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

Of þe life of Sem.

Be-gyn we now to tel at sem. and sithen of his barnetem.

¶ Sem was lele in goddis lare [folio 15a:1] he liued vij. hundre ȝere and mare þis ilk sem was calde sedeche. Line 2141 and was calde melchisedech. our lauedy mari als we finde. come out of þis semys strinde. Line 2144 he was kyng and prince of salem now ys hit calde ierusalem. þe first of alle þat was borne þat wiþ wyne and brede of corne made sacrifise to criste so trew. Line 2149 In takenynge of þe laghes new.

þis sem liued þat I. rede of here til ysaac was of seuenti ȝere. Line 2152 ¶ Sem had v. sones sere. of an to take ware meistere. þat ys of qua ys sede was he borne þat bette our nede Line 2156 arphaxat liued with-outen were iij. hundre. viij. and xxx. ȝere. four hundre ȝet ys chaynan. and viij. and xxx. fra he be-gan. Line 2160 iiij. hundre ȝere his sone Sale liued and xxx ȝere and thre in tale heber his sone iiij. hundre ȝette and iiij. and fourti þer-to sette. Line 2164

¶ Phalethe his sone liued witerly ij. hundre ȝere and ix. and thretty. Ragan his sone þat wesse Line 2167 xij. skore ȝere bot an lesse. serethe his sone ij. hundre ȝere and xxx. was his liue he bere. of squa lange life liued noȝt veor he liued viij. ȝere and foure skore. thare his sone liued langer life Line 2173 þat ij. hundre ȝere and fyue. [ [[from Laud MS. 416]] The todir elde endiþ in thare which by-gan at good noy are] Line 2176 þat time was þis werlde so ȝonge þat al men spac wiþ an tonge. þat ys ebru for-soþ to say. þat Iewes haldis til þis day. Line 2180

Iaphat had him sones seyuen aperty think I. here to neyuen Gomet madai Ienan magoge. tubal tyras and mosoge. Line 2184 þis gomer had him sones thre togorma riphat and assene.

iiij. sones had Iena. on Zechim helisa tharsis. and dotayme. Line 2188 Til cyllandes þai ham droghe. of þat nacioun hit sprang I.-noghe.

Cham iiij. sones had he him. chus phut canan and mephaim. of chus come saba and euila. [tour of babilon.] Line 2193 Sabata regma sagabatha. of chus come nembrothe al-squa. þat in his time wroȝt mykil wa. he was proude. foule. fers and fel. Line 2197 of him sum-þing here wil I. tel.

[Þ]is nembrothe wiþ his mykil pride wende to wirk wonders wide Line 2200 ful ferre a-boute man bare his name mykil he cowde of syn and shame of babilon kinge stithe in stoure. and þar-wiþ was he strange werrour Line 2204 lyer and mon-queller grete mykil he liued wiþ il be-ȝete. þat was na folk him woned by. miȝt ham were for his maistry. Line 2208 ouer al he raxled him wiþ rage þat time was bot an langage hebreu þe first at adam spac. fra est he broȝt a felaw skapt. Line 2212 ¶ vn-to þe felde of sennaar. sexti werkmen þai ware wiþ nembroth come þai for-to dwel. and toke a consail as I. ȝou telle. Line 2216 a foly consail toke þai and sone to werre bathe on sunne and mone a foli consail þar-fore saide I. for hit was ful of felony. Line 2220 of þaire pride con na mon telle in sennaar þai toke to dwelle.

nembrothe þai saide of þis syn wise me þink lordes were noȝt wise our elderres þat be-for vs were Line 2225 quen þai cowde on na maner. how to were ham fra þe flode þat drowned al þe werlde ouer-ȝode. ¶ I rede we be-gyn a new labour Line 2229 and make we a sicure tour. wiþ squyre and rewle gode and euen þat may reyche vn-til heyuen god we sal conquere wiþ fight Line 2233 a-gayne vs sal he haue na miȝt or atte þe leste to halde him stil. and lette vs noȝt to do our will and ay quen we se enchesoun [folio 15b:1] Line 2237 frely we may clymbe vp and doun.