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

[The Betrayal and Last Hours of Christ.]

¶ Out of our lordes hali hande þe morsel toke Iudas & wiþ þat ilk snade he laȝt crepped in him sathanas. Line 15388 ful of venum & enuy. ful kindeled vp he ras fra þan he ranne him ilka fote ȝode he noȝt a pas Line 15392 til he come til þat in þer woned caiphas þe iewus riȝt þer he fande þat ware his lorde fas. Line 15396 he þat him for-soke may say ful many allas.

Quen þis traitour til ham come. In consaile he ham fande. Line 15400 how þai muȝt our lorde take þai walde him haue in hande þai asked Iudas quat he walde he saide to bring tiþande Line 15404 Ihesus þe prophete for to finde þat ȝe ar ȝernande. ¶ quare his innes ar to-niȝt ful wele I. con ȝou bring Line 15408

Line 15408 quat wil ȝe me to mede giue. I wil knaw quat þing. In handes ȝoures I. salle him teyche haldes hit for na heþing Line 15412 alle þai saide to sir Iudas. þou art a duȝti dring. & goder haile saltow se. for loue of þi tiþing Line 15416 ¶ þis marchandis lordinges leue had we of mikil nede bot to ham atte þe cheping dide hit fel to mikil vnspede Line 15420 þai askid Iudas quat he walde haue vn-to his mede. & þat fel traitour saide bot xxx. penis gnede Line 15424 make þou vs siker of him here lo þe penis we bede. quat sikernes wil ȝe mare. til him I. sal ȝou lede. Line 15428 gif me þe platis & go we now & hast us better spede. . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Fairfax & Laud MSS.] Line 15432

Quen þis wrecched Iudas þus resceyued had his fange. come forþ godemen he saide. quy dwelle ȝe now sa lange. Line 15436 þai armed ham alle priueli for to make ham strange. . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Fairfax & Laud MSS.] Line 15440 quen þai ware armed in þat court Iudas stode amang þe traitour fals þen saide til ham wiþ me now salle ȝe gange Line 15444

Line 15444 þe man þat I. ȝou sal be-teyche aboute him has grete þrang. for þi takin I. salle ȝou giue atte ȝe ga noȝt wrange. Line 15448 ¶ knaw ȝe þe man þat ȝe sal take be niȝt þai saide nay quar-wiþ þat he salle knawen be a takin I. salle ȝou say. Line 15452 þat ilk man ȝe se me kisse [folio 72a:1] ȝour hande on him ȝe lay for þat is he we ga to seke Line 15455 hit sal be done quoþ þai. for til hails him faire I. salle. ga forþ wiþ ȝou in way & loke ȝe folow me nerehande ȝus þai saide parfay. Line 15460 ¶ þe quilist þat ȝe me se him kis. lay hande on him a-nane. he has wiþ him sum men I.-wis bot armed is þer nane. Line 15464 if þai be-gyn ham to were. loke þai alle be slane. suche was þe talking of þat traitour to do his lorde be tane. Line 15468 ¶ A quat þis traitour Iudas was vnkinde baþ & feloun. þat þus his squete lorde soȝt. vn-to dampnacioun. Line 15472 better him had bene. to be dede; or bene wiþ bataile boun þen wiþ a kissing of suche wise him haue done þis tresoun. Line 15476 hit semis now he serued are. his moder malisoun. ¶ A þou Iudas traitour thefe falsest in any lede. Line 15480

Line 15480 of þi mykil wekkednes may al þis werlde of rede. Line 15482 how muȝt hit falle in þi hert to be-gyn suche a dede. suche a lorde for to sla. & þar-fore take þi mede Line 15486 þou ȝilde a-gayne atte þou has tane wiþ louyng & wiþ bede þou was & is þe traitour mast. þat euer ȝet was in thede. Line 15490

Leue we now Iudas here allane wiþ his tresoun. to speke of Ihesu þer was herbered in þat toun. Line 15494 how seint Petre mened him to. & saide him þis resoun. þou salle be saued lorde to-niȝt hit is noȝt to mistroun. Line 15498 xj. ar we ȝette to stande. we þe alle redy boun. ¶ if þai come þe to take. we salle ham were þe fra. Line 15502 we ar hardy men I.-nogh. a-gayne Iudas our fa quat weppenis haue ȝe quoþ ihesus sir we haue squordis twa. Line 15506 þen he bad ham alle be stille & saide I.-now ar þa. ¶ I do ȝou wete my breþer dere þat lange is siþen gane. Line 15510 þat ȝerned I. haue þis ilk mete maste atte ete of an. Iudas sal now come in hye for to do me be-tane. Line 15514 & ȝe for-soþ sal efter me be left ful wil of wane.

