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

[Envy.]

O nyth þare springes mani dogh [folio 153b:1] Þat ledes man to mikel wogh, Line 27657 For nithful man he luues lest Þe quilk he wat es dughtiest. O nith cums bitternes o thoght, Finding of il, wit wicked for-thoght, And conspiraciun, als quen Line 27662 Þam saukes samen þe nithful men; . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And gain sum þai suare þair ath For to do him melle and lath. Line 27667 O nith be-cums al mistruing, Ar man wit soth for quatkin thing For to deme a man til ille, Line 27670 And bot a woning has þar-till; Þat quen he es kindeld of enuie Sais þat man dos wikedli, Ar him-self it vnderstod Line 27674 Quere þe es for ill or god. Þat es þaa dedes þat man mai Vnderstand on tuin-kyn wai; And o þe doer right na chesun Line 27678 Ne can he see, bot al mistrun; Haf ioy of oþer man misfare, And for þair welthes for to care. Missau, and groching alsua Line 27682 Bakbite, mislouing, als qua Suld sai, "þof man es gret faster, O grett almus and grett praier" Sais anoþer, "Ya wel may fall, For crist loue he dos not all;" Line 27687

Line 27687 And sais, "a godman es þar," Line 27688 Anoþer, "Ya wist þou quat he ware?" Þou said noght sua, bot neuer-þe-lese, Man loues sa ferre as in þam esse; If þou þan lese þi dughti fame, Line 27692 Or bringes man in iuel blame, Or mote, or ever thoro envie Has ani man wreid wrangwisly, Line 27695 Or buteward was to lette his thrift Of this [[MS. osthus]] behoues þe mai þi scrift. O þis sin mai man mikel find, For it es oft a ferly kind, Line 27699 For mast it fines noght to brin Þe man þat bers it him witin, And he þat self it hafs and beres, Mast of all on him it wers; [[No gap in these MSS.]] Line 27703 Forþi sais Senec on þe envius [folio 153b:2] Quine had þai ere ilk in hus, Line 27707 Quine moght his ei reche aiquare, For þan es soruing war þe mar, For ai þe mar sele þat he se Line 27710 On oþer men, þe mar care has he. If þou will nan haf nith atte þe Þou ledd þi liif in caitifte, Þar es nathing in erth for-qui, Line 27714 Bot ane caitife mai fle envi, For þof he nith him-seluen bere, Es nan þat nith has to begger. [[No gap in these MSS.]] Line 27717

Line 27717

Again þis sin es bote to be Line 27724 Funden in þe liif of charite.