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

[Q]ven iesu crist was done on rode, And suffred dede all for vr gode, Sone he cald til him sant iohan þat was his sibe ner kines-man, Line 20068 And his aun moþer; bot þaim tua Ne cald he men till him na ma. Line 20070 "Womman," he said, "lo! here sun þine For manes luue thole i þis pine. Lo! hu i hing apon þis thre, Forsoth i wate, it reus nu þe. Line 20074

Line 20074 Mi fete, mi hend, of blode er rede, wid-vten right i thole þis dede; Min auen þat agh me louen, Line 20077 For quan i come dun fra abouen, þai me do þis mekil schame, Line 20079 Ne seruid i neuer to bere sli blame." His modir stode and sare scho grett, þe teres fell fast dun till hir fete, was na ferli þou scho wepid sare, For scho might haue na soru mare. For he þat toke of hir his fless, Line 20085 Als his su[ete] willis it wass, Hang a tre þar nailed to. "Allas! allas! allas!" caid [[sic]] scho, "Hu mai i liue, hu mai i be! Line 20089 Hu mai i on þis soru se! Ne cuth i are of soru noght! [folio 134a:2] Leue sun, quat has þu thoght, Line 20092 Hu sal i liue widvten þe? Leue sun, quat sais þu me." [þ]an spac iesu wordes gode, Als he hang þar on þe rode, Line 20096 He said till hir, "mi moder dere, I sal biteche þe nu a fere þat treuli sal take kepe to þe, To-quilis þat þu in erd be." Line 20100 He said þan sone to saint iohan, "For mi loue kepe wele þis womman, Kep hir and serue wid all þi might, þat na man hir do vnright." þan tok þe apostel sone on-ane Line 20105 In-tille his keping, þat maidane, He seruid hir bath dai and night, And kepd hir wid all his might; To temple wid him hir he nam, And als sone als he dedir cam Line 20110

Line 20110 Emang þe muntes of þat stede, God to serue þar he hir ded; þar scho bileft for all hir liue, Line 20113 Loued scho nouþer fith na striue. All þe leuedis þat þar ware In all hir will þai hir forbare, Line 20116 For quilis þat scho was wid þaim þare þai seruid hir, bath lesse and mare. To fere and seke ai did scho bote, And seruid þaim to hand and fote, Nakid and hungri scho clad and fedd, þe seke þan broght scho to þair bedd; Ne was þar nouþer seke ne fere þat þai ne had of hir gret mistere, For þai hir luued wid all þair might; Scho seruid it ofte and þat with [[MS. wild]] right. Scho wok wele mar þan scho slepe, Hir sun to serue was all hir kepe, [folio 134b:1] Till him scho cald wid reuful [[MS. reu|fuf]] steuen, And he hir sent an angel of heuen, He-self come quilum þat scho bare For to confort his auen moder care. Saint iohn hir kepd a[n]d held dere, For he was till hir a ful treu fere, Ne wald he neuer fra hir gane, Line 20135 For bath þair willis was als ane; Al þat scho bad gladli he did, To-quilis þai lenged in þat sted. Line 20138 [Q]uen scho had þar wele lang bene, þe leuedi, þat es heuenes quene, Hir langed sare hir sun cum to, Line 20141 And quen scho greued sone was scho. An angel sent he hir fra heuen, And grett hir wid a mild steuen, In þe temple wid hir he mett; Honurand hir þar he grett, Line 20146

Line 20146 And said, "leuedi! ful of grace Wele ye be in euerilk a place! Be þu noght dred for me here, For i am þi sun messagere, Line 20150 Fra him i come, to þe i cum; þe gretis wele þi dere sun, Flour of erd, of heuen quene, Blisced mot þu euer bene, Line 20154 wele be þat time þat was born. For al þis werld war for-lorn If þu ne war, and þe fruit of þe, Mari leuedi, godd wid þe be. Line 20158 Leuedi! best of all thing, Blith bodworth i þe bring, Take þis palme here in þi hand, It es þi dere sunes sand; Line 20162 Ye thinck ful lang þi sun to sene, Here mai þu nu na langer bene, He sal send efter þe ful sone, Line 20165 Ne sal þu noght here lang hone. þu sal be broght till heue blis [folio 134b:2] þar þu sal neuer of mirthes mis; þar he es king, and þu sal be quene, All heuen curt sal blith bene. Line 20170 All heuen curt nu thinc ful lang Till þu be comen þaim emang; þu sal be here bot dais thre, Leuedi suete, nu graith þu þe." [þ]an him ansuared vr leuedi, Line 20175 And said to þe angel, "belami, Es þu mi sunes messagere þat bringes me þir tiþandes here? Has he sett me ani dai Line 20179 þat i widin me graith mai? I wald gladli witt tuix and quen, To take leue at mi kines-men, Line 20182

