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

[Of Antechrist.]

þat antecrist of dany[s] [[Originally dane]] sede. Line 21975 & now of him I. þink to rede. he þat is fulle of goddis grame quy he beris suche a name.

For-þi is he calde antecrist. Line 21979 for he salle be a-gainis crist. a-gainis crist þat is to say. for gaine werkus his he sal werray. criste come meke in his tide. Line 21983 & he salle come wiþ mikil pride. crist come to do þe lagh to rise. þe sinful for to make riȝtwise. bot he salle come þe meke to felle þe sinful raise squa sais þe spelle Line 21988 alle gode thew wiþ miȝt & maine he salle were ham a-gaine. þe gosspel & alle haly writte he salle for-do wa worþ his witte ¶ he salle do rise alle mawmettri. Line 21993 & calle his self god al-miȝty. þis antecrist has had ful fele. þat tille his seruise has bene lele [ [[from Laud MS. 416]] Alle antyoche & domiciane eke And now þer is full many seke] Line 21998 & quatkin man sim-euer hit is out of þe rewle of riȝtwisnes. auþer lewed or religioun. [how antecrist salle brede] clerk or monk. or ellis canoun. Line 22002 & destrois at þai sulde were. of antecrist þe name salle bere.

Now salle ȝe here I. wil ȝou rede. how þat antecrist salle brede. na-þing salle I. feny new. bot atte I. finde in bokis trew. Line 22008

Line 22008 þer clerkis sais þat ar wise. Line 22009 þat he in his kinde sal rise. & of þat kinde man callis dane. þat prophete mas rife þus is mane Dan he sais nedder strete waitande horis to fange in fete Line 22014 to do þe rider falle be way. þat als mikil is for to say. be way as nedder salle he sitte þat alle þa men þat he mai witt Line 22018 ridande in þe way of riȝt. he salle ham smyte & do ham liȝt he sal ham gif ful harde dint. out of þaire trauþ ham to stint. ¶ of fader & moder he sal be borne. als oþer men was him be-forne. Line 22024 bi-twix a man & a womman. & noȝt of a maidyn allane. als hit is talde foly of syn. be-twix a bisshoppe & a nunne. Line 22028 bot of a bisemer breme & balde. & getin of a glotoun scalde. þat þer mai be na fouler twin. he salle be getin alle in syn. Line 22032 getin in syn & borne in pliȝt. ouer al he sal be cursed wiȝt. ¶ In his geting þe fende of helle. sal crepe his moder in to dwelle. Line 22036 maister of errour & of pride. þer-in he salle his birþ a-bide. þou he be now in prisoun bunden. als hit in haly writte is funden. Line 22040 þat saint gregorie him-seluin wroȝt. þer-fore he sais he lesis noȝt. þe king of strenght þat he had ar þou þan his miȝt be latin mare.

þat is miȝt is noȝt now squa knawen. our lorde has done al for his awen. þat if he muȝt al walde he quel. for-þi he bundin has þat felle. Line 22048 he salle be lesed þen of bande. & mikil wa salle wirke in lande. þis is he þat sorouful þing. we rede in boke wiþ-out lesing. Line 22052 an angel sais he sagh lendande. wiþ a mikil cheuy in hande. & bare key of þat mikil pitte. Line 22055 als sais saint Iohn in hali writte. ¶ to þe dragoun squiþe he wan. þat men callis deuil sathan. & in þe pitte him spered fast. Line 22059 til a þousande ȝere ware past. for to be laused atte þe laste quen þa þousande ȝere ware caste. to walk his way forþ þat quile. Line 22063 & mani man for to be-gyle. þe king of pride þis ilk is he. & euer hit salle him folowand be ¶ & als hit in our lauedi liȝt Line 22067 þe hali gaste þorou goddis miȝt. & vmbelaide him wiþ his leme. [folio 92b:1] to brede þat blisful barneteme Line 22070 þat alle þe birþ þat ho sulde brede sulde haly be of his godhede. ¶ riȝt squa sal þe deuil descende. in antecrist moder for to lende. Line 22074 to fille þat caitif squa vnclene. & vmblay hir alle be-dene. als in his welde hir to receiue. & do hir þorou a man conceiue. þat al þat birþ at þer is borne. Line 22079 be wikked & fals & feloun lorne.

