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

[What shall happen on Domesday.]

þen salle be herd þe blast of beme þe demester salle come to deme. Line 22712 þat al þing of standis awe. In quatkin fourme I. salle ȝou shaw. we traw & alle agh for to leue þat come of adam & of eue. Line 22716 þat ofter his resurreccioun. þe heye dai of þe assencioun. come ihesus til his frendis squete þer þai ware sette at þaire mete. Line 22720

Line 22720 & þai þat ware in drede & doute. wiþ grete trauþ he broȝt ham out & siþen vp til heiuen he stegh. mani man onstode & segh. Line 22724 his disciplis for þis siȝt. mikil he did þaire hert to liȝt. a clowde againe him sagh þai liȝt & bare him vp was wonder briȝt. verray man & god verray. Line 22729 als for to deme on domis day. þat ilk fourme come sal he þare. þat he in erþ his croice bare. Line 22732 squa salle he come bot wite ȝe þan. þat sin þe werlde first be-gan. was neuer sene squa sorouful tide als þat day sal be for to bide. Line 22736 ¶ quen he come first his come to kiþ wiþ mekenes he can hit miþe. þat come was baþ derne & hid & þis come hit sal be kid. Line 22740 to alle þis werlde he salle him shaw for riȝtwis lorde þai mai him knaw. baþ heiuen & erþ for him sal drede as ȝe be-fore haue herde me rede hit is na clerk mai write wiþ Ink Line 22745 ne mouþ to mele ne hert to þink. þe hundreþ & þe þousande kniȝtis salle folow þat mikil lorde of miȝtis wiþ him to come vn-to þis dai. [folio 96a:1] allas quat salle þe sinful say. Line 22750 vn-gainande þen sal be his gammin quen he to bren salle se al sammin. baþ lande & se & alle þingis. þat ani werldis was haldin with kingis Line 22754 sorouful bes þan þe sinful chere quen al þa ilk sal trumpis here.

be-for þe face of þat kaiser Line 22757 angels salle þe baner bere. þat is þe rode he was on spred þat he wiþ; vs to life has led. Line 22760 & ouer-come þe feinde wald al for-fare Is na baner he dredis mare. was neuer sunne shinande sa clere þe teinde part as þat banere. Line 22764 þe briȝtnes of þat croice sa shene ouer alle þe werlde hit sal be sene þus heyli bot wele heilier. sal come to deme þe demester. Line 22768

Atte dome he salle noȝt sitte allan. bot felawes wiþ him manian. alle þa þat squa ham-seluin toke. & werldis worshepe al-so for-soke. Line 22772 siluer & go[l]de & ese of life. & did þaire flesshe for him in strife & trauailled ham on alle wise. to serue crist in þaire seruise. & folowes lelly alle his laghes Line 22777 þer men sal be his felawes. for to deme baþ dede & quik queþer-sim þai be gode or wik.

Al þat salle be atte þat assise. al hale ham-self þai sal vp-rise. Line 22782 in bodi & saule alle of new wise al þorou þe strenght of þat Iustise þat ilk flesshe þat we haue now. we salle be þan squa sal we trow. & oþer nane we writin finde Line 22787 quo oþer trauis in trauþ ar blinde. of þis trauþ harde is trauþ to finde for-qui hit semis a-gaine kinde. quen men ar rotin flesshe & banis fra time atte þai ar moltin anis. Line 22792