Line 20182 At freindes þat me fedd and clad, And helped als mi sun þaim badd." [þ]an said þe angel, "i say it þe, þu sal be here bot dais thre, Line 20186 þe thrid day we sall cum dun wid angelis, all loke þu be bun, And feche þe wid meri sang, Line 20189 For efter þe vs thinck ful lang." [þ]an said it sone, vr leuedi To þe angel þat stod hir bi, Line 20192 "Quat es þi name, þu suete amy? Gladli nu witt þar-of wald i." "Mi name nu i sai þe noght, Line 20195 Bot haue þis palm i haue þe broght, Kepe it wele nu prai i þe, And lat it neuer fra þe be. I mai noght lang bileue here, Line 20199 For i am sent als a messagere; I sal wend to þe apostlis on-ane, And scheu þaim sundri ane and an, þat þai be here þe thred day. Line 20203 Langer bline nu i ne may."

[folio 135a:1] Quen þe angel had his erand mad, He went vr leuedi eftere bade, Line 20206 þe palm scho toke þat was hir broght, And þat bode forgat scho noght. In-till hir chamber scho it bar, Line 20209 And alson als scho come hir þar, Of did scho sone ilka hater, And weiss hir suete bodi in water; And quen þat leuedi sua had done, A neu smoke scho did hir on. Line 20214 Quen scho was schod and wele clad, Till iesu crist a bone scho badd, And said, "sun, i thanck it þe þat þu wald sua thinc on me; Line 20218

Line 20218 Sun þu ert of heuenes king, Line 20219 I biseke þe of þi blissing. Suete sun, for þi hali name, þu kepe me fair fra pine a[n]d schame, þat þe deuel haue na might Line 20223 To dere me, þat war vnright. Sun helpe þu me, for nu es nede, þat i ne haue of þe deuil drede, For wid þe gilis þat he can, Line 20227 He bisuikis ful mani a man. Leue sun, þu gif him noght Mankind þat þu dere boght. Line 20230 Sun, þu ert ful of pite, For sinful man biseke i þe, þat þu sun, for þi hali grace, Line 20233 Gif þaim bath might and space, þaim to mend ar þai be dede, þat þai haue of þe deuil na drede. Sun, thinc hu þu þaim wroght Line 20237 And hu þu þaim dere has boght, Sun þu kepe þaim fro þair fa, For quam [[MS. quan]] þu tholed all þis wa." [Q]uen scho had praid als scho wald, Hir sibmen till hir scho cald, [folio 135a:2] Hir sibmen, and hir kinnes-men, Line 20243 wid reuful steuen spack scho þen. "Leue freindes," scho said, "mi auen sun wil i here no langer won, He will i cum and wid him be; Quar-for i prai ȝu, par cherite, Line 20248 If i haue ani-thing mis-wroght, ȝe sai it me and helis it noght, I will it mend, and þat es right, þat mi saule haue na plight. Line 20252 þe gode þat ȝe haue done to me, Mi sun, þat done was on þe tre

