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

[The Sorrows of Mary.]

[S]pell ȝeit wold i, if i cuth, war ani mirthes in mi muth, For mekil i haue to mote; Line 23947 Bot þat in hertis hord es rest, Nedewais vte þan most it brest. [[line 23950 in MS. comes after l. 32947.]] Of bale to breu sum bote, Line 23950

Scho þat es bote of ilk a bale, Of hir treuli it es mi tale, Hir murning for to min, For þat soru þat scho sei, Line 23954 Hir suete sun on rode drei. [[line 23956 in MS. comes after l. 23953.]] All thoru his aun kin;

[H]ir pining was hir sun pine, þair bather pines au to be mine, If þat i luue þaim treu; Line 23959 I se him hang, i se hir wring, þe car all of þat cumli king, All cristen aue to reu. Line 23962

Line 23962

[I]n herte to reu, in muth to quain, Hu þai haue þat sackles slain, Line 23964 þe plaint it es þair plight; Quen he bitaght him till his aun, þai haf him bath fordriuen and draun, Als scheu es vs til sight. Line 23968

[H]e hinges hei widuten boru, His moder fines noght to soru, Quat selcuth? certes nan, Line 23971 To se hir aun fless and blod Sua be pined on þe rode, þat had na child bot ane. Line 23974

[H]ir dole ne mai i noght for-dill, [folio 159b:1] Bot wid hir weping wepe i will, wid crist to suffer sare; Line 23977 For all his bale was me to bete, He dranc þe sure, and i þe suete, Mi baret all he bare. Line 23980

[W]ede of welth i wil na mar, Cledinng wil i take of care, þar-till me standes nede, Line 23983 And murn wid hir þat him bare; Made neuer moþer sli murning are! þat reuth es of to rede. Line 23986

[S]ai me moder, widuten wem, was þu þan at ierusalem, Quen þat þi sun was laght, Line 23989 Bunden and sua laithli ledd, And bete ai till his bodi bled, To pilate sua bitaght? Line 23992

"[I] say," coth þu, "þat i was þar, Bot carked sua i was wid care, vnethes i diþer wan; Line 23995

Line 23995 Bot quen i sau þa iuus snell, Line 23996 Rise again mi sun sua fell, Ful wanles wex i þan. Line 23998

[O]f wittes all me wanted might, Gang and steuen, tung and sight, All failed me þat tide; Line 24001 Cri mi word and wa mi witt, Mi teris al mi sight þai ditt, Ful pale wex all mi hide. Line 24004

[A]ll mi blod it was me blend, Mi spirit for to ȝeile i wend, þair snaiping was sua smartt; Line 24007 wimnen sau i wep and quain, Bot nane als mari magdalain, þat mast i toke till hartt. Line 24010

[W]idvten me was wamman nane, þat sua murnand made hir mane, Sua sorful as was scho; [folio 159b:2] Line 24013 Ful piteus it was hir plaint, Ne kid scho noght hir luue was faint, Sua redeles vte of ro. Line 24016

[Q]uen þe bedel gaf his cri; vp þe folk all ras in hij Mi sun all forto scheind, Line 24019 To drei dome mi sun es draun, All fled him fra þat was his aun, Bileft vs noght a freind. Line 24022

[V]nreufulli þan gun him raipe, Ful sorfuli him forto snaipe, þat folk þat was sua fade, Line 24025 Of clay þai kest att him þe clott, And laiked wid him sittisott. I sau and still a-bade. Line 24028

Line 24028

[þ]ai draf him forth wid staf and steng, I and þat wreche womman ȝeng we folud þaim to fote; Line 24031 I stakrid sua might i noght stand, Bot als þai held me vp wid hand vnbun was i to bote. Line 24034

[V]nto þe munte of caluari,— Sua sorful womman non als i,— þis wid mi sun i went; Line 24037 þe soru þat i sau on him þare All it was me blublid ȝare þat euer me mai be ment. Line 24040

[T]o domes-dai liue if i moght, Ne ȝode it neuer vte of mi thoght, Quen i þar-on suld thinck; Line 24043 þat brixel beting crune of thorn, þat all his fless it was bi-torn; þai gaf him gall to drinck." Line 24046

[þ]ar-for i sai leuedi sua fre, þat a ful selli man war he, þat wid þe might haue sene, [ [[from Edin|bro' MS.]] That pinis of thi suet son Line 24050 I wat that euir it mad him mon That car that was sa ken.

