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

Sex skore and vij. ȝere liued sarra. and dyed wiþ-outen childer ma. þen ysaac na ma sho bare. and abraham con for hir care. Line 3212 In ebron dalue hir sir abraham. þer formast was dollyn alde adam. ¶ abraham walde in his liue þat Isaac had wedded a wiue. Line 3216 and walde ho ware if so miȝt be. baþ of his kinde and his cuntree. and made ga siche hir in þat lande quere his frendis was mast dwelland Line 3220 a seriaunt calde and comande he. þat maste wiste of his priuate. þat had bene als his fosteringe. ay syn he a barne was ȝinge. Line 3224 [folio 20b:1] a-pon his kne he made him squere. atte he sulde lele errande bere. and atte he sulde gif hale entent. for to ful-fille his comaundement. Line 3228 ¶ frende he saide þou wende here-by. vn-til mesopothamy. þer þou wate my frendes wone. to seke a wife vn-to my sone. Line 3232 and if ho may be funden þare. þou bringe hir hame wiþ mykil fare for i wille at þou bring him nane þat ys of kinde of chanan. Line 3236 ¶ sir saide þe seriaunt quat sal I. do if þe mayden þat ȝe walde haue if ho wil noȝt hidder come wiþ me. of þi trauþ I. make þe free. Line 3240 for isaac wiþ na forwarde wil I. þat wende þidder-warde.

¶ Bleþely sir hit sal be done þe seriaunt made him boun ful sone Line 3244 boun was made til his buskinge tresour I.-noghe wiþ riche ringe. suche as maydenes had mister al atte camels x. muȝt bere. Line 3248 ringe and broche ware selly. proude golde and stane for mayde shroude þat qua him saghe muȝt vnderstande þat he was of a riche lande. Line 3252 ¶ to mesopothani squyþe come he. and sone he fande þat riche cite. quen he saghe he come nere þe toun. bi-side a welle he sette him doun. Line 3256 þer he made his orisoun. and þus wiþ wordes con he roun. ¶ lorde he saide þat alle may. þat my lorde lyues on; niȝt and day. for þi loue he walde noȝt warne Line 3261 to sacrifise his awen barne. to suche a wife to quam I. fare. gif me grace if þi wille ware. þat my seruis so site and seme. at to þi worshepe mai be-queme. and suche a wife þou sende Isaac. Line 3267 þat may be confort him to take. him to ioy and menske to þe. lorde þou grante hit squa may be and do me bi þis welle here. traiste to be of my prayer. Line 3272 for bi þis welle I salle a-bide. quat of myne errande may be-tide here salle I. bide til atte I. se þe maydenes come out of þe cite Line 3276 atte þis welle water to draw. þar salle I. my wommon knaw.

ho þat salle bete me of þreste I. salle halde hir for þe best. Line 3280 ¶ had he noȝt rested bot a þraw of maydenes saghe he come on raw þe formaste was vnlaghter milde hir semed noȝt to be wilde. Line 3284 was ho noȝt of lates liȝt rebecca was þe name ho hiȝt. hir fader was calde batuel. hir semed alle hir werke ful wel. Line 3288 sitandly hir water ho toke ¶ þe seriaunt on hir ȝorner con loke. he was baþ war and wise. and saide til hir on suche a wise. Line 3292 mayden saide he þou gif me drinke for I. haue sumdel bene in squynke .I am trauaillande in my way. my hernes doun here con I. lay. Line 3296 of my passage was I. in doute. for na mon knaw I. here a-boute. me ware laþ if I. muȝt were Line 3299 men me skaþe dide on my gere. ¶ leue frende saide ho þine askinge. hit nys potte a litel þinge. þou sal hit haue wiþ ful gode wil Line 3303 and þi camels salle drink þaire fille. for wantes vs here na vessel. ne meel ne boket ne fonel. ho droghe alle I.-noghe to drinke. left ho na wete for na squynke. Line 3308 ¶ bot ay þat quyle walde he noȝt blyn to be-halde þat maydyn. how alle hir dedis con hir seme. þe seriaunt þoȝt hit selly queme. Line 3312 say me he saide may bi þe hande has þou fader any liuande.

Sir ȝa ho saide wiþ alle. til house gladly þai wil þe calle. prouande and hay þou sal finde boun Line 3317 na romer place in alle þis toun.