Man to biy fra pine and dede, Line 20255 For-ȝeild it ȝu at time of mede, And bring ȝu to þat ilke bliss þar i sal be, quar mi sun es." [a]ll þat euer war hir bij Line 20259 Of suilk tiþand war sari, And said, "leuedi, hu mai þis be, Hu sal we liue quen þu will fle! Leuedi! þu has vs seruid sua, Line 20263 Allas! hu sal we part in tua. Leuedi, leue, quat has þu thoght? þu reu of vs and part nu noght. wid mekil soru and mekil wa Line 20267 Sal we liue, part þu vs fra." In hij þan ansuerd vr leuedi Till þaim þat war stad hir bi, Line 20270 "Lat be weping, it helpis noght, And haldis ioy in-to ȝur thoght. Quilis i am here wakis wid me, It dos me god þat i ȝu se. Line 20274 Haue ȝe na drede, bot witt ȝe wele, In pine sal i thole na dele, To me sal cum na pine ne wa, For mi sun will þat it be sua, Line 20278 For mi licam his bodi bare, [folio 135b:1] He will it suffere of na sare, He þat i bare, þat blisful bird, Sal me send of heuen weird; Line 20282 Iohn and þe apostlis quar þai be, All þan sal þai cum to me." Quilis scho spac þus, þat suete womman, þar-of ȝeit wist noght saint iohan, He come to speke wid vr leuedi, Line 20287 Farli him thoght þat þai war sari.

"[L]Euedi, fild ful of grace, quat es ye, And þir leuedis þat i here se?

Leued, qui mas þu suilk chere, Dede nu war me leuer i were Line 20292 þan i þe sau sli semblant make, For i sal neuer sli a leuedi take. Has þu agh[t] herd þad i ne can Of me or ani oþer man? Line 20296 Ne sal i neuer mare haue blis, Till i witt, leuedi, quat es þis." [V]r leuedi wepe, sant iohn alsua, Treu luue was bituix þaim tua. Line 20300 "Leuedi," he said, "quat ailes þe, For mi se[r]uis þu tell it me." Mari ansuerd wid reuful steuen, "Me come tiþand ar-quile fra heuen, Mi sun me sent his messagere, Line 20305 He will noght lang þat i be here. Witt þu for-soth, it reus me þat i sua sone sal part fra þe, For þi luue and þi seruise, Line 20309 þu has me kid on ilkin wiss, þu has me done als mi sun þe bad, þu has me bath wele fedd and clad; Mi sun sal wele ȝeild it þe, Line 20313 I sal him sai quen i him se." þan hir ansuerd saint iohn, For he was a ful sari man, Line 20316 [folio 135b:2] And said, "leuedi, hu sal it bene Quen i þe sal no mare sene! Mi ioy es done euer-ilk dele, Line 20319 Ne sal me neuer fra nu be wele Siþen we sua sone sal part in tua." "A! iohn! iohn! qui sais þu sua? þou i be noght here þe biforn Line 20323 þi seruis has þu noght lorn; I sal mone mi suete sun, He sal do þe sone till him cum, Line 20326

Line 20326 Quen time es þat he will haue me. Suete iohn, nu biseke i þe, Line 20328 Lat þu na iuus cum me to, Despit fulfain wald þai me do. Line 20330 Mi bodi wald þai seke wid schame, þai hate na-þing mor þan mi name, Mi bodi þu helpe fra þaim, i sai; þou we be sib, bath i and þai, Line 20334 þai hate no-þing mar þan me; Mi sun þai hing on þe rode tre; I wat wele þai luue me noght, Line 20337 For-þi þar-on haue þu þi thoght, Quen i be parted iohan, fra þe, þat þai me do nu na vilane, Line 20340 Mi sun þat wonis in heuen light Lat þaim þar-to haue na might." "[S]ai me leuedi, siþen it es sua, þat we sua sone sal part in tua, Line 20344 Sai me hu lang it es till þan." "Sertanli," þan said scho, "iohan, Bi-tuix þis and þe thrid dai Duell no langer here i mai." Line 20348 Quen he þis herd he was sari, Wepand he said, "leuedi, mercei! Hu sal i liue, hu sal i fare, Hu sal i ioy haue euermare? Line 20352 Mi lauerd frist was done to dede, Thoru þe fals iuus rede, And nu wil þu leuedi me fra! [folio 136a:1] Nu me neus all mi wa. Line 20356 Wald mi lauerd i wald be dede, For of me-self can i na rede." "A! iohn iohn! qui sais þu sua, þe angelis ofte sal cum þe toa, Line 20360 To kepe þe wele in all þi state, And confort þe, bath erli and late."