¶ Quen þai vnderstode þis worde in sorowing þai be-gan. Line 15518 & oure lorde calde eft siþe peter & saide him þan. Petre frende self sathanas has asked þe to fan. Line 15522 he wille þe sift if he may. als man dos corne & bran. bot I. haue praied for þi faiþ to stande agayne sathan. Line 15526 ¶ Petre confort breþer þine quen I. am led þe fra. lorde he saide ȝe wate atte I. þe loue & drede alsqua. Line 15530 I am redy to folow þe baþ in wele & wa. to suffre prisoun & al-so dede. for þi loue wil I ga. Line 15534 ¶ þen be-helde þat lorde hende a-pon þat squete meyne þat þaire mikil mourning made ful sorouful vn-to se. Line 15538 a my leue breþer he saide ful wele sal ȝe be þis ilk niȝt salle be parting be-twix ȝou and me. Line 15542 loke ȝe ȝou disconfort noȝt a time ȝette salle ȝe se þat ȝour myche vn-gladnes salle turne ȝou vn-to glee Line 15546 ¶ ffor ȝou my flesshe to ham is taȝt as prophecy is sette. [folio 72b:1] ¶ þat þorou my dede a-pon þe rode. salle mannis saule be bette. Line 15550 I. salle rise on þe þrid day to liue wiþ-outen lette.

& quen we salle in galilee eft be sammyn mette Line 15554 alle þe care atte ȝe haue now. clanly ȝe sal for-gette. ¶ Petre be þou noȝt a-dred. make noȝt to mykil care. Line 15558 ȝe wende ȝou in-to galilee. & I sal mete ȝou þare. I. he saide to leue þe þus þat sal be neuer mare. Line 15562 we salle ga in company; & suffre baþe a sare do wai leue frende quoþ ihesus þou salle for-sake me are. Line 15566 ¶ þou sal se ham ȝet to-niȝt do me ful grete dispite for þai wille wriþe on me. þing þat is þaire wite. Line 15570 or þe cok him craw to-niȝt. þries þou salle me nyte. & say atte þou me neuer sagh. bes þare na langer lite. Line 15574 bot þou sal couer & confort ham þat sitis in sorou & site. & þe & ham baþ of ȝoure care. I. salle ȝou make ful quite. Line 15578 ¶ alle þe apostles þen be-gan. to falle a-pon a grete & he him ȝode as wonte he was to þe mount oliuete. Line 15582 iij. disciplis wiþ him ȝode folowande atte his fete. a-bides here & prayes he saide I. salle come to ȝou skete. Line 15586 fra ham he ȝode him allane a stane caste of a strete.

¶ wiþ him þe þrin apostles toke. or he made his praier. Line 15590 petre Iame & seynt Iohn. þer iij him derrest were. priueli þai went him wiþ. for þai ware him dere. Line 15594 & shewed ham a-pon þe mount his consaile for to here. as blessed fader dos to sone. he can ham teyche & lere. Line 15598 & his anguis in his hert. to ham þus made he chere.

My saule is sorouful to dede þat I. salle suffre sone Line 15602 þe quilest I. ga my praier make. ȝe bide as ȝe ware wone. a stane caste he fra ham ȝode & þare he made his bone. Line 15606 til his fader dere of heyuen. þat sitande is in trone. his muche sorou can na man telle þat liuis vnder þe mone. Line 15610 ¶ ffor-þi godemen I. warne ȝou. to þink a-pon his care. & folow him our fader is to liue a-pon his lare. Line 15614 a-way ȝe do ȝour pride of life. þat ȝe wiþ mikil fare. & buxumnes for him ȝe bere. þat betin was ful bare. Line 15618 for his wa aȝt vs wepe. þat suffred for us sare. of alle þe soroues þat has bene suche herd ȝe neuer are. Line 15622 ¶ ffor quilest he lai in orisoun. til his fader he grette.

