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

The wonderful Childhood of Christ.

Sone was Ioseph redy boun By nyght he went out of toun Line 11596 With mary myld and hir meyne A maydyn and also knavis thre That then were in her servyce Line 11599 alle were they ware and wyse

[fforth she rode that maydyn myld Line 11601 And in her arme led her child [folio 128a:1] Tille they come by a Cave depe There they thoght to rest & slepe They did mary there to light Line 11605 Sone they saw an owgle sight As they lokyd hem beside Out of this cave they sie glide Many dragons sodeinly The gromys tho bygan to Cry Line 11610 When Ihesus sie hem dred so be he went doune of his moder kne And stode vpon tho bestes grym And they lowtid doun to hym [[Extract from Laud MS. 416 ends here.]] ] [[Fairfax MS., [folio 53a:1] ]] þen come þe propheci alle clere. Line 11615 þat spokin was of þat childe dere [ [[from Laud MS. 416]] The dragons wonnyng abowte That lord ow ye loue and lowte]

Ihesus went be-for ham þan. for-bede to folow him any man. mari & Ioseph noȝt for-þi. for þe childe was ful drery. bot ihesus ansquared sone anane for me drede ne haue ȝe nane. ne haue ȝe for me na care ne site Line 11625 for I. my-self am man parfite. and alle þer bestes þat ar wilde to me þai salle be meke & milde.