[A]ls scho spac þis to saint iohan, Come þe apostlis euerilkan Line 20364 Togider, bot þai ne wist it noght Hu þai war togedir broght, Line 20366 Of oþer cume ne wist þai nane; Bot of þair cume blith was iohan, All he þaim kist, sua fain he was, And said to þaim, "deo gracias, Line 20370 Blisced be ay iesu þi might, For it es fair and it es right, Siþen þi moder sal cum to þe, Line 20373 þat scho fair bi-wakid nu be Of þin apostlis, þe mekil luuen; I ne wate hu þai be nu hider comen." "Sai me broþer, suete iohan, Line 20377 Qui art þu nu sari a man? Que wepis þu sua, quat es þe? For felauschip sai þu nu me." Line 20380 "[I] sal þe sai þe resun qui, Qui þu seis me nu sua sari, Bot do me first at vnnderstand Hu ȝe er gedrid here till hand, Line 20384 ȝe þat sua wide sundred war spred, Sais me quat has ȝu hider led." "[H]arke nu iohn, a farli thing, I was fer heþen at a preching Line 20388 Fer vte in a-noþer land, I held mi boke wid-in mi hand, I liuerd me of mi sarmon, I ne wat hu i come in þis tune. Line 20392 Als me help lauerd suete iesus, [folio 136a:2] I ne wat hu i come in þis hus. We se wele þat we all her here, Suilk farli sau we neuer are; Line 20396 Of vs es nane þat wat for quam, Ne wat quat-wise we hider cam."

"[L]istes all i ȝu biseke i-wiss, Line 20399 I sal ȝu tell all quat it es, Coms wid me vnto yon hus, vr leuedi es þar, abides vs, And graith hir to fare vs fra, Line 20403 For hir sun will þat it be sua. Hir sune has sent his messager, He will na langer scho be here, And hider he has vs all send Line 20407 wid hir to speke nu er scho wend. Cums nu all here in wid me, Bifor hir fair þan knele ȝe, Line 20410 And sais hir 'leuedi, wele þe be! vr lauerd has vs sent nu to þe, To visite þe and be þe bij, Line 20413 For-þi er we, leuedi, comen to þe in hij.' B]ot a thing," said þan sant iohan To petre and the apostlis ilkan, "Lokes quen ȝe cum þar-in, Line 20417 þar es ful mani of hir kin, þat no man of all vr fere Bifor hir mak na laith chere, Bot fair semblant to make hir glad. Dos nu all als i ȝu badd." Line 20422 þai ȝode forth, þe apostlis tuelue, Right bifor vr leuedi selue, vnto hir chamber þar scho was in, wid mekil folk all of hir kin. Line 20426 On kneis þai sett þaim euerilkan, Als þaim had bidden saint iohan, "Suete leuedi, of heuen quene, Blisced mot þu euer mor bene! Line 20430 Of all winmen best þu be, [folio 136b:1] Ovr lauerd vs has nu sent to þe For to serue and do þi will, will vs thinck þat it es skill. Line 20434

Line 20434 Heuen and erde all bous þe to, For-qui þi sun will it be so. He has in keping alkin thing, Line 20437 He es þi sun, es heuenes king." þen ras vp sone vr leuedi And kist all þe apostlis þat stod hir bi, Of þair cum scho was ful glad, Line 20441 þai sett þaim dun als scho badd. Scho askid þaim hu þai come þar? For þai war spred ful wide quar. "Leuedi, ful of gode thoght, Line 20445 þi sun has vs nu heder broght To kepe þe wele als vr leuedi, To-quilis þu art here vs bij." Line 20448 Sua fain scho was þat þai þar wern, "Blisced," scho said, "ai be þat barn! I am his moder, wele he me kid, I am ful fain ȝe er me mid, Line 20452 Siþen sua es nu mi sun it will þat i cum to him, it es skill. Mi bodi sal ȝe kepe nu sua, þat nane it negh þat es mi fa, Line 20456 wakis nu fair mi licam, wele i wate and traist ic am. þe iuus, all ful of felunie, Mi sun þai sloght all for envie, Line 20460 Fain þai war to do me schame, þai hate na thing mar þan mi licame. For-þi prai i ȝu, par cherite, And for þe loue ȝe haue to me, Line 20464 Quen i am farn to heuen blis, Wakis a night þar mi bodi es, Kepis it wele bath night and day, þat iuus stele it noght a-way. Line 20468 [folio 136b:2] þai wald it brin or do gret schame, Bot iesu, for þi hali name,

Lat þaim þarto haue na might, Line 20471 For sekirli it war vnright." Scho said, "all forsoth i wiss It sal be als þi willes es."

