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

The wonderful Childhood of Christ.

Son was ioseph redi bun, [folio 64b:1] Wit naghtertale he went o tun, Line 11596 Wit maria mild and þair meine, A maiden and þair suanis thre, þat seruid þam in þair seruis; Line 11599 Wit þaim was nan bot war and wis.

For sco rad, þat moder mild, Line 11601 And in hir barm sco ledd hir child, Til þai come at a coue was dipe, þar þai þam thoght to rest and slepe, þar did þai mari for to light, Line 11605 Bot son þai sagh an vgli sight. Als þai loked þam biside, Vte o þis coue þan sagh þai glide Mani dragons wel sodanli, þe suanis þan bi-gan to cri. Line 11610 Quen iesus sagh þam glopnid be, He lighted of his moder kne, And stod a-pon þaa bestes grim, And þai þam luted vnder him. þan com þe propheci al cler, Line 11615 To dede, þat said es in sauter, "þe dragons wonand in þair coue þe lauerd agh yee worthli to lufe."

¶ Iesus he went be-for þam þan, Forbed þam harm do ani man. Line 11620 Maria and ioseph ne for-þi For the child war ful dreri, Bot iesus ansuard þaim o-nan, "For me drednes haf nu yee nan, Ne haf yee for me na barn-site, Line 11625 For i am self man al parfite, And al þe bestes þat ar wild For me most be tame and mild."