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

þe iiij. elde of þe werlde. of king dauid.

[4^a etas de dauid Rege.]

Saule is slaine þat sorouful king.and dauid comis wiþ-out lesing.þai sette a sceptree in his hande.atte men callis þe kingis wande.Line 7864 alle hailsed him wiþ squilk hailsing.haile be þou lorde dauid our king.safe and sounde ay mote þou be.to þe folk atte is vnder þe.Line 7868

Dauid was an aghful man.ful riȝtwisly he renged þan.fra he be-gan be king in landeLine 7871 was nane at durst his worde wiþ-standefaire was þe court wiþ him he ledhis folk him baþ loued and dred.¶ had he noȝt bot rengned a stoundequen he be-gan a hous to founde.Line 7876 a mikel tour was lange and bradeþe quilk in ierusalem was made.bot oft þe welist of wyn.sonest fallis in-to syn.Line 7880 he þat sa mony had in wane [folio 44b:1] reft him his wife þat had bot an.¶ he had a du[ȝti] kniȝt of famehis wife had bersab to name.Line 7884 allas ho was so faire and briȝt.þe king kest anis on hir his siȝt.he asked quat was þat lauedyLine 7887 ȝour kniȝtis wife þai saide vrry.þe kniȝt was sende wiþ-out mareforþ in message fra hame to fareto-quiles hir lorde was a-way.þe king him-self bi hir lay. Line 7892

Line 7892 þis lauedy was wiþ childe in hy. þe king sende to fot vrry. ¶ quen vrry come wiþ-outen lite. þe king lete a letter write. Line 7896 and bad vrry he sulde hit bere vn-to þe marshal of þe were. wiþ comandement he ham be-soȝt. atte vrry at þat letter broȝt. Line 7900 shortly wiþ-out mare rede þai sulde hem tale and bringe to dede

Vrry þes letteres toke and bare. Line 7903 bot noȝt he wist quat þai ware þe kinges comaundement was done for slayne he was in batel sone. al letter-berers for-þi. ta ensaumple be vrry. Line 7908

Quen vrri was þus broȝt of liue. dauid toke bersabe to wiue. and helde hir in his hous fra þan. þen saide our lorde to nathan. Line 7912 ga to þe king dauid and say. he has misdone agayne my lay. ¶ þen come þe prophete to þe king Line 7915 and saide him suche a for-bisenyng þer was wonande þat was vn-like ij. men a pouer and a rike. þe riche he had so mikil fe. of alle godis he had plente Line 7920 of shepe he had riȝt grete wane. þis pouer ne had nane bot ane. þat he had wiþ his siluer boȝt. Line 7923 and fra a lambe hit vp-broȝt. þe riche mon þorou euel hert. til a geste come ouere-t wert. for to spare his awen aȝt. þis pouer monnes shepe he laȝt. Line 7928

Line 7928 til his mete he has hit tane. and so þe pouer mon has nane. Line 7930 þe mon þat done has suche a dede. sir king gif dome of his mede. ¶ wiþ þis worde þe king was wraþ Line 7933 be god of liue he square his aþ. þat mon he saide so god me rede ware worþi wele to suffre dede ¶ and if þou be goddis gome. giuen þou has þine awen dome. god made þe king of israel Line 7939 to lede þe folk wiþ laghes lel. and þou at sulde halde kingis stede has broken þe lagh at he for-bede slayne þou has þe kniȝt vrri. Line 7943 and tane his wife and layne hir by. of hey god stode þe nane aw. for-þi I. come þe to shawe. and þi hous he sendis worde sal neuer be twynned fra squorde. Line 7948 and werre he sal a-pon þe rayse and þus-gates als he to þe saise. þe wiues atte þou has to wale. be giuen til oþer men þai sale Line 7952 þe syn atte þou in hidles didde. be-for þe folk hit sal be kidde. ¶ Synned I haue quoþ dauid þan. þat is soþ quoþ þe prophete nathan. Line 7956 bot þou repent þe of þat syn. heyuen blis may þou noȝt wyn. for þi dedis wiþ-outen legh þi sone of bersabe salle degh. Line 7960 dauid gatte eft on hir a sone a wisemon hiȝt salamon.

Quen dauid knew his cost of care him rewed neuer þing sa sare.

for ferd god suld; on him take wrake an orisoun sone con he make. men callis hit miserere mei deus. is gode to say quen men rewes. Line 7968 of alle þe salmes of þe sauter þis salme of penaunce has na per. . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 7972