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

Quen iesus had his baptem tan, He left ihon still bi flum iordan, Fra þan þe folk he wald him knau; Bot ar he wild him fulli scau, Line 12919 For yeitt a quille he wild a-bide, Til he had fasten his lententide. [folio 71b:1] And þat wald he noght do apert, Bot yode in-to depe desert, þar þe haligast him ledd, Line 12924 And fasted fourti dais vn-fedd,— Fourti night and fourti dais, þan hungred him þe stori sais. Thoru þe kind of his manhede, Line 12928 þat fode of body has of nede, þe warlau wili has him soght, Faand he wald him if he moght, For it was sene he noght him kneu, Quen he be-gan do suilk a gleu. Line 12933 For-þi he him wald cast wit sinn, To wait if he had part him in. þat derf o ded, þat fals traitur, Com for to faand his creatur! Line 12937 He duted noght him war na bote, Bot stode right be his lauerd fotte, He sagh him hungri and for-fast, In glotoni he wend him cast, Line 12941 And said til him, "i wat ar [[read at]] þou Has fasted lang and hungres nu,

If þou be godd sun, bidd son, Line 12944 And gar þi comament be don, Bidd þir stanes be bred to will, And siþen mai þou ete þi fill;" þan said þe lauerd to þat fedd, Line 12948 "Man mai noght liue allan wit bred, Bot wit word man liues elles O godd, þat wit his muth he spelles." [L]eft noght þe warlau sua his werr, Bot herdili he yode him nerr, Line 12953 Qua herd euer best sua bald! He hint his lauerd al in his wald, In armes his, and tok his flight To tun o ierusalem ful right, Line 12957 And sett him on þe hei pinion O þe temple o þe tun. "If þou be godds sun," said he, "þus-gat sal i nu proue þe, Hu bot lepe dun to þe grund, Line 12962 þat þi bodi be noght stund, For written it es, 'he sal þe send Angels for to þe defend, To ber þe tuix þair handes sua Wit-vten hurt o fote or ta, Line 12967 Noþer to spurn on tre ne stan;' [folio 71b:2] Do lepe, for dred thar þe haf nan." þan said iesus, "þou aght to waand þi godd þi lauerd for to faand."

¶ Yeitt can þat chinche wit godd to chide, "Her sal þou," he said, "na langer bide, Sum o þir ansuar sal þou sai, Line 12974 Ar I fra þe yitt part a-wai." þat warlau him in armes hint, And bar him forth wit-vten stint, Apon þe heist fell he faand Line 12978 And þare he scaud him þe land,

Ilk king-rik and als cite Line 12980 Ouer-al þe werld þat þai moght se. "Nou seis þou noght," said þat felun, "Al þis werld, bath tur and tun? þe kinges all ar at mi fai, Line 12984 And thoru mi will all reng þai, And al i giue þam þe fra nu If þou to me wil knel and bu. Ne þe nu bird haf right na dute Line 12988 For to be-cum mine vnder-lute." Iesus þan said, "na langer Mai i nu þi wicked wordes ber, Fle sathanas, wit-vten duell, Line 12992 For written it es in bok o spell, 'þi lauerd þou aght to fot at fall, And wirscip wit þi mightes all.' " þe warlau left him fra þat tide, Line 12996 Durst he noght gain his biding bide, His angels come his seruis till, And duelld wit him at his will.

¶ Leue we him a littel quille Line 13000 And turn we to sant Iohn vr still,