for þe mikil dredenes of dede his hali flesshe hit squette. Line 15626 hit was blode þat of him ran. þe place was wiþ hit wette strange was þat sorou I.-wis þat in his hert was sette. Line 15630 ¶ ffader he saide þou here þi sone. þat now to þe wille cry. queþer I. salle þis dede drink. or I. salle pas þer-bi. Line 15634 ffader he saide quat-euer þou wille I. sal hit noȝt deny. alle þi wille hit sal be done þer-to am I. redy. Line 15638 ¶ lordinges for goddes loue I. say. herkenis to my spel. of suche a sorou as I. ȝou saide man herde of neuer telle Line 15642 wiþ strange drede he stoned was þorou alle his flesshe & felle [folio 73a:1] quen squete of blode out of him brast þat on þe erþ hit felle. Line 15646 ¶ quen he was risen of his stoure til his felawes come he alle on slepe he fande ham fast for sorou & pyte. Line 15650 ful squeteli til ham he spac. breþer quat do ȝe. risis vp & wakis a quile. þat ȝe ne temp[t]ed be. Line 15654 Petre wake wiþ me a stont þus heȝt þou noȝt to me. þaire eien ware greued with weping þat sorou hit was to se Line 15658 ¶ ris vp peris has þou now. for-geten atte þou me heȝt.

þou saide for me if mister ware. to dede thole sulde þou fiȝt. Line 15662 & now þou may noȝt wake with me. an owre of an niȝt. bes wacande ay in orisoun for þe feule wiȝt. Line 15666 if þe spirit ay redi be. þe flesshe is boun to pliȝt.

[[MS. O]] Quen he had þus-gate ham taȝt stil he left ham þare. Line 15670 & went him eft vn-to þat stede quare he praied are. mikil he dred þat harde dede þat broȝt vs out of care. Line 15674 ful buxumli he laide him doun. a-pon þat erþ bare. & til his squete fader of heyuen. þen mened he his fare. Line 15678 wiþ wordis þat be-fore saide & nauþer lesse ne mare. ¶ Syn squa is þat I. sal drink þis calice fader myne. Line 15682 þorou my bodi most hit pas. þe þoling of þis pine. I am þi sone al-redi boun. to fulfil alle þine. Line 15686 wiþ þis he ras out of his place. þat he anoured him in. ¶ quen he had made his orisoun vp sone he was a-way. Line 15690 he come til his apostles þan. slepande alle þai lay. to wakkin ham ȝet walde he noȝt for-soþ as I ȝou say. Line 15694 of ham redeles him rewed sare he went him forþ his way.

vn-to þe hille þe þrid siþe his fader for to pray. Line 15698

Quen he had þe þrid siþ made his orisoun. & mening til his fader dere. made of his passioun. Line 15702 þe strange sorow þat him led. can na man rede ne roun. þe angel out of heyuen come. on slepe þai lay alle doun. Line 15706 ¶ wakkenes [[Slepis crossed through.]] now for wele ȝe may. now breþer leue he saide. for he is comande nere atte hande. þe tresoun has puruaide. Line 15710 for my gode he sal me giue. a ful harde braide. & mikil wa ȝet sal he wete be-fore him is hit laide Line 15714 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Fairfax & Laud MSS.] ¶ he has wroȝt if he walde wete him-seluen mikil wa. Line 15718 wiþ mikil folk now comande is. he þat is my fa. sper & squorde & mase þai bring & weppenes oþer ma. Line 15722 Iudas ȝonder comes he lo. þat sekis me to sla. ¶ fful merred ware þai in þaire mode for mirk hit was þe niȝt. Line 15726 as þai on ferrum loked ham fra þai sagh comande a liȝt. his disciplis wex ful ferde Line 15729 quen þai sagh þat siȝt. of launternes staf squorde & spere & many helmis briȝt Line 15732

Line 15732 & Iudas armed to þe fote alle-redy for to fiȝt. Line 15734 on him þat he sulde fiȝt fore wiþ resoun & wiþ riȝt.

Ihesus went him forþer-ward his disciplis him folowande Line 15738 vn-til a stede a litel ȝarde & þer he con stande. Iudas wele know þe stede quare ihesus was hauntande Line 15742 wiþ his fals felawshepe [folio 73b:1] þe traitour þare him fande. ¶ quen Iudas had auised him. quilk hit was ihesu Line 15746 sone he ran him for to kis. & hailsed him herkenes how. haile maister he saide þou be. Iudas quat sekis þou. Line 15750 ihesus he saide of nazareth ȝe haue him funden now. ¶ I am he for-soþ he saide vn-tille ham alle þan. Line 15754 Iudas & his felawshepe. alle on bak þai ran. þat fel doun sone vn-to þe grounde. euer-ilka man. Line 15758 Iudas ilk lime he quoke. alle vp þai siþen wan. ¶ ȝet askid ihesus quat þai soȝt þai saide ihesu seke we. Line 15762 & als be-fore I. haue ȝou saide. here haue ȝe funden me. Iudas lepe eft vp him to. aue raby quoþ he. Line 15766 for to kis his squete mouþ he bedde hit him ful fre.

