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

Expulsio ade & transgressio euis

Adam ȝode walkand in þat welth þat halden was in micul elth; Line 756 Quen he was fra his wijf a tharu þe nedder nerhand hir gun draw, And said, "womman, tel me now qui þat ȝee ette noght al communli Line 760 O paradis of ilk a tre?" "Certes," said sco, "sua do we Of al þe tres bot of an, þe midward tre is vs outtan, Line 764 Our lauerd in forbot has it laid." "And wat þou quarfor?" "nai," sco said. Bot sco said, "if we com þer nei O ded forsoth þan suld we dei; Line 768 þis tre suld him seluen haue, And we all othere [MS. looks like othmr, but the last letter is by no means clear.] þen þat laue." "And wenis þou þat it be sua Sum he has said yow?" "certes, ya!" "Nai, goddot," said þat felun, Line 773 "þar es vnder al sere resun; He dos it for he ne wald ȝee were Parigal til him ne pere; Line 776 þe south fra ȝow wil I noght hide, He wat wel wat tim or tide þat ȝee hade eten o þis tre [folio 6a:2] Als godds suld ȝee seluen be; Line 780 O wityng bath god an[d] ill ȝee suld be lauerds at ȝour will; Of it ȝee ette, sua red i ȝow, ffor ȝee sal find it es ȝour prow." Line 784 þis hight was þan sumdel mikel, þof it was ful fals and fikel.

Sone quen sco þis frutte biheild, Sco desirred it to haue in weild; Line 788 left sco nogh[t] for drede of blam Bot tok and ette and raght adam. Quat bot es lang mi tale to draw, Quat sum first þar was gain saw, Line 792 Al for noght þai ette it bath þat al þaier kin thoru fell in wayth; For of þat ilk appel bitt þair suns tethe ar eggeid yitt; Line 796 And sal be ai to domes-dai, Her egain mai naman sai. Quen þai loked on þer licam Aieþer thoght of oþere scham; Line 800 ffor quen þai sagh ham self al bare, þat welth and blis had cleþed ar, þai cled þam þan in þat mister Wit leues brad bath o figer. Line 804

¶ Wen þe find þus had þam nomin Wel he wend ha god ouercommin; And said wit hin his sari thoght, Line 807 "Ic haue him don to suinc for noght; His heuen he sal haue allan, O adam lott now getes he nan, To bring into þat heritage þat i haf tint wit min vttrage." Line 812 He leied þat eber file for-qui þat yett of man had god merci, Adam ware tint godd wald it noght, For he wit vikced [[? wicked]] red was soght; þe find was mare worthe to blam Line 817 þat wit his suik bi-suak adam; god wist wel þe find him suak For-þi yett wald he wit him tak, Line 820 Bot þof he siþen of him roght He wald it first ful dere war boght.