Moder! traistnes of ur trewþe, Don vs to rewen wit þi rewþe, Line 24054 And þinkin on þat stur þat þi son þar droch in place, Noht gain his wil bot wit his grace, Vs al to don sucour. Line 24058

I moder murnand, wep cod þu, þis soru seand apon Iesu? "Min sorou I ne can noht sai, Line 24061

Line 24061 [Nailid apon þat rod tre Line 24062 Ful sorfulli biheld he me, I think it euir and ai. Line 24064

Mar he murnid for mi car, Than for al his awen sar, For als a lamb he stod; Line 24067 For wit þaim þat swa him soht, A word to spek men herd him noht, Til he was spred on rod. Line 24070

Sa dep þat sithe me sat in site, þat wel I wist wit-outen wite, þai wroht him al þis wrang. Line 24073 þat es na tung mai spek wit word, Ne writer write wit pennis orde, Hu þat vr stur was strang. Line 24076

Fair he wes and fre, mi child, Softe in speche, in maner mild, Quil he stod in his state; Line 24079 His face þat fo[r]wit was sa schen, It es nou grisli on to sen, His bodi al blodi wate. Line 24082

A croun of þorn his hefd on stod, þat ilka prik broht vt the blod, þai sput on him þair spit, Line 24085 Vnnethes ik his kenning knew, þat i ne sach nan of him wald reu, þat wroht me out of wite. Line 24088

This harm mi hert it held sa hard, To wandrin wist I quiderward, Sa was me waies wan; Line 24091 Quen sli sette did him me forlete, Mi sun þat was sa selcuþe swete, And hauid bot him allan. Line 24094

Line 24094 I ne wate quarfor ne qui [folio 160a:1] [T]int i haue all helpe and hald, Care clinges in mi hert sua cald, Noght of me-self i wate; Line 24205 Ful wa es me, me es ful wa, was neuer sua waful moder a Stad vte of all state. Line 24208 [M]i sun sua suete, to me þu sai, Hu sal i nu weind mi way, Line 24210 Quare forto laite mi freind? Quat hope, quat grace, quat helpe, quat rest, þu ordaines me, for þu mai best, If i ne wid þe sal weind." Line 24214 [S]iþen suilk it was þi cares kidd, þu dreied dole, leuedi! þu did For gode it was þi euen, Line 24217 Quen he þe sau þis murning make, Sum-thing i wis to þe he spake, If him stode ani steuen. Line 24220 [þ]ou his vntelland was þe pine, Till hert i wat it ȝode als þine, þat ekid was till his; Line 24223 And all þe baret þat he bare, It satlid in þi hert ful sare, wid-vten ani mis. Line 24226

Line 24226

[He] þat sua reufulli was dight, Line 24227 If he þe said oght forto light, þi mode þat was in murn; Line 24229 ȝa did he, quat he said, "mi dere Moder sal þu nu mend þi chere, To fadir mine in turn. Line 24232

[þ]u carke þe noght sua fast wid care, Siþen i sal to mi fadir fare, I sal þe leue a fere; Line 24235 For in mi stede þu sal haue ane, And þat sal be þi cosine s. iohane, þin aun leif and dere. Line 24238

[þ]u sal be moder, he sal be sun, To serue þe als i was wone [folio 160a:2] Quilis þu sal lengen here, Line 24241 For he es bath sua war and wise, I haue him taght to þi seruise, Nu most þu mend þi chere. Line 24244

Mi suete moder, tender of hert, Nu confort þe, þu sal haue quert, And werp a-way þi wepe; Line 24247 It es þi kind for me to care, Bot sua i wil þu do na mare, Bot take to iohan kepe. Line 24250