for-þi his name is calde wiþ riȝt Line 22081 of tinsel son þat cursed wiȝt. for alle þat he mai wirk þer-to. alle mannis kin he salle for-do. ¶ of his geting I. talde ȝou are. Line 22085 of his birþ salle I. telle ȝou quare for riȝt as crist him-seluen chese. be borne in bethleem for our ese his manhede for to bring in place þat he toke for vs wiþ his grace. Line 22090 riȝt squa salle þe fende he þis. chose him a birþ stede I.-wis. þat best is licande to his stalle qua is rote of Iuils alle. Line 22094 þar lest of godemen makis myn. þat is toun of babilioun wiþ-in. þis toun was sum-time chief of pers of mani oþer alsqua diuers. Line 22098 a toun of selcouþ mikil pride. heued of mawmettri þat tide. bethaida & coroȝaim al-so þer twa cites baþ two. Line 22102 our lorde snaipis þer ij. touns. & þus he sais in his sarmouns. chorazaim ay be þe wa. & squa þe be ay bethaida. Line 22106 & chapharnaum ay wa þe be. þe sinful sone sal regne in þe if þou þe rais vp in-til heyuen. til helle depe salle bei þei deuin ¶ Noris him salle enchaireours Line 22111 of ignorance & of iogelours. of alle maner of craftis ille. of alle falshede þai sal him fille þe wikkid gast ay is wers him folowande in alle his afers Line 22116

Line 22116 ¶ to ierusalem salle he siþen fare. alle þat he cristen findis þare. Line 22118 if þai turne noȝt til his lare. he salle ham sle wiþ-outen spare & in þe temple salamon. Line 22121 þen salle þe traitour sette his trone. & alle þat felle lange siþin gane he salle do raise hit eft of stane circumsise him þer he salle. & goddis son do him calle. Line 22126 þe grete kaisers & þe kingis. & suche oþer mani lordingis. turne þai salle til him be-fore. & siþen oþer baþ lesse & more. Line 22130 ouer alle þer crist was wont to ga. he salle ham ouer-gange alsqua bot first salle he do destru. þat halghed was of ihesu. Line 22134 siþen ouer alle þis werlde wide, he salle sende sande with mikil pride his preychours for to spel his wil. alle for þe cristen lagh to spille. Line 22138 fra see to bank fra norþ to souþ. he salle do make his sarmoun couþ ¶ he salle do mani signis be sene Line 22141 þat in our time has noȝt bene. thoner of loft falle sal he gere & trees þrali blomis bere. braþli to do þe see be reth. & quen he wille make hit smeth Line 22146 of signis sere þaire naturis. turnid be in sere figuris. a-ȝaine kinde & wiþ þe deuils craft þe bournis for to ryn of baft. Line 22150 þe winde to do rughly to rise. stormis mani þat men mai grise

to raise þe dede for mannis siȝt Line 22153 squa selcouþli to shew his miȝt be alle quayntis of mani þing þe folk vn-til his errour bring. bot alle suche signis wroȝt with art of soþfastnes salle haue na part Line 22158 ¶ wiþ iogolori þai salle be wroȝt & fantum be & ellis noȝt. as simon magus did in his quile riȝt squa salle he þe folk be-gile Line 22162 als he did wiþ suche craft til an. he slogh a shepe wende him ha slan. þe godemen sal suche se be wroȝt [folio 93a:1] he salle be studiande in þoȝt. queþer þat he be crist or nay. Line 22167 þat þai of here þe scripture say. ne is na lande þat man con neyuen vnder þe rofe of criste of heyuen. Line 22170 þat he ne sal do ham to be soȝt to bring þe cristen men to noȝt. he salle him-seluen do to rise a-gaine þe lele on þrin wise Line 22174 þat is to say wiþ gift wiþ awe. & wiþ grete signis for to shaw. þai þat in his trauþ wil holde sal plente haue of siluir & golde. Line 22178 for alle þe hordis þat ar hid. salle hali in his time be kid. þat he mai noȝt wiþ giftis draw. vn-til his trauþ he salle wiþ awe Line 22182 & þa þat he mai noȝt wiþ drede. wiþ signis salle he fonde to spede. & wha wil noȝt bi-leue him squa. he salle ham wirk ful mikil wa. Line 22186 mani sorouful pine to drey. & siþen drereli to deye