Line 22792 haue pith & life as þai had are hit semis squa neuer-mare. Line 22794 mistrow þat hit is na nede. herkin quy I sal þe rede. quen god wil squa þat vp-beris alle þat mannis flesshe to molde falle. Line 22798 muȝt he noȝt þen wiþ his maine. þat ilk erþ make flesshe againe. he þat hit wroȝt for-dos þe fles & makis eft quen his wil is. Line 22802 he þat dos flesshe turne in-to lame of lame mai wirk flessheli licame. a bodi he mai make sone of oȝt. þat alle þis werlde wroȝt of noȝt. for-þi shortli is noȝt atte ne he. Line 22807 mai make quat-euer his wille be. ne doute riȝt na man in his dede. for trauþ salle do man best to spede. qua doutis he is barne þe mare Line 22811 of trauþ allane is þis lare. ¶ alle may he do he atte alle weldis. if þou wille wite oȝt of þaire eldis. þat þai salle in þat day vprise Line 22815 saint paule vs sais suche kin wise. þat litel & mikil alde & ȝinge. sal be al atte. þaire vprising. of elde as þai sulde be here Line 22819 quen þai ar of xxx. ȝere. þat elde atte criste had at his dede. quen he broȝt vs fra our quede. & if atte ani here liuand. Line 22823 was wemmid auþer on fote or hande on heued on bak on brest or side. als we se chaunce oft be-tide. on mouþ or neyse or ellis-quare. Line 22827 or bote a-pon his bodi bare.

cripil crokid or turnid on baft. Line 22829 or limis a-gaine kindeli craft. þorou mare or lesse lime haue last. atte þe vprising þat salle be rast. Line 22832 alle þa þat god has chosin til his. for to be broȝt vn-to his blis quat-sim þai in þaire life a bene. ne salle na wemme on ham be sene. Line 22836 ne na þing bot alle fairehede als we in hali scripture rede. alle sal haue riȝt limes þare. Line 22839 salle þai nauþer haue lesse ne mare. ¶ bot take tent quat I say to þe. of faire stature quat hit salle be Line 22842 & of þaire elde of ham I. mele. þat crist takis for his awen hele. þa oþer salle haue fairehede nane. [folio 96b:1] Line 22845 for alkin welþ salle ham be wane. of ham hit is to telle na tale. for na bote comis of þaire bale.

Þere childer þat ar abortiuis Line 22849 þe quilk þat ar noȝt born with liuis Sal rise in xxx. winter elde. to litel bote to ham or belde. for þai ware noȝt baptist i-wis Line 22853 ne salle þai haue na part of blis. þer mikil maisters sais atte þai. mai sauid be on nankin wai. of ham to speke I. halde me stille. Line 22857 bot ihesu crist mai do his wille.

Þe men þat þorou þaire awen gilt wiþ heueding slaine or hanging spilt þorou þaire sin & þaire felonie. Line 22861 or wiþ houndis eten mast party. mani wenis þat ar vn-wise. Line 22863 at þat flesshe hale sal neuer rise.

& þat to wene is bot madhede for-quy I. salle þe resoun rede. Line 22866 out of alle skille hit is & riȝt for to mistrow in goddis miȝt. Line 22868 quat man mai wite quat man mai lere quat eye mai se quat ere mai here quat man in erþ mai þink in þoȝt how al þis werlde our lorde wroȝt heyuin & erþ alle in þaire waldis þat miȝti god alle vp-haldis. Line 22874 ¶ wate ȝe noȝt wele of an sede. he dos an hundre for to sprede. þorou his wille dos þat king. out of þe harde tree to spring. Line 22878 first þe lefe & siþen þe flour. & siþen þe fruite wiþ his sauour. alkin frute in hit sesoun. Line 22881 sulde we þer-of wite resoun. how he dos alle þing to naite. certis þat ware bot surfaite. Line 22884 þe mare man squinkis him þer-a-boute fra spede þe ferrer he sal be out. ¶ ensaumple I sal ȝou shew þer-by. þat I fande writin of saint gregorie Line 22888 þer he was in a stede sumquare a crafti clerk and wise of lare. he askid him suche a questioun. of a wolf and of an lioun. Line 22892 & of þe þrid þat was a man. quar-of þe tale þus be-gan.