[M]i moder dere, þu wate þat i Nam fless of þe, and resun qui I hang apon þis tre: Line 24253 Bot forto dei for manes kind, Als men in prophecis mai find, þat er for-said of me. Line 24256

[B]ot þou i dei nu on þis wise, þe thred morn i sal vp-rise, þat þu sal see wid eie; Line 24259

Line 24259 To mi desciplis and to þe, Line 24260 All sothfast scheu þan sal i me, For-þi nu most i dei. Line 24262

[N]u sal i dei, rise sal i sone, An stei vp to mi fadir trone, þar-for mai þu be blith: Line 24265 Mi schepe er funden to þe fald, þat quilum þe wolf held in his hald, þat tint war andersith. Line 24268

[F]or-þi sal ane be dede and slain, And all þis werld sal quickin a-gain, þat a man forwid slogh; Line 24271 A man tint all quen it bigan, All sal be sauued thoru a man, þat born es on þis bogh. Line 24274

[þ]e thing þat es mi fader will, þu mai noght moder thinc it ill, For-soth it most be done! [folio 160b:1] þis ilke pine es for me dight, And lang es of mi fadir hight, Ouerpasse i sal it sone. Line 24280

[N]e drede þu noght, mi moder suete, þat i þe will nu þus forlete, þou i nu fra þe fare. Line 24283 For witt þu wele, i am wid þe widuten tuin, and sua sal be Fra nu for euermare. Line 24286

[N]u most i li vnder þe dede, Siþen suilk it es mi fader rede þe dede all for to quell; Line 24289 Queþen i come þu wate al plaine, Nu sal i stei þeder agayne, Quen i haue herijd hell. Line 24292

Line 24292

[I] far bi-for, it es þi prou, Line 24293 Bot cum wid me mai þu noght nu, Bot þu sal folu eft, Line 24295 I fare, for me bihouis to weind, To-quilis sal iohn þat es þi freind In-sted of me be left." Line 24298

"[I]ohn," he said, "þis mai þu here, Take kepe nu to mi moder dere, And serue hir wid solace; Line 24301 þu take mi moder nu for þine, For þou þat i sal passe þis pine, wid ȝu sal be mi grace." Line 24304

[Q]uilis iesus spac þir wordes son To teche þaim quat þai suld don, þai fined noght to grete; Line 24307 For murning al dumb war þai, Sua þat a word might þai noght sai, Ne stand apon þair fete. Line 24310

[þ]ir martris tuin þat i of mene, Cosines bath and maidens clene, Quen þai herd cristes voice Line 24313 Sua waike þat vnethes might þai here, Com neuer care þair hertis sua nere, For him þai sau on croice. [folio 160b:2]

[W]id hard thraues þat he throu, þai sau þat he to dede him drou, þat soght þair hertis sare; Line 24319 Als dede þai war, widuten speke, was neuer for soru tua sua seke, Siþen ani werldes ware. Line 24322

"[V]r spirit was als fled vs fra, For we wist of na-thing bot wa, þou we herd quat he said; Line 24325

Line 24325 Speke we wald, might had we nan, For-þi we stemmed still als stane, þou lijf was vs for-laid. Line 24328

[A]lsuith þan þar come a worde, Fra þe crois of cristes suord, And thriled bath vr herte; Line 24331 Ful brath it was and come ful kene, Ful sone it was apon vs sene, þat smiten war sua smart. Line 24334

[þ]ou we war wondid bath i wiss, Mi wond it was harder þan his, Bot bath war hard enoght; Line 24337 He was mi sun, and cosin his, To me his moder did þai þat mis, þai wroght on him wid wogh. Line 24340

[V]r murning bath it was for an þat satt vs bath in fless and ban, Sli baret had na bote; Line 24343 To tene all tight vs was þat time, Quen we na hele might se on hime, Fra heued vnto þe fote. Line 24346

[H]ad he noght fre on all his fell, In suime al falden dun i fell, And þar als dede i lay; Line 24349 þat suime was of mi soru suage, Bot quen i raxed vp in sauage, I ne wist bot walaway. Line 24352

