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

[How the light of heaven shone on Jesus asleep.]

Ay quen ioseph was won to wend, Til ani waiting wid sum freind, His sunnes war ay wid him bone, Iame, ioseph, iude, and symiun. Line 12546 wid him come als his doghters tua, Mari wid iesus come alsua, And wid hir mari cliophe, þat an was of þe sistris thre, Line 12550 (For vr leued had sistris tuin, þat i sal siþin make of min). Quen þis meigne was gedrid samen, All þai wanted þair gastli gamene, Til þat iesus was comen in place To giue þaim blissing of his face, For ar þat he wid þaim war sett, Nouþir wild þai drinc ne ett, Line 12558

Line 12558 Ne breke þair bred, ne tast þar mes, Til he war comen to þair des, And till him seluen war on stadd And wid benisun þaim badd, Line 12562 And if he war fra hame þat tide, Till þat he come all suld þai bide. And quen he suld to metschip ga, Mari and ioseph, his breþir alsua,— Ioseph suns I neuend ȝu are,— Line 12567 Alle þai felauschip him bare. [folio 85b:1] þir men helde he lijf dai and night, Bifor þaim als a candel bright, þai him leued and duted ay, Line 12571 And quare he slepe, night or day, þe clerenes self of goddes light Schane on him, na sunne so bright. þe soth it es als i ȝu say, we find þat here on-slepe he lay. Line 12576