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

¶ Wen Adam wroght was alson In paradis þen was he don; þe bestes all, bath sco and he, War broght forwit him to see; Line 620 Fiss on sund, and fouxl on flight, Was broght all fort in his sight; All war broght to serue adam, And þat he suld gif ilkan nam. Line 624 þan gaue þat kyng his craft to kepe, Sleli adam þen gart he slepe; Vte of his side, als sais þe boke, Wit-oten sare a rib he tok; Line 628 And of þat rib he mad woman, Til adam þat was first his an; Quen sco was broght be-for adam, Virago gaf he hir to nam; Line 632 þar for hight sco virago, ffor maked o þe man was sco; Bath war naked þar licam, Line 635 Bot þar for thoght þam þen na scham. Drightin þam blessed, and bad þam brede, And multipli in þar sede; "Adam," he said, "how thinkt þe In þis stede es fair to be? Line 640 þis es a sted welt ful wan, [folio 5b:1] þar all godes wantes nan; Here lastes lijf wit-oten end, Her es nathing for to mend; Line 644 Her es blis þat lastes ai, Neuer night, bot euer day; Es nan forsoth wit hert mai think, Ne writer nan mai write wit inc Line 648 þe mikel ioy þat þam es lent, þat dos her will mi commandment.

O tres o fruttes es her god wan, All sal þai be þine bot an, Line 652 O þam al þi will to do; Bot yhon tre cum þou nawight to, þat standes in midward paradis; For if þou do, þou es noght wis. Line 656 þis tre haf i don in frith For i wil þat it haf mi grith; If ȝee it touche, i sal not lei, O duble ded þan sal ȝee dei; Line 660 lok for-þi, þat ȝee tak tent þat ȝee ne brek mi commament." And herbi mai we all wele se How he þam gaf þer will alfre; Line 664 þe gode to do, to leue þe ill, bath he sette in þare fre will; Witte and wisdam he þam gaue, Might and fairhed for to haue; Line 668 Of all þis werld mad adam king, Euer to last wit-outen ending; Emang his mani serekyn sele, I sal tell sum-quat of his wele: Line 672 Ar he Brak þat god him for-baad, In mikul blis þan was he staad, Of his wijf sa fair and fre, þat mikel mirth was on to se; Line 676 þe bestes boud him all aboute, Als to þair lauerd vnderloute; Fouxl o flight, and fiss on sand, Line 679 All fell him doun to fote and hand; At his will þai com and ȝode, Als he war fader o þair fode; þe bestes self war samer-tale, Wit-outen hurt þar herd ai hale; Line 684 Be-tuix þe wolues lai þe schepe, Sauueli moght þai samen slepe;

þe hund ne harmed noght þe hare, [folio 5b:2] ne nane soght on oþer sare; Line 688 Bi þe dere þat now es wild, Als lambe him lai þe leon mild; þe gripe alsua bi side þe bere Nan best wald til oþer dere; Line 692 þe scorpion for-bare is [s]tang Fra bestes þar he lai amang; Ilkin thing, on serekin wise, Ȝeld til adam þar seruise; Line 696 Ne þe nedder was noght bittur þan, þowf he was euer wittur; For of alle als scheus þe bok Mast he cuth o crafte and crok. Line 700 þe sun was þat time, þat i sai, Seuen sith brighter þen þe dai; þe mone was þat time als bright Als es þe dai þe sun o light; Line 704 hald naman þis for foly þe prophet it said, ysai; Of all thinges þat we here se, On hei, on lau, on land, on see, Line 708 War o gretter strengh and pith, Ar adam had fordon þe grith.