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

how Iacob passid in-to his cuntree. ofter he was flemid.

Iacob wex riche his childer thrafe þorou þe grace þat god him gafe. þen bi-gan ham take talande. Line 3913 to wende in-to þaire kindely lande. wiþ wife and childe and alle hondbande ilkan went in oþer hande. Line 3916

Line 3916 laban of leue ham nykked nay. and þai be niȝt þen stale a-way. wiþ wif and barne wiþ flittinge hale Line 3919 alle stale a-way bi niȝtter tale. a god had laban in his boure. þe quilk he loued paramour. In hir flittinge his doghter hit fande. Line 3923 and forþ ho bare hit in hir hande. laban hit miste ouer alle he soȝt. bot his god þer fande he noȝt. ¶ Iacob went him forþ his way. on þe felde þer-oute he lay. Line 3928 on þat an side of flume iordan. and sende his godes ouer ilkane. Iacob lay him stille atte naȝt an angel in hande had he laȝt Line 3932 and to-geder wresteled þai. alle þe niȝt til hit was day. þe angel bad him lete him fare he saide þat sulde he neuer mare. Line 3936 ne sulde he passe for nankin þinge til he had giuen him his blessinge. so lange þai ham wresteled þare þat Iacob was him hurt ful sare. Line 3940 þe maister s[ine] of his þee þat euer siþen halted he for þis enchesoun I. telle ȝou now. of sine of bestes etes nane of ȝou. Line 3944 ¶ þen asket our lorde ful of miȝt tel me man quat þou hiȝt. men callis me Iacob quare-euer I. ga sal þou na langer he saide hat squa Line 3948 syn þou agayne god art so stalworþ. Line 3951 wele mare agayne mon sal þou be worþ. þou sal be calde now israel. Line 3949 þat ys mon of see. and god of helle Line 3950

Line 3950

Iacob sende þen forþ wiþ sande Line 3953 esau of saȝtlynge for to fande for he was dred ouer al þinge. for tille come in his metinge Line 3956 ¶ and quen he of his commynge herde for wraþ as wodemon he ferde. iiij. hundreþ men he led him wiþ. god kepped Iacob fra his griþ. Line 3960 and so he sal þat wate I. wele. for he ys vmbsette wiþ cele. ¶ Iacob sende him of his aȝt. giftes large wiþ him to saȝt. Line 3964 þe messager broȝt him onsquere and saide he come wiþ grete poer. Iacob led folk of his kyn. ¶ for doute he dalt ham in twyn. Line 3968 for þe grete doute atte he had þan he dalt in twyn baþ best and man. þe quilest esau smate an of twa. Line 3971 þe toþer party sulde skape him fra. esau dred he ful sare. for he was fel and walde noȝt spare. he dred if he him muȝt him ouer-ta. wiþ-oute pite he walde him sla. Line 3976 ¶ and þan he made þus his prayer. al miȝtty god þou art me dere. þat adam first made mon of life Line 3979 and siþen of him made eue his wife þat had þai halden at þou ham bad þai had in blisse bene euer stadde. and also noe baþ lelle and gode. þou saued fra þat ferly flode. Line 3984 þou wate my lorde atte hit ys squa my broþer ys now my grettest fa. þat þorow my moders rede and roun I stale fra him his benysoun. Line 3988

Line 3988 and ouer þis flume last quen I. ferde In hande I. bare noȝt bot a ȝerde and now lorde blessed mote þou be of folke ij. companys comis with me. Line 3992 [folio 24b:1] ¶ lorde þou sende me [now þi rede] agayne esau has squorne my dede. for þat þou wille help in nede. þar him neuer na dede drede. of þis grete gode þou has me lent Line 3997 be-for me alle þai sal be sent. and or þai alle be tane and slayne he sal be matid of his mayne. Line 4000 to-quylis if þou wil sal I. slip. and sal noȝt in his handegrip. ¶ wiþ þat come esau breme and braþ now ys Iacob in mykil waþ. Line 4004 he squere if he wiþ him mete. formast sulde he his life for-lete. bot quam so god helpis wiþ-alle. ful secure may he wende oueralle. Line 4008 quen he his company saghe and his aȝt. his broþer he soȝt alsquyþe to saȝt. and of his come he was ful bliþe wiþ kissinge ayþer oþer con kiþe. ¶ suche strenght is in þe haligaste. Line 4013 to saȝtlynge make þer wraþ ys maste. he welcomed Iacob selly faire. and wiste he was his fadere ayre. Line 4016 wiþ-outen wraþ wiþ-outen wrake. of loue and pes þai sammyn spake. ¶ quen þai had saide at þai walde sai esau went him hame his way. Line 4020 vn-to þe place þer he come fra and Iacob til his fader con ga. for ȝet he was þat time liuande. rebecca his moder dede he fande. Line 4024

Line 4024 ¶ þis ysaac þat I. of rede. Line 4025 In boke ys calde þe lastande sede he led his life wiþ-outen blame and beried he ys; be abraham. ix. skore ȝere he had ouergane. Line 4029 oute of his life quen he was tane quen at þis duȝtty mon was dede þer breþer toke ham baþ to rede Line 4032 to dele þaire lande ham be-twix and ayþer for to liue on his [þe stori of Io|seph] to esau felle þe vale of ebron & Iacob went forþ vn-tille edon. Line 4036