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

[Solomon's great sin and repentance.]

his dedis cowde namon deuise ware he neuer of sa mykil prise. Line 8980 pot harde hit is þe wirde of syn. þat ȝarked was til adam kyn.

þe sorouful werk him ane he wroȝt þat alle his sede wiþ sorou he soȝt Line 8984 man for to falle in filþe of flesshe þorou fourme & kinde þat is sa nesshe ouer passed has þat caytef kinde. and made king salamon blinde. Line 8988 blinde of witte and wisdome als. and made him in þe faiþ ful fals þorou wimmen he loued sa fele. he fel fra loue of saulis hele. Line 8992 a-gayne þe lagh god him for-bede a lauedi he loued of heþin lede. þat salle him rew wiþ-outen nay. þat for ham for-soke his lay. Line 8996 ¶ Lorde king mykil of miȝt. quere bicome al his in-siȝt. þat dide him-seluen squa to spille. Line 8999 folowand a wikkid wommons wil.

allas arly þis gile be-gan. þat adam þat was formast man. ¶ Sampson þat wiȝt was in life. was be-giled þorou a wife. Line 9004 king dauid þorou a wommans siȝt to dede he dide a sacles kniȝt. now salamon I rede of here. þat neuer had of wisdome pere. Line 9008 syn wimmen has þe be-giled squa. qua may of ham be sicure qua. certes I hope vnneþ nane. Line 9011 þat wirkis ofter a wikked womman. þe man ho has in hir baundoun. he ys vmbelaide wiþ tresoun. blessed I say for soþ is he. atte dose him noȝt in hir pauste Line 9016 for if he loue hir neuer sa mykil. he salle finde ham fals & fikel.

haue he bene be-fore neuer sa ȝape fra þen I. telle him for a nape. Line 9020 ¶ bot mistrow na man at I. speke of womman velany. if I squa dide my witte ware blinde Line 9023 for alle we come of womman kinde. certes thar nane hit wene for ho is confort of care & tene. of alle creatures agh nane Line 9027 to be loued as gode womman. ¶ bot þe euel of ham I telle þat baþ ar fundyn fals & felle. feloun in entent to squike þe wimmen þat I blame ar like. Line 9032 þe wikked ar neuer þe worthier þat men tellis quat þe dughti er. ne gode þe wers for to praise. [folio 50b:1] quat-sim men of þe wikked saise. Line 9036 quilk ar to lak quilk ar to loue. þaire aghen werkis wil ham proue. bot god atte dyed on þe rode Line 9039 amende þe wikked & saue þe gode.

Quen salamon þus had wroȝt. wa was him for sorou in þoȝt. god to wraþ his saule to file and þen repented him aquile. Line 9044 wiþ baþ his eyen sare he grette. and dide prophetis for to fette. þe patriarkes þat come wiþ-alle be-for þaire fete doun con he falle Line 9048 of me lordes ȝe haue mercy. ys nane mare sinful man þan I. I se wele now I haue misgane. for I. haue honoured sathan. Line 9052 I haue be-left my lordes lagh. and tane my sawle to þe warlagh.

¶ has þou quod þai þi lagh renaide ȝe haue .I. waleway he saide. & quy quoþ þai has þou done squa. Line 9057 a womman wroȝt has alle my wa. of my misgilt I am knawen. þat I. ware worþ wiþ hors be drawen I haue me done a wikked dede Line 9061 þorou a womman of heþen lede. rede me now for goddis sake. ȝour consaile wil I bleþely take. Line 9064 ¶ we þai saide; quat rede con we. þe consaile certayne sal come of þe þou þi-self we halde þe wise. telle us first þine a-vise. we salle be to þi bidding boun. Line 9069 takis of he saide my kingis croun. þat I. na langer agh to bere. my kinges robe als atte I were. for my syn wille I fle. In vncouþ kiþ fra þis cuntre. Line 9074

Do way þai saide king salamon. þis þing agh we noȝt to done nauþer we hit wil ne we haue miȝt for to do lagh of kingis riȝt. Line 9078 þe lagh þat god has laide on king we agh to breke hit for na-þing. ¶ how may þis be quat say ȝe now ne sal .I. haue na rede of ȝow. Line 9082 ¶ quy quat rede may we say to þe. I wille he saide ȝe vncoroun me. my lorde I haue be-left allas. ȝe help me in þis caytef cas. Line 9086 & lays on me ful harde penaunce for sare hit is my repe[n]taunce.

syn I haue serued to haue þe shame gif me my gilt in goddis name.

Þat strife ful soroufully was sene þat alle þe cite sagh be-dene. Line 9092 alde & ȝonge alle con vn wonder þe strife atte salamon ȝode vnder. His eyen be-for þat grete cite. wiþ waful wepinge shent he. Line 9096 his croun of golde & riche stane. dide he first of his heued be tane. and made ham his robe to riue. & þorou þat cite his body driue. Line 9100 nakid wiþ skourges þorou þat þrange. out of his bak þe blode sprange. sa sare and sharpe martiring. was neuer sene on siche a king. Line 9104 ¶ bot alle he toke in goddis name. and þoled mildely þat shame. & al to litel him þuȝt þe grame atte he muȝt suffer on his licame. Line 9108 quare-of be-fore he folowed þe luste he walde men raft hit al to duste. quar-þorou hit semis wele wiþ þis þat he wan mercy of his blis. Line 9112 & come to amendement sone. ofter þe time atte þis was done. a quile he regned wiþ grete care. for his synne he had done are. Line 9116 blisfully ouer alle þat lande. his werkis ȝet þai ar lastande his craftis salle be lastande ay. In werlde be-twix & domesday. Line 9120 and mykel þer-of cowde I. telle. miȝt I. for oþer þingis dwelle. ¶ of oþer þingis wil .I. Minne and rekkin forþ our lady kyn. Line 9124

Line 9124 for-þi I. maste vnder-toke. quen I. be-gan to make þis boke. to tel how first our lorde of miȝt. til haly men oft had hiȝt. Line 9128 þat of þaire sede a man sulde springe þat mankinde sulde of baret bringe. [folio 51a:1] ful lange þis hote was made be-forne þe time atte Ihesu criste was borne. Line 9132