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

[Of Castigation.]

Chastiyng o flexs foure fald to tak, In praier, fasting, wand, and wak. O þe first vs sais sant paule Line 28976 Bes ai praiand for yur saul, For euer ai prai wit-vten stint, He þat graithli to godd has mint. Vr praing þen es to sai, Line 28980 þat we in liuelade right be ai, þat es to be here ai ȝerand, [folio 160a:2] þat ilk liue is ai lastand. For rightwis man is praiand ai, Line 28984 Bot if he leue his rightwis lai, And he is tald for ai praiand, þe man þat euer is wel doand. And austin sais vr gode langing Line 28988 For godd, es tald als for praing, And if þis langing þan be, For þen praiand tald ar we. Line 28991 And þou agh moght in þi praijng Ask principali werlds thing, Bot for þi saul stat to mend, To win þe liue wit-vten end. Line 28995 þar-for crist biddis vs to wisse To win vs formast heuen blisse, And siþen traistur mai we bide, All oþer gode vs sal be tide. Line 28999 And has he sett vs certain task Quilk ar þai bones for to ask, And seuen ar þai þat vs mai spede Til al þat euer we haue of nede, Bath for liue þat we ar in And for þe lastand lijf to win. Line 29005

Line 29005 And þire we ask here ilk a day Line 29006 Quen we vr pater noster sai, And orisun agh for be Buxum, traistful, and priue, Skilwis, lele, schamful, and clene, Reuful þen on for to mene. Line 29011 O þirkin thinges has praier nede þat certanli nent godd will spede. Many bunthes has praier Line 29014 þat i mai all noght recken here, For it es god gain gastli wath, And gains flexsli sinnes bath, For Ierom sais man has mister Line 29018 To serekin sare giue salues sere; For saluing þat es for þe fot Es noght for mans heued bote, For fasting flemes flexsli sakes, Line 29022 And praier gastli sinnes slakes. Fasting es þe to-þer thing þat falles to flexsli chastijng, And o þis fast es thrin manere; Line 29026 þe first to mete and drink for-bere, O þis werld þe toþer it es, [folio 160b:1] Baret to bere for-bere þe bliss, þe thrid es better þan þe twa Line 29030 Wit gastli fast all giltes for-ga; And wit þis thrin maner o fast Agh we to hald vr bodi chast, For quat bote is fra mete to min And dedeli for to lig in sin? Line 29035 Quat bote for-bere bath mete and drink, And saul in sulwines to sink? And qua will oþere fast ha mede, Lok þai do þer-wit almus dede. And fast es for-þi o gret pris For it be-gan in paradis, Line 29041

Line 29041 For quilis adam was fastand þare Fand he na knauing of care, Line 29043 Bot fra þat he þat apul ete His wandreth wex him als skete. Vr lauerd seluen at þe last Halud him vr aller fast, Line 29047 þat was als þe stori sais, Quen he fasted ful fourti days. Fasting agh wit rigthwis laus To haf foluand þir four felaus, Line 29051 Fredom, gladdeschipe, houe, and time. O þe first sais sant Ieronime, "On fasten dai þat þe es sette þe mete þat þou þi-self suld ete Line 29055 If it ne fastin dai ne ware, þou sal it to þe pouer spare, þat þi fast to saul fode mai falle, Line 29058 And noght at fill þi purs wit-alle." . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] O þe toþir sais crist him-selfen, Line 29062 Spekand to his aposteles tueluen,