To-quilis vr leuedi spac also Line 20475 To þe apostlis þat come hir to, þe angel lited and stod hir bi, And said, "hail be þu mi leuedi, And all þaa þat er wid þe! Line 20479 Loke þat þu nu redi be, þu sal till heuen, and þar be quene, Ful blith it mai þi hert ai bene, þe sal serue þe curt of heuen." Line 20483 Quen vr leuedi herd þat steuen þat þe angel said hir to, Fild of gladnes þan was scho, Line 20486 To hir bed scho ȝede and lay, Aboute þe time als of midday. Iohn and þe apostlis satt hir bi, Forto kepe hir als þair leuedi. Line 20490 Amanges þaim sone eftir þis þar come a sang of paradis, Sua suete and was sua it farli, þat all þa þat war hir bi, Line 20494 ȝung and ald and euerilkon Fell þaim sone a-slepe apon, Bot vr leuedi, ilkan þai slepe. To þis farli tas ȝe nu kepe, Line 20498 An erdedin þar come þat schoke Alkin þing, als sais þe boke. [þ]an spac þat leuedi to sant iohan, And to þe apostlis euerilkan, Line 20502 And to maydens þat war þar-in, And to oþer fele of hir kin, "Wakis," scho said, "and slepis na wight, I sal fare þar mi sun has tight, Line 20506

Line 20506 Nu es þe time þat i sal fare [folio 137a:1] þat i sal neuer witt of care." Line 20508

[S]ittes all still nu mare and less, And heris nu þis merines; þar come iesus in his might, King of heuen he did als right, Line 20512 Als sun wid moþer agh to don; He cald his angelis war nogh[t] fon, And all þe felauschip of heuen, And said to þaim wid a steuen, Line 20516 "Cums wid me to mi lemmane! Mi moder es scho, hir sun i ame, I toke of hir mi fless and blod, Line 20519 þan es it right i do hir god. I þat euer was, and ai sal be, In all þis bliss þat ȝe here se, Line 20522 I gaf ransun for all man-kin, þat went bifor till hell pine. I had þaim mad to serue me, And thoru þat appil of þat tre Line 20526 He ete again mi forbidding, He was tint wid all his ospring, It reud me and for-thoght sare, I wald it suffer sua na mare, Line 20530 I lighted dun and man bicam, Of þat maiden mi fless i nam, Bi-for all oþer i hir ches And i was born als of hir fless. Line 20534 Thritti winter and sumdele mare I linged to wiss man in lare, Inogh þai did me vilete, þat wid right min aune sul be, Line 20538 þai toke me þan and bett me sare, And at þe last þai did me care, widvten gilt þai did me wrang, Bi-tuix tua thefs þai me hang, Line 20542

Line 20542 Nailed fast thoru hend and fete; Mi bodi of blod was all wete, Line 20544 Mi hert þai stanged wid a spere, [folio 137a:2] þat sau þai all þat war þere. Line 20546 þis schame i thold all for noght, Ful dere haue i man-kind boght. þar i hang nailed on þe rode tre, Mi moder was ful wa for me, Line 20550 And sua was vr cosin sant iohan; I cald him to me sone on-ane, I said till him, 'mi leue cusin, Line 20553 þu kepe þis womman, moder min, . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] For þe lu[u]e þu has to me, Line 20557 Kepe hir quilis scho bi þe be.' þai parted fra me þat siquar, Allan i hang on rode-tre þar; Line 20560 Fra mi bodi mi saule i nam, And siþen vntil hell i cam. All mi freindis þat i þar fand, Line 20563 I toke þaim vte on mi right hand, Adam and eue and oþer mani ane, I did þaim vte of pine be tane. Quen i had þus-gat herid hell, Line 20567 And doun all als i ȝu tell, And had ouercomen þe ful quede, þe threid day i ras fra dede. Fra erd i stey till heuen þan, Line 20571 For i am bath nu godd and man. I am nu here in all mi might, For sua i will, for it es right, þat mi moþer be wid me, Line 20575 For it es time þat it so be. Comis nu forth wid meri sang, And do hir cum vs all emang." Line 20578