¶ þen salle þer rise wiþ mikil care. Line 22189 a sorouful squike was neuer are. sin man was made bi-twix & þan. & sin þe werlde hit first be-gan. þen sal þai fle þat walde be hid & to þe hillis salle þai bid Line 22194 hillis falle a-pon vs doun. to hide vs fra þis feloun. & he þat in hous is stad. þat time salle be a-drad Line 22198 ne salle him rek with-oute ne in queþer he be slaine or done to brin. he salle noȝt recche if men him stek or make him lepe his nek to breke þen salle alle þa shortli to say. Line 22203 ar fundin lele in cristen lay. auþer ihesu crist for-sake. or wonderli squa waful wrake. wiþ iren or fire or attre beste. how atte euer þai mai hardest. Line 22208 & squa wiþ sere maner of pine. In criste þai salle haue blisful fine ¶ þis dreri time þat ȝe of here salle lastande be half þrid ȝere Line 22212 for his derlingis þe story sais. our lorde salle do to short þe dais for if þe dais vn-shorted were. vnneþ sulde ani flesshe be fere. Line 22216 ¶ þe time of þis antecrist come. & of our lorde day of dome. saint paul sais in his sarmouns to þe folk of þe thessaliu[n]s. Line 22220 bot if comming doun be-tide. & he be commin þat childe of pride. þat is bot if discorde & strife. Line 22223 ouer alle þis werlde be runnin rife.

þorou sarasinis & antecrist. his come salle bide our lorde crist. Line 22226 ¶ we wate wele þorou story & vers. atte þe king-dome of grece & pers ware heued king-domis in forme tide wiþ pausty florissht mast of pride. & siþen was rome atte þe laste Line 22231 of alle þas oþer ouermast. þat þer sulde be na lede of lande. bot til rome hit ware bowande. & alle folk to rome sulde helde. Line 22235 & truage als til heued ȝilde. saint paule sais for þis resoun. þat first salle be comming doun. or antecrist salle come in lande. Line 22239 þat is þusgatis atte vnderstande. [[bot crossed through]] alle king-domis þat rome was vnder. fra lordehede of rome ham sundre þat first ware vnder romis awe. Line 22243 antecrist him felle noȝt to shawe. þis tid noȝt ȝet of romainē. al if hit destroied be grete party. ay quilis þe frenche kingis is. Line 22247 þat agh þe empire of rome to wis of rome empire þe dignite. ne mai na way al perist be. for in þa kingis salle hit stande ay quilis atte þai ar lastande. Line 22252 ¶ our maistris tellis of þis chaunce atte þer salle be a king of fraunce þat of þe romaine sal empire. hale lorde be and sire. Line 22256 he sal be in þe last daies. þe mast king of alle hit sais. baþ þen salle he be þe mast & of al oþer kingis þe last. Line 22260

Line 22260 [folio 93b:1] ¶ þis king salle be vmsere wiþ sele. Line 22261 efter þat he has regned wele. quen his regning is broȝt til ende to ierusalem salle he wende. Line 22264 þer salle he ȝilde vp wiþ his hande. þis coroun & his kingis wande. til ihesu crist his lorde squa hende. & squa salle cristen-dome take ende. Line 22268 & alsqua of þe empire of rome. þen salle sone þe antecrist come. ¶ efter saint paule þe apostle sais. he salle him shaw in þa dais. Line 22272 þat sinful man wiþ-outen make. þat sorouful son & ful of wrake. þe warlagh for to serue atte wille his wrange werkis to fulfille. Line 22276 he salle be calde þe deuil sone. alle wikked werkis in him sal wone alle falshede & felonie. & alle tresoun in him salle lye. Line 22280 he salle him raise sa hye on hiȝt. þat men salle cal him god of miȝt. him-self salle do þen to raise him. ouer goddis alle of þe alde time. Line 22284 ouer Iubiter & ouer appoline. þat goddis ware of sarasine. heier þen þer he salle him bere. for he salle be wele miȝtier. Line 22288 he salle make men him to rose ouer alle þat man to worship dose. out ouer þat hali trinite. þat agh of alle worshepid to be. Line 22292 in þe temple salle he sitte. & do men falsli for to wite. þat he is þat ilk criste to lete. Line 22295 þat ham was hiȝt þorou prophete.

