Cursor mundi (The cursur o the world). A Northumbrian poem of the XIVth century in four versions. Ed. by the Rev. Richard Morris ...
¶ Als i tald ar þat kyng of craft
wald mensked be wyth tuinkyn scaft,
Bath of aungel and of man.
513
Adam þer-for was wroght þan
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þe tent ordir for to fullfill,
þat lucifer did for to spill.
516
Of erth allan ne was he noght,
Bot of four element[e]s worght;—
O watur his blod, his fless o lair,
His hete o fir, hijs and*. [[MS wynd, in a later hand.]] of air;
520
. . . . .
. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]
His heued with in has eien tuin.
þe lift has sōn and mon wit-in,
524
þat als men sen er sett to sight,
Sua serues sun and mon o light;
Seuen maister sterns er sette in heuen,
and mans hefd has thirls seuen,
528
þe quilk if þow wil þe vm-think,
þow may þam find with litul suink.
þis aand þat men draus oft
Betakens wynd þat blaws o loft,
532
O quilk es thoner and leuening ledd,
Als aand with host in brest is spred;
In to þe see all watres sinkes
And mans womb all licur drinkes;
Hijs fete him bers up fra fall,
537
Als þe erth vp haldes all;
þe ouer fir gis man his sight,
þat ouer air of hering might;
540
þis vnder wynd him gis his aand,
þe erth þe tast, to fele, and faand;
þe hardnes þat men has in banes
It cums him o þe kynd o stanes;
544
Of þe erth it groues tres and gress,
And neis*. [[read neil]]
wit bestes doumb man has his fele,
O thyng man liks, il or welle.
548
Of þir things i haf her said [folio 5a:1]
was adam cors to-gedir graid;
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For þis resun þat ȝee haue hard,
Man es clepid þe lesse werld.
552