Line 20578 þan come iesus wid his meigne, Line 20579 Archangelis, angelis, gret plente, vntil hir bur wid meri sang, þan þai thoght till hir ful lang. þis bure was ful of mekil blis, Line 20583 (And sua es ay þar iesus es) þat all þaa þat þan war þare, [folio 137b:1] Sli blis ne sau þai neuer are. Amang þat singing and þat glu Line 20587 vr leuedi hir sun iesu kneu, Quen scho him sau, scho was ful glad; Listnes þe bone þat scho him bad. "Ay blisced mot þe time be Line 20591 þat þu was, lauerd, born of me! It es wele sene i am þe dere, Nu þi-self es comen here; þin apostlis first þu sent to me, Line 20595 Nu ert þu comen wid þi meigne To fett me sone vnto þi rike, Had neuer modir sun þe like, Sun do nu þat þi will es, Line 20599 For me thinck lang to þe i-wiss." "Suete moþer, þu cum to me, Of all wimmen best ȝe be, þar i am king þu sal be quene, Line 20603 Ful blith þan mai þi hert ai bene." "Sun," scho said, "bath lauerd and king, I þe biseke nu of a thing, Line 20606 Queþer i sal of þe feind haue sight, Or ani of his þat er maledight; I luue him noght, he es mi fa, Line 20609 Leue sun, let me se nane of þa." "[M]I suete moder, ne drede þe noght, Ne come it neuer in mi thoght. wel i noght thole þe þaim sey, Line 20613 Sal nane cum nu bifor þi eie;

Sal þu na-thing se ne here, Line 20615 Bot me and angelis þi fere. Mi suete moder wit þu wele, Of paine sal þu thole na dele, All heuen curt sal serue ai þe, Line 20619 And make þe manrede, nu moder fre. Modir a gifte i will þe giue, þu sal wid me in heuen ay liue. I sal haue merci, mi modir dere, [folio 137b:2] Of all mankind for þi praiere, Line 20624 þat were forlorn it þu ne ware, For of þi bodi þu me bare. All þat menskes þe, leuedi, And all þes þat þe seruis treuli, Line 20628 And þai will cri þe merci thri, And sais wid herte 'help me mari!' Moþir for þe luue of þe, In quatkin sine sum þai be, Line 20632 I sal þaim help, i hight þe sone, For þi luue modir it sal be done. If ani haue bene in all his liue In heued sin, man or wijf, And he will at his last time Line 20637 For-sake his sine and repent hime, And tell it, if he mai haue preist Or oþer man þat es him neist, If he mai tell ne do na mare, Bot þat him of sin reu sare, Line 20642 Of quatkin sin it euer be, Moþer all for þe luue of þe, I sal on him haue gode merci, If he wid will wil do forqui. Line 20646 If a man had him ane all wroght All þe sinnes þat mai be thoght, And he will at his last dai, If he na noþer time ne mai, Line 20650

Line 20650 Repent him, and call on þe, Line 20651 In quatkin sin sum þat he be, I sal sone here all his praier, For þi luue, mi auen moder dere. And þat þu will biseke me fore, Be it lesse, be it more, Line 20656 It sal be, moder, als þu will, For mi grant sal þu haue þar-till. It war vnright i suld widstand þe of agh of þine erand." Line 20660 [V]r leuedi luted him biforn, [folio 138a:1] Said, "sun, þe time þat þu was born Ouer all oþer i-blisced þu be, For all mi will þu grantes me." Line 20664 "Sua agh i, moþer, widuten wand," And blisced hir wid his right hand. Till hir sun þat scho loued mast, þan scho ȝald hir hali gast. Line 20668 He cald till him saint michel, And said, "kepe þu nu mi lemman lel, þu, and alsua all þi fere, It es na-thing es me sua dere." Line 20672 þan he had hir saul sent And it was fra þe bodi went, All þe angelis þat come fra heuen Sang þan wid a meri steuen, Line 20676 It was wele sene apon þair sang Mekil ioy was þaim emang. wid merines till heuen scho nam, An alsone als scho þeder cam Line 20680 Scho was made quene of heuen, þat mild, Blisced worth ai suilk a child.