A man welk þorou a wodis way þer nere þe strete a wolf him lai. Line 22896 he woried þis man riȝt in þe strete & al þis mannis flesshe he ete. als squiþe sim he squa had done an hungry lioun mette he sone. Line 22900

Line 22900 vp & doun his pray secande. Line 22901 quen he na noþer best ne fande þis wolf he felled & ete him al. ne left he nauþer grete ne smalle þe lioun ofter died in hy. Line 22905 dede þen can his caroyne ly. & þas ware rotin al to noȝt. quare now sulde þis man be soȝt for I. ne mai traw on nankin wise Line 22909 þat þis man mai wiþ life vp-rise sin nane is als I. wene þat can. twin þat erþ þat come of man Line 22912 fra þat erþ bred of best saint gregori gaf him ansquare honest & to þat man þat was in were þe soþ he shewed him alle clere Line 22916 & prouid him wiþ quik resoun. þat at þis resurreccioun. wiþ alle limis hale and fere. sal come be-for þe demestere. Line 22920 for if his bodi ware alle to brint & blawen oueral þe pouder tint ȝet mai god gedder hit againe & new him atte his wil with maine alle þe flesshe þat was of man. Line 22925 soþfast salle be raised þan. hit sal be delt in litil weue. þat was of best al sal be leue. ¶ wele can he deuise þe tanefra þe toþer for to depart an fra a-noþer. Line 22930 squa hali sal þai rise þare ham salle noȝt wante a heuid hare ne noȝt a naile of fote ne hande bot ȝet we sal vnderstande. Line 22934 þat naile & hare þat has bene shorn. bes noȝt al quare þai ware beforn.

pot als potters wiþ pottis dos. Line 22937 quen he his new vessel for-dos & hit be noȝt vn-to his pay. al now he tempris his clay. & makis eft in-to balle. [folio 97a:1] Line 22941 a better potte to make wiþ alle. of noȝt he lokis quilk was quilk. bot makis a-noþer out of þat ilk Line 22944 wele fairer þen hit first was wroȝt. riȝt squa salle criste doute þou noȝt. he þat is lorde of erþ & heiuen. mai of þat ilk seluin eyuen. Line 22948 þat first was moltin in-to lame. make a wele fairer licame. & if þer-of ware mare & lesse. ga mesure hit als his willis is. Line 22952

Oon paske-dai sais saintis some at þe dai of dome salle come. þe dai he did him-self vprise he wil vs raise þat ilk wise. Line 22956 he salle deme at midwarde þe niȝt þat ilk time he sende his miȝt vn-til egipt þat folk to quel. þat ilk time he heried helle. þat ilk time salle come þat king. Line 22961 his lele vn-til his blis to bring.

Þe stede of dome quare al sal bete vs tellis Ioel þe gode prophete þat þorou his mouþ sais driȝtin. quen I salle haue merci of mine. Line 22966 salle breke þaire bandis & þair lacis I. salle ham confort & solace. In þe vale of Iosaphat I. sale. do gedder to-gedder alle ledis hale Line 22970 þer salle I. giue dome of dede. bot mani man þat wele can rede

vnderstandis noȝt al verray. quat þe vale of Iosaphat is to say. Line 22974 a-mange a hundre men of wane vnder-standis hit wele noȝt an. þai wene atte our lorde of miȝt. Line 22977 sal come in-to þat dale to liȝt. þat Iosaphat is calde ay quare & wenis þe dome hit sal be þare vnder þe mounte of oliuete. Line 22981 als hit is neyuened of þat prophete þai take na kepe bot to þe letter. & litel is ham þer-of þe better. Iosaphat qua giues entent Line 22985 be-takenis goddis Iuggement Ierom sais of þat prophecy. þat Iosaphat mai signify. Line 22988 our lordes dome qua riȝtly spellis þat beris þe worde & na þing ellis. bot qua wille wite soþ & riȝt of saint paul sagh he miȝt. Line 22992 he sais þat our lorde sal liȝt vn-to þe cloudis þat ar on hiȝt. in þe aire on loft he sal him shaw. to do his miȝtis for to knaw. Line 22996 þer sal we wete quere. we sal lende to dwelle for euer wiþ-outen ende. þe wicked atte dred noȝt his awe. here doun þai sal be dampned lawe. Line 23000 þai sal na miȝt haue vp to win. for þe birþin of þaire syn. vp in þe skew þe dome salle be squa trawes hali kirk & we Line 23004