¶ þer sal he do him circumsise. Line 22297 & make meruails wiþ his maistrise. I am þat crist þen sal he say. atte ȝou was hiȝt for many a day now am I. commin al for ȝoure hele þus salle he to þe iewes mele. Line 22302 commin I. am to gedder ȝou. þat has bene scailed ay til now. þe iewes salle shortin þaire consail. & turne til his trauþ al hale. ¶ þai salle wene crist atte vnder-fange Line 22307 & salle resceiue a deuil ful strange as crist has to þa iewes balde. in his gosspelle be-for talde. I come in my fader name. Line 22311 & ȝe do on me mikil shame. if a-noþer come in his awen. ful sone ȝe salle til him be drawen als sibbil sais in hir spelling. þat in time of þis for-saide king Line 22316 þat men salle calle costans in lede he salle haue mikil lorde-hede. of rome & alle þe empire. & of grece he sal be sire. Line 22320 a mikilman of stature heye. & large of face for to seye. luued wele wiþ-outen lame. wiþ-outen last al his licame Line 22324 mikil riches þen sal be. þe erþ salle giue of frute plente þe mette of quete as hit is talde for a peny hit sal be salde. Line 22328 wine & oyle on þat ilk pris. þen salle fra þe norþ a folk rise. þat alisaundre spred in god. & in a lande þat hatte magog Line 22332

Line 22332 þat foule folk na mouþ mai mele of þaire noumbre þer ar sa fele þis ilk forsaide vn-laghes lede Line 22335 ouer alle landis salle þai sprede & make þe men to drede ful sare to hillis fle to hide ham þare. mannis flesshe sal þai noȝt spare Line 22339 is na mete þai salle ȝerne mare hors & asse womman & barne. salle nane haue miȝt ham to warn. bot atte þe laste þe romaine king Line 22343 salle of his oste make grete geddering he salle ham bring alle to grounde & atte þe laste ham alle confounde a-gaine sarasinis grete werrour Line 22347 & baþ destroy ham toun & toure. & of mawmettri þaire templis al. & to baptim he sal ham calle. to turne to crist þat shed is blode In templis he salle raise his rode Line 22352 ¶ quen atte þis ilk duȝti þing salle be an hundre winter king. & xij. þer-to þen salle he fare to ierusalem as talde is are. Line 22356 & ȝilde vp þare his diademe [folio 94a:1] to þat lorde atte alle sal deme þe cristen kingdome vp to ȝilde to ihesu þat has alle to welde. Line 22360

Twa prophetis þen salle come in hye þat is to say ennoc & ely. againe þe assaute of antecrist. salle do þe lele to be warnist. Line 22364 he salle ham teyche he sal ham riȝt & strenght ham againe þat fiȝt. þe iewes salle conuert als hit sais alle þat fondin ar þa days. Line 22368

Line 22368 quen þai fulfillid haue þaire seruise þen antecrist gaine ham salle rise Line 22370 þe boke of spelling shewes squa. þat he salle ham baþ sla. quen þai haue laine dede ij. daies to liue our lorde salle ham raise Line 22374 þas oþer alle he mai ouer-reke. wiþ squorde he salle a-pon ham wreke or do ham to crist renay. if þai salle bere þaire life a-way. Line 22378 alle þat trawes in him sal gere in frunte þai salle a takin bere. bot quen þat ilk warlagh brid. his caitiue hede has ij. ȝere kid. Line 22382 ij. ȝere & a half þer-to. wiþ alle þe falshede þat he mai do ouer alle þis werlde of lenght & brede & namli a-gaine þe cristen lede. Line 22386 þat alle þat wille him sal with-stande salle þriuid be to life lastande. þen salle our lorde a-pon him sende his dome to driue him to ende. for cristis come sal be sliȝt. Line 22391 þat þorou þat mikil lorde liȝt. him salle stande sa mikil agh þat alle þe filþ of his magh. Line 22394 salle breste out atte his fondament for drede of crist he sal be shent. squa salle he peisshe al be-shetin Line 22397 baþ wiþ drede & sorou bitin. ¶ & oþer maistris noȝt for-þi. þat folowes þe worde of gregori. Line 22400 sais saint Michel sal him quelle in papilone as I ȝou telle in þat stede in his awen stalle at þis be soþ ful wele may falle Line 22404

Line 22404 for if saint michel come to place. to dome be-for our lorde grace. Line 22406 him sla salle noȝt his vertu. bot ellis þorou bidding of ihesu. & stabil agh we traw as stane þat als sone as he bes slane. Line 22410 criste salle noȝt come his dome to dele. bot als we finde in daniele. xl. daies he salle ham late. þat fallin ar out of þaire state. Line 22414 þorou folowing of þat fals prophete atte þai mai ham wiþ penaunce bete quen þaire penaunce tilende is wroȝt I. vnderstande al in mi þoȝt. Line 22418 þat is na man squa wise þat may. telle quen sal be þe last day. bot he þat alle has for to ȝeme. alle is in his wille to deme. Line 22422 þat last dai þat alle salle lende. he gif vs grace wiþ him to wende . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 22426