þat þai þer wern, "Blisced," scho said, "ai be þat bern! I am his moder, wel he me kid, [folio 115a:2] I am ful fain yee ar me mid, Line 20452 Sin sua es nou mi sun it wil þat i com to him, it es skil. Mi bodi sall ȝe kep now sua, Line 20455 þat nan it negh þat er mi fa, Wakes fair now mi licam, Wel i wat and traist i am, þe juus bot ful o feluni Line 20459 Mi sun þai slogh al for enui, Ful leif þam war to do me scham, þai hat nagh[t] mar þan mi nam. For-þi bid i yuu, par charite, Line 20463 And for þe luue ȝe haf to me, Quen i be farn to heuen blis Wakes a night þar mi bodi is, Line 20466 Kepes it wel bath night & dai, þat þe juus stel it noght awai. þai wald it brin or do sum scham, Bot ihesus, for þin hali nam, Line 20470

Line 20470 Lat þam þar-to haf na might, Line 20471 For sikerli it war vnright." Scho said, "al for-soth i wisse It sal be all als þi will is."

¶ To-quils our leuedi spac also Line 20475 To þa postlis þat com hir to, þe angel lighted and stod hir bi, And said, "hail be þou mi leuedi, And al þai þat ben wit þe! Line 20479 Loke þat tu now redi be, þow sal til heuen, and þar be quene, Ful blith mai þin hert bene, Line 20482 þou sal serue þe curt of heuen." And our leuedi þan herd þat steuen þat þe angel said hir to, Ful of gladnes þan was scho, Line 20486 To hir bedd son scho ȝod & lay, Abutte þe time al of midday. Iohan and apostles satt hir bi, For to kepe hir als þair leuedi. Line 20490 Omang þam son efter þis þar com a sang of paradise, Sa suet it was and sua ferli, [folio 115b:1] þat al þai þat war hir bi, Line 20494 Ȝong and ald and euer-ilkan All þar fell to slepe onan, Bot our leuedi, allan þai slepe. To þis ferli tas all nu kepe, Line 20498 An erth-din þar com þat scok All thinges, als sais þe bok. ¶ þan spac þat leuedi to saint iohan, And to þapostlis euer-ilkan, Line 20502 And to maidens þat war þer-in, And oþer mani al of hir kin, "Wakes," scho said, "slepis na wight, I sal far þar mi sun has tight, Line 20506

Line 20506 Now is tim þat i sal far Line 20507 þar i sal neuer mar haf care."

¶ Sittes stell [[so in MS.]] now mar and lesse, And hers now þis mirines. þar com ihesus in his might, Line 20511 King of heuen he did als right, Als son wit moder aght to don; He cald his angels war noght quon, And al þe felauscip of heuen, Line 20515 And said to þam al wit a steuen, "Cums wit me to mi lemman! Mi moder es scho, hir sun i am, I tok of hir mi flexs and blod, Line 20519 þan es it right i do hir gode. I þat euer was, and ai sal be, In all þe blis þat yee hir se, I gaf ranscun for al mankin, Line 20523 þat war all went til hell pin. I had þam mad to serue me, And thoru þat appel of þe tre. He ete ogain mi forbidding, Line 20527 He was tint and all his ospring, It reud me and forthoght sare, I wald noght suffer it sua be mare, I lighted doun and man becam, O þat mayden mi flexs inam, Line 20532 Bifor al oþer i her ches And i was born al of hir flexs. Thritti winter and sumdel mare, [folio 115b:2] I lenged man to wiss in lare, Line 20536 I-nogh þai did me vilete, Min aun þat aght for to be, þai tok me þan and best [[read beft]] wel sare, And atte last þai did me care, Line 20540 Wit-outent gilt þai did me wrang, Bi tuene tua theues þai me hang,

Naild fast thoru mi fete; Line 20543 O blod mi handes war al wete, Mi hert þai stungen wit a sper, þat sagh þai all þat þar wer. þis scham i thold al for noght, Line 20547 Fulder haf i mankind boght. þar i hang naild on þe tre, Mi moder was ful wa for me, And sua was hir neuu iohan; Line 20551 I tald [[so in MS.]] him to mi son onan, I said til him, 'mi leif cosen, Kep þis womman, es moder min, . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Cotton & Laud MSS.] For þe luue þow has to me, Line 20557 Kep hir quils scho bi þe be.' Yee parted fra me bath þat siquar, Allan i hang on rode þare; Line 20560 Fra mi bodi mi saul name, And siþen intil hel i am. [[so in MS.]] All mi frend þat i þar fande, Line 20563 I tok þam forth on mi right hand, Adam and eua and oþer manian, I did þam vte o pine be tan. Quen i had þusgat herid hell, Line 20567 And don all þis þat i ȝow tell, And had ouercommen þe ful qued, þe thrid dai i ros fra ded. Line 20570 Fra erth i stei til heuen þan, For i am bath now god and man. I am now her in al mi might, Line 20573 For soth i wil, for it es right, þat mi moder be bi me, Now es it time þat it sua be. Cums now forth wit miri sang, Line 20577 And do hir cum us all e-mang."