Bot is na man squa wise can telle how lange atte dome þat crist sal dwel. bot þe vprising wiþ-outen hone ful squiþe I.-wis hit sal be done. Line 23008

Line 23008 baþ sal rise in litel weye. Line 23009 al þat ware dede & at sal deye. saint austin sais touchand þat day. is nane can goddis consail say. of dome men callis hit þe day. Line 23013 queþer þer be ma þen an or nay. vnder þe name of day men sal. vnderstande þe time þat alle. Line 23016 salle be dampned at þat dome sa strange queþer hit last short quile or lange.

Þai þat sal braþli deye þat tide. to bete sal þai na space a-bide. Line 23020 bot þai þat has bot synnis liȝt. sal clensed be alle for þe siȝt. þe feindis sal to þe dome be led. to make þa wrecched caitefs dred. Line 23024 þai sal haue dome sa lagh to be. þat saintis þat on him sal se. mani man for ham sal grow. & þat þar na man mistrow. Line 23028 qua-sim in sin liȝt is tane. & penaunce þar-fore done has nane þaire penaunce sal be seurely to loke on þa deuels witerli. Line 23032 þe drede of ham can na man. tel þai ar sa wikked & sa felle. þat dredenes sal be squa vnmete Line 23035 þat hit mai al suche synnis bete. & þa þat ar in dedeli sin. [folio 97b:1] sal winde to pine wiþ-outen blin.

At þis dome be-fore melt. sal alle lede in four be delt. Line 23040 þe gode in twin on his riȝthande þe wikked riȝt squa on þe lift to stand þe formast þan sal stande him nere als þa þat ar duȝti and dere Line 23044

Line 23044 þat alle þis werldis wil for-soke. Line 23045 & vtterli to god ham toke. þat sin & sake for him houed. & bodi & saule to him bowed. þat went in-to religioun. Line 23049 & did þaire bodis in prisoun. & trauailled aboute dai & niȝt for to serue our lorde of miȝt. grete lordeshepe salle ham be lent. of na dome salle þai be shent. Line 23054 ¶ alle þe hali men salle come. wiþ our lorde vn-to þat dome. noȝt to be dampned þou sal wite. bot in þaire segis for to sitte. Line 23058 for felawshepe our lorde to bere baþ as iustise & demester. lange hit is sin crist I.-wisse. Line 23061 þis couenaunde had hiȝt til his.

Þe toþer rawe be-side sal bene. a loueli company to sene. þat sal be of gode cristen lede. þat did in life mani gode dede. Line 23066 al if þai richesse had I.-nogh. þar-fore þai to na tresour drogh. bot squilk as þai had in catele. þai did to pouer men hit dele. Line 23070 & gaf þaire hert for loue of mede. þe nedi for to cleþ and fede. & willi ware to do & glad. þat men of hali kirk ham bad. Line 23074 & did þaire trespas here amende. truli trawande atte þaire ende squilk men þat squa bare ham here of dome bot gode sal þai noȝt here ful liȝt sal be þaire charge þat dai. Line 23079 to ham ful squeteli salle he say.

ȝe blessed folk baþ men & wyuis. þat me ware seruand in ȝour liuis. In my greuaunce ȝe did me gode. I was hungri ȝe gaf me fode. Line 23084 me þristed sare drink ȝe me broȝt. prisoned I was & ȝe me soȝt. quen I. in sekenes stad was sare. Line 23087 ȝe come to conforte me of care. for calde of bodi quen I. toke harme ȝe gaf me claþis me for to warme. quen I. was wil of way vn-rest. godeli toke ȝe me to gest. Line 23092 for ȝe haue seruid me squa wele to mede ȝe sal haue lastande cele þe cele þat ȝe haue soȝt to win. for euer salle ȝe lenge þer-in. Line 23096 for-þi ȝe salle as I. ȝou say. haue lastande life for euer & ay. þe quilk ihesus criste bring vs to. for in þis werlde is bot vn-roo. Line 23100 ful wele is him þat wone mai þare for thar him neuer þan wite of care

