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

how abram offerred Isaac his sone.

Herkyn of þis al weldande. how he walde fonde his lel seruande wele loued abraham ysaac his cely sone wiþ-outen lak. Line 3120 and taȝt him first god to drede siþen alle gode thewes of lede. he be-gan to loue him squa Line 3123 þat na quyle miȝt he fra him ga ¶ doun our lorde to erþ he liȝt to fonde abraham him þoȝt riȝt til abraham our lorde spac. [folio 20a:1] Line 3127 quar ys he saide þi sone isaac I. wille certayne þat hit so be. atte þou offre. him to me. Line 3130 ¶ bleþely lorde þou me him gaue. best skille ys at þou him haue. quat he was to his lorde trew Line 3133 þat miȝt na sorow make him rew þat he ne ware leuer his childe cole þen his lorde wraþ þole. Line 3136 [ [[from Laud MS. 416]] This childe was by-hete many a yere Ar he were sent sowght with praiere]

sum tyme he wende wiþ-out wene þat his ayre he sulde haue bene. Line 3140 bot now he askis on þis wise. how he sulde do his sacrifise. bot al if hit was grisly and gril. he left noȝt his lordes wille. Line 3144 bot asked him wiþ-outen bade. how sulde þat sacrifise be made. ¶ and he be-gan him for-to telle. Line 3147 vp hey a-pon ȝone felle. sal þou bren þi sone for me. gladly lorde so sal hit be. ¶ now sal I telle ȝou how hit was þe childe he kest a-pon an asse. Line 3152 and bad come wiþ him knaues twa bot þai wiste neuer quidder to ga. he welk þat felle wel days þre to seche þat stede quare he sulde be Line 3156 quen he had funden hit ful riȝt. of þe asse þe childe dide he liȝt and toke him wiþ-outen mare his men he bad a-bide him þare ¶ his counsayle walde he na mon tel Line 3161 þe barne he broȝt a-pon þe fel. þe squorde and fire for-gatte he noȝt and his sone him eldyng broȝt. sir saide þe childe quar sal we take a beste þis sacrifise to make. syn þat we haue broȝt nane. he saide our lorde may sende vs an wiþ þis he stode his childe nerehande and derfly he droghe his brande. Line 3170 [þat] þe childe was noȝt perceyued [or] þe squorde had him disseyued ¶ he lift his hande him for to smyte Line 3173 bot goddis help come him ful tite

or þat he miȝt haue gyuen þe dint his squorde bi-hinde an angel hent Line 3176 and bad him þare bi-side to take. a shepe his offerrande for to make ¶ he loked bi-side him in þe þornes he seey þe shepe hinge bi þe hornes þis angel helde ay stil þe squorde Line 3181 and spac til abraham squilk a worde abraham he saide halde stil þine arme and do þou now þi sone nane harme þi lorde for-bedes þe to sla. Line 3185 þi sone at þou louys squa. þou louys god mare wiþ-out wene þen þi sone þat ys wele sene. Line 3188 baþ þou louys him and þou dredis ful wele salle he quyte þi medis ȝe salle his blessinge haue for-þi. mykil he salle ȝou multiply. Line 3192 for loue of þi frely fai. sal ilk mon come to þi lay. god has viside þe to-day þi dede in Mynnynge sal be ay. Line 3196 þi buxumnes al folk sal finde þat sal be brede out of þe kinde. ¶ of þat lettinge was he glad. and dide as þe angel badde. Line 3200 þat shepe he sloghe and siþen hit brent and hamwarde on his way he went. þe fader con þan þe sone for-bede. til any mon to telle þis dede. Line 3204 fader he saide be þou ful balde for me hit salle neyuer be talde. þai went a-gayne to bersabe. þer þai had laft þaire meyne. Line 3208