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

[David purposes to build a temple to God.]

Quen he had made his orisoun, vnder þat tre he sett him doun, He thoght þan apon mani a thing, As he þat was suilk a lording, Line 8266 A temple thoght he make on hight, In þe worschip of godd all-miht; Fer and depe he him bi-thoght, Line 8269 Hou þat þis temple suld be wroght, For to kepe in þair ser relike, þat he miht saue in his kingrike; þat was, þat hali arke þai bare Aboute, wid all þair sayntuare, Line 8274 þat es to say, þe tablis tuin, þat þe ten comandementis war in, þat god wrat wid his aun hand; I, and þar-in was aaron-es wand, Line 8278 þar bar þe fruit þou it war drie; And of manna als a partye; þe gylden oyle of þe propiciatory, To cherubynes, als sas þe story. Line 8282

Line 8282 þir thinges þat i telle ȝou here, þe king þaim held tresur dere, þer-for thoght þe king dauy, Make þaim a riche herbergery. Line 8286 vnder þis tre þat i of say, A stapil was of marbil gray.

As he thoght þus quat was to done, An angel com fra heuen trone, Line 8290 Apon a bohw he made his sete, Of þat tre þat was sua suete; For wid þat flour þat was sua new, þar stode a selcuth louly hew. Line 8294 þis angel þat sua brightly schan, Spac to þe king, þar he sat an, And said, "godd þe loke, sir king, wele i wat al þi ȝerning, Line 8298 þi wille in worschip for to wirke, [folio 58a:1] þat es to godd a crafty kirke. Bot þu sal witt on quat wise þat þis werke awe for to rise. Line 8302 Godd wil noght þi selue it make, For of þi handis he wil noght take Suilke a werke, it war vnright, Line 8305 For werrour art þu, man-ful wight, And many man slayn wid þi hand, Bot þu sal ellis vnder-stand It may noght thoru þi-seluen be don; End it sal þi sone salamon, Line 8310 þu sal it ordaine in þi thoght, Thoru salamon it sal be wroght; For he sal be a man of pes, And mekil haue worldis es, Line 8314 He sal be king efter þi day, þis es þe soth, þat i þe say. He sal reyne bath in reste and pes, þe temple sal he make wid ese, Line 8318

Line 8318 He sal haue witt, ricches, and sele, To wiss all his kingriche wele. It sal be precious and proude; Line 8321 þe werke he sal sua semely schroude, Relykis sal þar-ine be lokin þat euer mare sal of be spokin, Bituix and to þe worldes end. Line 8325 Haue god day, for nou i wend."

Daui vnder-stode þis skil, ȝeit lete he noght his dede wid dill, þat he ne thoght for to do so, Line 8329 Als þe angel said him to.