[W]id-vten croice þe croice i bare, þat croiced was, was all mi care; [folio 161a:1] Quen i on him biheld, Line 24355 þe spere þai stock wid, wid wrang, þat ilk mine hert it thoru stang, And heied me to heild. Line 24358

Line 24358

[þ]e nailes þat him fest on rode, Thoru in hefd and fete þai ȝode, Sua luue vs samen band! Line 24361 þe luue þat neuermar mai ley, þi dome vs did to-gider drei, Hard faand i þar-of fand. Line 24364

[Q]uen i was lighter of þat leue, [F]and i na-thing me to greue, Na kind me kid bot gode." Line 24367 Bot nu scho greues al again, And dublis nu þis moder pain þat forwid scho wid-stode. Line 24370

"[B]ot i þan fanded neuer are, Nu i wate of womman care, And neuer i wist biforn;" Line 24373 For es na man sua wise in lare, þat all can se þat tender fare, Bot þai þat child has born. Line 24376

[L]euedi! hu nu þu fand it cuth, þe saue of symeons muth, þat he lang siþen tald. Line 24379 He said a suord suld stick ouerthuert Toru and thoru þin aun hert, þat er þir caris cald. Line 24382

[F]ul sorful was þat suord and sare, Leued! confort of vr care! þat þe bitidd þat tide, Line 24385 þu þat of soru na thing wist ar, Nu þi soru it was þe mare, þat tide þe was to bide. Line 24388

"[T]o bide i most widuten bote, It raght mi hert al to þe rote, vnrideli on me rane; Line 24391

Line 24391 Of mine vnro fand i na rest, [folio 161a:2] And bodid al mi hert to brest, wid mani a grisli grane. Line 24394

[Q]uen þat mi sun was all for-bled, þat sua wid soru was forwid fed, Him thristed sare and said; Line 24397 þai him dight a bitter drinck, Ne left þai noght for þair suinck, Of gall and aisel graid. Line 24400

[Q]uen he had tasted wid his muth, He it forsoke, was na selcuth! Bot crid anes and eft, Line 24403 "Mi fader," he said þan, "eloy, Mi lauerd godd, sai me nu qui þu has me þus bileft?" Line 24406

[þ]an lete he dun his hefd heild, His seli saule al forto ȝeild, In-till his fadir hand; Line 24409 þe elementis þan murned all, Quen þai sau þair make fall, þat wroght þaim forto stand. Line 24412

[þ]e erd bigan to riue and quake, þe air gan durkin and to blake, And murned all wid him; Line 24415 Bath sun and mone widvten light, Ouer al þe werld ne was both night, All droued and wex dim. Line 24418

[þ]e see to din, þe stanes clef, þe temple fra þe rof it ref, þe dede ras of þair den; Line 24421 Hali men þat had forwid bene, All vp war þair grauis sene, þat cuth þair freindes ken. Line 24424

Line 24424

[Q]uen i þus sau al thinges skurn, vnfeland for þair lauerd murn, Might i me noght for-bere; Line 24427 þat me ne bihoued widuten spar, Of him þat i of bodi bare, His baret wid him to bere. [folio 161b:1]

For es na tung þat rekin moght, Ne manes hert to thinc in thoght, Mi murning to þe teind; Line 24433 Bot þan mi murn was alþermast, Quan þat i sau him ȝeilde þe gast, þat me was suilk a freind. Line 24436

[I] sau him dei, i sorud ay, Mi site es all þat i can say, Mi tening es sua togh, Line 24439 Qua ne wist forwit quat weping ware, List to me and þai mai here, For nu wate i enogh. Line 24442

[I] stod þan bi þat reuful tre, þat all mi soru was on to se, þar-on was all mi sight; Line 24445 Apon mi taas oft sith i stod, Roles raxland to þe rode, þat was all þat i might. Line 24448

Bot quan þat i ne might ellis spede, Dun to fall þan must i nede, To climb had i na hald; Line 24451 Bot als ferr als i might reke, To kisse þ[a]t tre was blodi weke, was na mar will of wald. Line 24454

[L]uue me did me ferrer bede þan i might cum til end wid dede, Mor wend i þan i moght; Line 24457