sin ȝe me layte I. ȝou be-seke ȝe lete my felawes be Line 15770 Iudas he saide quat þou salle do. þer-to þan hye þou þe

Quen Iudas bed him for to kis ihesus grocched noȝt Line 15774 Iudas he saide sum tyme. ful mykil of þe I. roȝt. now þou has wiþ felony. made me salde & boȝt. Line 15778 wiþ a cosse has þou man sone vn-to þi baundoun broȝt. ¶ wiþ þis worde atte was saide þai stert ham forþ ilkan. Line 15782 þai him vmbset on ilk side. þat sone þen was he tane. wiþ macis & wiþ knyuis smert vn-rekenli on him ran Line 15786 ilk dint þai him gaf. hit reyched to þe bane. Petre þat him loued sa wele he sagh na better wane. Line 15790 of þe skawbard his squorde he drogh þe ere he smate of an. for had hit bene ofter his wil. he walde him fayne haue slane Line 15794 Petre saide ihesu þou sal do way. þat dint now gif þou nane. ¶ In-to þe sheþe þou putt þi squorde I wil noȝt atte þou smyte Line 15798 on malcus ere his hande he laide & heled him ful tite. he þat smitis wiþ squorde with squorde I. sal him quite. Line 15802 I wil þat nane for my sake. nauþer feȝt ne flite.

¶ Petre frende I. say to þe. queþer þou has hit for-gette. Line 15806 if I. my fader walde be-seke. I muȝt wiþ-outen lette. haue xij. thousande legiouns redi alle vmsette. Line 15810 bot nede wil þe prophecy þat I to dede be bette. ¶ Petre was in hande tane Line 15813 for forfait he had done ihesus toke malcus ere. & heled wiþ-outen hone. ga forþ he saide my fader has wroȝt for þe my bone. Line 15818 Petre walde a-way haue bene & þen he escaped sone forþ a-way his lorde þai led. wiþ him was left ful fone. Line 15822 ¶ By his heued & bi his hare forþ his maister þai drogh & ronsaked him vnrekenli. Line 15825 baþ ouer hil & scogh. & wiþ cordis girde him squa. þat dide him mykil wogh how þai him led þat ilk time to se was sorou I.-nogh Line 15830 ¶ how wiþ stauis þai him bette riȝt vn-to þe grounde. þai spitte on him mare vily þen he had bene an hounde. Line 15834 his disciplis atte ware ferde to fle be-gan to founde. & mony a falle þai him gaf wiþ-in a litel stounde Line 15838

[folio 74a:1] Quilest þai ware handeland him. als vily as þai moȝt.

quy do ȝe squa gode men he saide & quat is in ȝoure þoȝt Line 15842 wiþ stauis quy bete ȝe me squa. quat haue I. gayne ȝou wroȝt. quar-fore haue ȝe takin me. & als thefe vmbesoȝt Line 15846 wiþ launterne a-pon niȝter-tale & I. ne fled ȝou noȝt. ¶ for-soþ I. neuer serued hit. in dede ne in sagh. Line 15850 in þe temple was I. wont to teyche men ilk dagh. þer many man was wont to come wiþ maistres of þe lagh. Line 15854 maister was þer nane sa grete þat I. dred for þaire agh ne of þe þingis þat I. haue saide. my worde wiþ squike with-dragh. Line 15858 ¶ now ar ȝe comyn me to take as in mirkenes of niȝt. & now ȝe haue tane me wiþ-outen ani pliȝt. Line 15862 for ȝe me hate to þe dede haue ȝe nane oþer riȝt. & now hit is out of time. mirkenes wiþ-outen liȝt Line 15866 ful ilhaile trawed ȝe. Iudas þat cursed wiȝt. mikil pine puruaide is ȝou. bot mare til him is hiȝt Line 15870

