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

bot of þe dedeli first wil I tel & sythen I will of veniale spelle ¶ [folio 120b:1] & for pride is þe formast synne [pride] of him to speke I. wille be-gynne Line 27551 & þer is namli þrin þingis. þat riueli þe pride of springis. pride is a luste if I ne sal leye. Line 27554 his awen state þat man walde hey & risis qua soþ mai se. comuneli of þingis þre. Line 27557 of werldis happe. of grace. of kinde. efter þat we in writtis finde. werldis hap als claþ & fode. house or rent or oþer gode. Line 27561 menske richesse & dignite. welþ or lordeshepe or pauste. ¶ grace als vertu gode & fame. lare & of gode worde name. Line 27565 for steyuen squete for redi tonge. for lauedis loue for maidenis ȝonge ¶ of kinde comis craft force & gentrise of bodi faire-hede of witte haue prise Line 27569 & oft be-tidis þat man I.-wis. be-comis proude for vn-kunningnes & letis liȝtli be ham. þat mare gode þen he can. Line 27573 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 27577 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ¶ & we mai se be-tide of-siþe. Line 27580 þe standande falle þe fallande rise

for-þi agh we to be doutande. Line 27582 for to falle þat is standande. & we agh ilkman our-self vpraise & in our hert vs vnpraise. ¶ Pride is if þou euer hit wende. Line 27586 þi sele was noȝt of grace þe sende bot if þou wenis certaine at hit. is commin of þine awen witte. or wenis for þi worshepe wele. Line 27590 þat þe is graunted al þat sele. or quen þat þou þe rosis oȝt. or sais þou has & has hit noȝt. . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] ¶ of pride be-comis al vainglori. Line 27596 þat is to be of rose redi. duȝti man wiþ-out to seme & Ipocrite wiþ-in to deme. of suche men þai wirkis squa. Line 27600 I-nogh mai we finde of þa. þat wiþ-in is rotin as molde. & wiþ-oute gilt as golde. ¶ Of pride be-comis strife & discorde þat is quen man wil noȝt accorde of þe riȝt to be knawen. Line 27606 & na-þing wille praise bot his awen. ¶ of pride be-comis þraues & þrete heþing þrepe & aþis grete. als sum þat þink na better glew. þen ilk day finde aþis new. Line 27611 þai þat squa vgli aþis squeris. wonder is how þis erþ ham beris for þai for-sake noȝt crist allane bot missais him in liþ & bane. ¶ Of pride be-comis vn-buxumnes. Line 27616 strife & strut & frawardenes.

fole of hande takening vmquile. Line 27618 & þe pouer folk to reuile. ¶ of pride be-comis Iangeling of foly. & namely of licchery. & manikin vnnaite oþer þing Line 27622 als sange of harlotery & lesing þou walde na mon. to pride sulde take for þou walde na mon ware þi make for-þi sais Isidre of þis synne. Line 27626 if þou be gentel man of kyn. if þou be riche ȝet may hit go. . . . . . if þou be faire hit dos al-so. Line 27630 . . . . . if þou be þewed al-so curtaise. þen atte first I. wille þe praise. ¶ þe angel þat was faire & briȝt. Line 27634 & alsqua bare his name of liȝt. quen he wex proude he muȝt noȝt dwel. bot out of heiuen he felle to helle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] þou man þat art in pride stadde. Line 27646 þou ne art noȝt bot an erþ gad. wiþ pride how saltow heiuen wyn. þat he loste þorou þe same synne.

A gaine þis synne is medicine gode Line 27650 for to be meke & milde of mode. to knaw þi-self be alkin þing. & euer-mare þink on þe ending. Line 27653

[[No gap in these MSS.]] Line 27653