Line 24457 Baldli bedd i vp mi hend, Haue wonen, to mi sun i wend, Allas! al was for noght. Line 24460

[M]e-thoght might i apone him rine, Mi lemman lijf, and lauerd mine, þus brinand in mi bale, Line 24463 And wid mi hand him anes reche, He þat all sare was wont to leche, I suld haue bene all hale." Line 24466

[H]a! leuedi, sli martirdome, [folio 161b:2] Qua might it tell he suld haue tome, Quat langur was þe laid; þi saul es multen al to dede, Line 24470 þi face es wann sua rose vnred, Als forwid þe wa said. Line 24472

[N]u findes þu na better blis þan es þi sunes blode to kiss, þat spred es on þat griss; Line 24475 "Soth," coth þu, "bot ȝeit i sale, Al clene be broght vte of mi bale, Quen mi sun willis ess. Line 24478

[H]ere-wid com me sone socure, And sum lightnes of mi langur, Ioseph and nichodeme, Line 24481 Mi sun to menske, and sua þai did, For all worschip til him þai kid, þair cum was me ful queme. Line 24484

[W]id þaim broght þai gere enogh, vte of his fete þe nail droght, And als vte of his hend, Line 24487 Quen i sau sone quarto þai thight, All mi licam bigan to light, And mi mode to mend. Line 24490

Line 24490

[Q]uen i him had in armis fald, þat suete fless bath dri and cald, Bihaldand on his wondis, Line 24493 þan bigan mi gle to grou, Mar þan ani man wald trou, And neu me mi stundis. Line 24496

[B]ot þarof breud me sum bote, þat i might kis him hand and fote, And hald him in mi barm; Line 24499 Ne might i noght forbere mi grete, Bot quen i kist his muth sa suete, þe lesse it was mi harm. Line 24502

[O]n him mi hefd i schok, and said, vngertli, leue sun, art þu graid! Quat has þu said or wroght, Line 24505 Queþer þu did ani feluni, [folio 162a:1] Or ani maner of plight for qui? Nay, nay, ne did þu noght. Line 24508

[N]ay leue sun! had þu na wite, Forto suffers like despite, Bot all it was for-þi Line 24511 þat þu wald boru man of wa, Of mekenes leue him sample sua, þat þu come for to bi. Line 24514

[H]ere in mi barm hald i þe dede, Allas! quat es me nu to rede, I wrechedest of all! Line 24517 Allas! quar es mi mekil mirth Of ioy þat i had in þi birth, Sua fersli nu to fall. Line 24520

[M]e es ful wa, ful wa es me! To grete es turned all mi gle, Na blis mai make me blith. Line 24523

Line 24523 If þu sun, wil mi murning mend, I wald in me þat þu wald send, þin hali gast eft sith. Line 24526

[þ]at mekil ioi me was vmsett Quen i was wid þe angel grett, In mi bodi þu light, Line 24529 þat mekil ioi i þan was in, vnethes mai i þar-of min, Sua mate i am of might. Line 24532

[I] kist him þan bath frunt and cheke, Muth and nese, and eien eke, At-quilis i might drei; Line 24535 For quen þi face bespitt, And thoght apon þe iuus flitt, þe tere fell dun of mine eie. Line 24538

[I] murnand moder þus for-made, vnsterin staikid was i stadd, Sua war mi stundes store; Line 24541 Mi lijf was dede, dede was mi lijf, þus was i stikid all wid strijf, To tell it war ful tore. [folio 162a:2] Line 24544

[N]u i ligg and nu i stand, Bunden þus in balful band, Bot hope of bote i bare, Line 24547 Of bale and bote slik was mi soru, He hight to rise þe thrid moru, þat hope for-kest mi kare. Line 24550

[þ]an nichodeme þat doghti knight, wid ioseph nam þat cors to dight. To beri it als was best, Line 24553 For luue badd i þan forto bide, Ouþer to lay me bi his side, To-gider for to nu rest. Line 24556