þan com ihesus wit his meigne, [folio 116a:1] Angels, archangels, gret plente, Line 20580 Vntil hir bure wit miri sang, þam thoght til hir wel suith lang. þis bure was ful of mikel blis, (And sua es euer þar ihesus is) Line 20584 þat all þai ilk þat war þan þare, Suilk blis sagh þai neuer ar. Omang þat singing and þat gleu Our leuedi hir sun ihesu knew, Line 20588 Quen scho him sagh scho was ful gladd; Listes þe bon þat scho him badd. ¶ "Ai blisced mot þe time be þat tu was, lauerd, born of me! It es wel sene i am þe dere, Line 20593 Nou þe-self es cummen here; þin apostlis sent tu first to me, Now ertu cummen wit þi meigne To fote me sun vnto þe rike; Line 20597 Had neuer moder sun þe like, Sun do nou þat þi wil es, Me has thoght lang to þe i-wisse." ¶ "Suet moder, cum now wit me, Of all wimmen best ye be, Line 20602 þar i am king þou sal be quene, Ful blith þan mai þi hert bene." ¶ "Sun," scho said, "bath lauerd and king, I þe biseke now of a thing, Quer i sal o þe feind haf sight, Line 20607 Or of his þat er maledight; I luue him noght, he es mi fa, Lef sun, lat me se nan o þaa." Line 20610 ¶ "Suet moder, dred tu þe noght, Ne com it neuer intil mi thoght. Wil i noght thol þe þam to sei, Line 20613 Sal he noght cum bifore þin ei;

Ne sal tu nothing se ne her, Line 20615 Bot me and angels mine þi fer. Suet moder wit tu al wele, O paine þow sal noght thol a dele, Al heuen court sal serue þe, Line 20619 To mak þe manred, moder fre. Moder, a gift i wil þe giue, [folio 116a:2] þow sal wit me in heuen ai liue. I sal ha merci, moder dere, Line 20623 Of al mankind thoru þi praiere, þat war forlorn if þow ne war, For of þi bodi þow me bare. All þat menskes te, leuedi, Line 20627 And þat þe seruis treu fulli, And þai cri þe merci thri, And sais wit hert, 'help me mari!' Moder der, for luue of þe, Line 20631 In quatkin sinn sim þat þai be, I sal þam help, i hight þe son, For þi luue moder it sal be don. If ani ha ben in al his lijfe Line 20635 In hefd sinn, or man or wijf, And he wil at his last time Forsak his sinn and repent hime, And tel it, if he mai ha preist Line 20639 Or oþer man þat es him neist, If he ne mai tell bot do namar, Bot þat him forthinc sar, O quatkin sinn it euer be, Line 20643 Moder for þe luue of þe, I sal haf of þam god merci, If he wit well wil do forqui. Line 20646 Of a man had him allan wroght All þe sinnes þat moght be thoght And he at his ending dai, If he nanoþer quil ne mai, Line 20650

Line 20650 Repent him, and call to þe, Line 20651 In quatkin sinn al sum it be, I sal her al þis praier, For þi luue, mi moder der. And þat þou wil bisek me fore, Line 20655 Be it lese or be it more, It sal be al als tu it wille, For nu wel sal þow haf þer-tille. It war vnright i suld witstand Line 20659 þe of oght o þin erand." ¶ Our leuedi luted him be-forn, Said, "sun þe time þat þow was born Ouer oþer all it blisced be, [folio 116b:1] For all mi will þow grantes me." Line 20664 ¶ "Sua aght i, moder, wit-outen wand." He blisced her wit his right hand. Til hir sun þat scho luued mast, þan scho yald hir blisced gast. Line 20668 He cald til him þan saint michel, "Help þow now mi lemman lel, þou and eke all þin fere, Line 20671 It is na-thing now me sa dere." þan he had hir saul sent And it was fra hir bodi went, Line 20674 All þat folk þat com fra heuen Sang þan wit a miri steuen, It was wel sen apon þair sang Mikel ioi was þam o-mang. Line 20678 Wit mirines to heuen scho name, And alson sunȝ [[read sum]] scho þider came Scho was mad quene of heuen, þat mild, Blisced worth ai suilk a child. Line 20682