His hend þai bande & led him forþ a-trot & noȝt a-pas. riȝt til þaire awen bisshop hous þai calde him cayphas Line 15874 mate & wery ware þai þan þai ne wiste neuer quy hit was

left þai noȝt be-hinde ham. þat fals feloun Iudas Line 15878 þer he deliuered his maister vp. þat bundyn was wiþ las Line 15880 þe felouns him logh til heþing on ilk side allas. ¶ Petre folowed him on ferre. & durst noȝt come in siȝt Line 15884 for wonder gladli walde he wete of þe ending if he miȝt. to caiphas hous he him come & þidder he him diȝt. Line 15888 now I. hope hit wille be haldin atte ihesu criste him hiȝt. . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Fairfax & Laud MSS.] Line 15892 ¶ quen he was to þat palas commyn. spered was þe ȝate. a knawen frende was porter & in he dide him late Line 15896 preueli wiþ-in his mode for was he neyuer sa mate gladli walde he speke & spir bot atte quam he ne wate. Line 15900 ¶ what sulde of his maister worþ. wite walde he ful fayne a-quile forþ he ȝode. a-noþer quile a-gayne. Line 15904 quat þai þoȝt wiþ his maister do. gladli walde he frayne bot sare he dred þai ware sa felle. of ham he sulde be slayne. Line 15908 ¶ A fyre was kindeled in þe halle. þe niȝt hit was ful calde. many drogh a-boute þat fire. for tiþinges þat was talde. Line 15912

Line 15912 Petre þidder-ward him drogh. al if he was vnbalde. Line 15914 a seriaunt þer was warre of him. & con him to be-halde. ¶ quen þis man had a-vised him. & þer-bi sagh him stande. yon he saide is an of his Line 15919 þat we haue in hande. nay shortli quoþ he ȝe do mys-vnderstande. Line 15922 ne wiste I. neuer quat he was syn I. was borne in lande

Petre drogh him bakker mare & vnneþis was he gane. Line 15926 quen malcus sone wiþ him mette. & saide þis ilk is an. he smate myne ere of sicureli I walde atte he ware tane. Line 15930 I quoþ peter knawlage of him had I. neuer nane. ¶ wiþ þis he drogh him nere þe ȝate & walde haue bene þer-oute Line 15934 bot þer he mette a womman sone [folio 74b:1] þat did him maste to doute. him þis ho saide for-soþ I. sagh. langare wiþ him in route. Line 15938 þou sais noȝt soþ I. knaw him noȝt. ne neuer was þare a-boute. ¶ I knaw him noȝt for-soþ he saide þar-tille his athe he square. Line 15942 be þis was time of niȝt passed midniȝt or mare. þen be-gan þe cok to craw. ihesus be-helde him þare. Line 15946 peter þen him be-þoȝt. quat he him saide are.

& went him forþ atte þe ȝate wepande ful selli sare. Line 15950

Ihesus turned him a-boute on peter his ey he kest. þen wiste he commyn his maister worde wiþ-oute langer frest. Line 15954 quen he him-self vnderstode. alle-maste his hert con brest. þat niȝt he did him til a roche þer-vnder or to rest. Line 15958 for he ne wiste quidder to wende ne quat atte him was best.

Hit is writin of iudas quen he had done þat sin. Line 15962 wiþ his penis atte he toke went til his moder in. moder I. haue my maister salde salle he naman be-gyn. Line 15966 & in my purse þe prise I. bere & þus-gatis con .I. wyn. ¶ Iudas was ihesus awmener baþ thefe & traitour balde. Line 15970 & ay þe siluer to him was taȝt & selden a-countis he ȝalde. of his þeft & his felony his moder alle he talde Line 15974 [ [[from Laud MS.416]] And how he to the iewis had his owne master sold] ¶ Sone has þou þi maister salde moder he saide ȝa. Line 15978 ho saide þe iewes wil him shende I. wate þai wil him sla. to þe dede þai wil him do bot he salle rise þer-fra. Line 15982 Iudas saide nay godote. sal hit neuer be squa.

¶ Ne salle he neuer rise eft truli I. þe hiȝt. or sal þis ilk cok vprise Line 15987 was skalded ȝuster-niȝt. vnneþes had he saide þat worde þe cok lepe vp on fliȝt Line 15990 feþerred fayrer þen be-forne & krew þorou goddis miȝt. & þen be-gan þe traitour fals. to drede him for his pliȝt. Line 15994 ¶ þis hit was þat ilk cok þat petre herde him craw. quen he had nite his lorde þris. he did him feloun knaw. Line 15998 speke we how þai ihesu led. þis folk wiþ-outen awe. baþ hidder & þidder wist þai noȝt quidder atte þai walde him dragh. Line 16002 þe grete dispite þai til him did. sorou hit ware to shawe. ¶ alle þat niȝt he was in hande amang þat cursed lede. Line 16006 apon þe morne ran þidderwarde þe folk as þai walde wede. þe lordinges alle ware ofter sent to be bifore þis dede. Line 16010 petre quen he segh þe day til his felawes he ȝede. ham to conforte & visite. for þar-of had þai nede. Line 16014 a soroufuller niȝt miȝt na man haue þen he had as we rede.