Line 24556

[I] blisced oft mi blisful child, Had neuer moder nan sua mild, þat euer me mous to min; Line 24559 þai wald haue berid him ful fain, Bot i him held wid all mi main, Sua lath me was to tuin. Line 24562

'[F]reindes,' i said, 'þat es sua fre, For drightin luue ȝe reu on me, Mi praier for to here, Line 24565 A quile ȝe late him li her still, ȝe mai do siþen all ȝur will Wid mi dereling sua dere. Line 24568

[O]n him bihaldes al mi bliss, And all mi bale quan i him mis, Ȝe reu on me for-þi; Line 24571 Siþen i mai him noght haue in lijf, Giues me him dede, widuten strijf, Fre for ȝure curtasie. Line 24574

[L]euer me war to dede be dreuin, þan efter his lijf forto liuen, I ne roght quat dede it ware.' Line 24577 þat blisced bodi to wind þai wald, And i bigan it to wid-hald, Sli strijf tuix vs was þare. Line 24580

"[L]euedi, qua herde euer inlede Of ani rune sua rewful rede, [folio 162b:1] Talking forto tell; Line 24583 þis semed strijf, bot it was nan, For bath ȝur willis was in an, Sene was als siþen fell. Line 24586

[þ]i sun do worschip, wald þai sone, And sua þai wald þat it war done, If luue þe ne ledd to lite. Line 24589

Line 24589 þou þu wald þai birid þi barn, Ful lath was þe his like to tharn, þat slake was of þi site. Line 24592

[S]uilk it was, ȝur suete discord, Discord of muth, of hert acord, Als freindes bath and fede; Line 24595 Quat did ȝe þan, sai leuedi mar?" "Bot nichodeme and ioseph bar To delue þat bodi dede. Line 24598

Quen his licham in stane was laid, Allas! allas! ful ofte was said, Noght all for him allane, Line 24601 Bot alsua for mi reuful schurs þat þai sau ledd wid sli langurs All mened of mi mane. Line 24604

[O]f mi mane mare, quat mai i mene, Fortugild þus wid trai and tene, Als taght me was þat tide, Line 24607 Quen oþer men war went away, Apon mi sun tumb þan i lay, þar bedd i for to bide. Line 24610

[A]t þe last left i allane, Euer elike kisand þat stane þat mi lijf lay vnder; Line 24613 þan com mi cosin saint iohan, þat þan of welth was al mi wan, Mi soru fra me to sundre. Line 24616

[T]o me reuful he raght his hand, On fote vnethes might he stand, Sua lame in lime and lith; Line 24619 vnto þe tun þan he me ledd, [folio 162b:2] And oþer wimmen murnand and medd, þai went vs þider with. Line 24622

Line 24622

[M]ani of þai þat wid me mett For mi greting sare þai grett, A! sighed sare wid-all, Line 24625 Fra me ne wald þai noght tuin, Til i come til mi cosin in, þar stablid þai mi stall. Line 24628

[þ]ar lai i in mi luue langing, Ay to mi suns vprising, þat faith in me was fest; Line 24631 Iohn luued me if he might mar þan his moþer þat him bar, He ȝeilded him þat mai best. Line 24634

[S]ua seke i was and sar for soruu, Quen mi sun ras þe thrid moru, All till his graue þai thrang, Line 24637 Might i noght diderward a fote, Ne forto bid me was na bote, þat lett thoght me ful lang." Line 24640

"[F]ul lang, leuedi, thoght me þat lett, And thoght it was mi bale all bett, For þan greu all mi gle; Line 24643 wid oþer wimmen þat him soght, Send bodword to þi leif þu noght In langurs all for þe." Line 24646

[O]f all þis langur was þu light, þu bird of blis, na sun sua bright, And all þine balis bett; Line 24649 þi suete sun sua hale of hight Son he þe conford wid his sight; Quen ȝe war samen mett. Line 24652

[þ]u had him siþen till all þi will, For all þi ioi wald he ful-fill, Again sua strang a stour; Line 24655

Line 24655 þar þu him has nu all in blis, Leuedi! diþerward vs all wiss, Line 24657 Wid fand of þi socur. Amen. [folio 163a:1]