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

[Of the marriage of Isaac.]

And he hir gaf a gifte on-ane, A gold ring þat brihtly schane, Line 3320 Thankand godd te erde he fell; þe mayden ran hom tiþand to tell. Scho had a broþer hight laban, And he ran forth egain þe man, Line 3324 wid taking wer þai samen knaun, [folio 24a:1] To riche gestnyng was he draun. þan wist þai bi þis messager, Abraham him was sibb ful nere; Line 3328 Ete no drinc nouþer he wolde, Til he him had his erand told, Til þat þe sekirnes was tane, Licnes to reuyn had he nane. Line 3332 Sua wele worth suilk a messager! To send a message for to bere, þat reckes of him seluen right noght, Til þat his lauerdes nedes be wroght. þe mariage þan did he make, Line 3337 Bi-tuene Rebecca and ysaac, Ilkan gaf he giftes sere, Efter þat þai worthi were, Line 3340 And cledd þe may wid riche wede, Als þe lau was in þat lede. Ilk man gaf he sumkines thing, Line 3343 And Batuel mad him fair gestning. At morn wid goddes benisun, Rebecca was ledd vte of þe tun, Hir moder als wid hir scho ledd, Line 3347 And rad til þai com nere þat stedd,

þar wonand was sir abraham; And ysaac was noght fra ham, ysaac went him forto ro, Line 3351 And thoght on thinges he had to do, He ȝede þar walkand bi þe strete, And com egaynes him to mete. þan said Rebecca, "quat man es he, þat tilward vs comand i se?" Line 3356 He drow hir nere and still spac, "ȝon es my lauerd, sir ysaac, It es þe kayser þat sal be þin, Of him nou sal þu haue sesin. Line 3360 Til his bihoue i þe soght, [folio 24a:2] In seli time and wid me broght." þe sergaunt did hir dun to liht, In better aray hir forto dyht, Line 3364 Scho hir arayed in better wede, A mantel aboue clad in rede; And þou scho schamful was, i-wis, Scho tynt na contenanse wid þis. Rebecca and ysaac er samen Line 3369 Mete wid mekil gle and gamen, wid mekil mirth thar no man wene, was broght to hous þat mayden schene. And þan þai made þe mariage Line 3373 þat fell vnto riche eritage. þe mekil loue of Rebecca Feld þe soru of dame sarra; Line 3376 Suilk er in þis lijf ful thic, For-getis þe dede for þe quic: Bot þai it did for sum resun, And thoru significacion. Line 3380

Ismael had wiues thrin, þat kinges tuelue com of him, þai held as men war mihtiest, þe landes þat lay in to þe est, Line 3384

Line 3384 Gret farli was þe kin to tell, was multeplied of ysmael. abraham efter dame sarra, Tok a wijf hight cephura, Line 3388 Of hir he had a sone hith madan, And a-noþer hight madian; Noght for lust of licheri, Bot for his sede suld multipli, Line 3392 Als godd him had biforand hiht, Tok a wijf, for sua was riht. Tuix his childer he delt his auht, His land to ysaac he bitauht, Line 3396 For he was born of mariage, [folio 24b:1] wid riht he bade his eritage. An hundred ȝere seuenti and fyue, Quen abraham had ledd his lyue, Line 3400 He deyed in treuth and in halihede. His sones dohuti were of dede; þai wepe his dede and sua did ma, And laid him bi his wijf sara. Line 3404 In godd was euer his feith feste, vr lauerd vs bring in to his reste! Suilk a rest in for to cum, Line 3407 þat we may wid him seluen won. Amen. . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]