Þer salle be on his oþer side wrecchis standand in waful wede Line 23104 & on ham salle he alsqua. þaire party do be dalt in twa. foule & stincande sal þai be. sary & sorouful on to se. Line 23108 ¶ þe first raw þat ar stincande. sal be of wrecchis mistrawand þat renaide ar & traitours als man mirþeres & theuis fals. Line 23112 þat þorou cursing or oþer pliȝt. of kirk has tint þe help wiþ riȝt fra þe commune of cristen men. þa traitours ar eth atte ken. Line 23116

Line 23116 þat in þaire life was wont to ly. Line 23117 in horedome & in liccherie. folowande alle þaire hert wille. & mast ham likid didis ille. Line 23120 wiþ-outen reuþ or wil to mende vn-shriuin ware þai at þaire ende bot deied in dedeli syn of dede. þer to deme sal be na nede. Line 23124 for þai ware dampnid or þai come þare þaire dome a-pon ham-self þai bare

Þe toþer rawe is il I.-nogh. of cristen fals & ful of wogh. Line 23128 þat makis ham cristen men wiþ name & vnder seruis goddis grame. falsli is he cristen calde. Line 23131 þat cristis laghes wil noȝt halde. fals hit is þat loue to knaw. [folio 98a:1] þat nauþer wille for loue ne awe. do þat him sulde be to queme Line 23135 quar-wiþ men miȝt him-seluin ȝeme pot in pride & treccherie. & in nyste & in liccherie & vntellande sinnis fele. Line 23139 þe hundre part I. mai noȝt mele. þat man riȝt now his life in ledis squa dogged in þaire wikked dedis on ilk side þen gedder þai. Line 23143 bot litel beris þe pouer a-way. þai ar sa gnede at þai ne may spare nauþer to giue ham lasse ne mare. couetise for-soþ to telle has broȝt mani saulis to helle. Line 23148 be-giled hit has þe werlde on brede vnneþ sal men finde an in lede. þat wele wille shriue ham of þair sake. ne for na counsail amendis make. Line 23152

Line 23152 wite ȝe for-soþ al þat is suche. sal be dampned litel & muche. to mikil sorou & site to þaime. Line 23155 þat alle þis werlde mai noȝt ham raime. ¶ wiþ mikil wraþ & aghful chere our lorde sal say þat þai salle here do fleis heiþen ȝe cursed wiȝt. vn-to mi blis haue ȝe na riȝt. Line 23160 oft I. was wiþ malese mette. bot for ȝou was I. neuer þe bette. In hungre þrist oft sagh ȝe me. bot þar-of had ȝe na pite Line 23164 gas to helle þer salle ȝe ga. for to welle euer in wa. euer wiþ-in his wa to welle. Line 23167 wiþ him & his þat is in helle. wiþ him ȝe serued wiþ him ȝe wende euer-mare werlde wiþ-outen ende. gas wiþ him þat ȝe haue mint. for ȝour sorou salle neuer stint. & þa þat has seruid me. of þaire ioy salle neuer ending be.

A lorde quat he ware wise at moȝt stedefast halde þis dai in þoȝt to for-gete þat dai neuer-mare to-quilis þat he liuande ware. Line 23178 for þan muȝt he make here his wai fra wrake to were him of þat day fra þat day forþ þou agh to myn. salle neuer fra bodi saule twin. Line 23182 for alle þe didis þai did are. þai wroȝt or þai twynned ware for-þi to-gedder þai salle take squa. Line 23185 queþer hit be wele or wa. auþer in heiuen or helle pine. wiþ sathanas þat wiþer-wine. Line 23188

Line 23188 þat fra þe iugement be made. Line 23189 salle castin be wiþ-outen bade. in a stincande staunke of fire. þer salle be ȝolden ham þaire hire. squa sais þe boke of priuate. Line 23193 þat to saintis was shewed to se.