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

[The Jews plot against Christ's life.]

Whenne ihesus had seide þis & more Þei lafte him riȝt þore Þei lafte him þere & went her wey Muche on him gon þei missey Line 14779 Þei him helde her fulle fo And seide who herde euer mon seye so Somme seide ouþer is he prophete Or crist him self to mon ful sete But of o þing in were be we Line 14784 We woot þat Ioseps son is he Þei are of a kynde of galile Þere bi þat ilke cuntre Of a castel ben þei certeynly Line 14788 Wher of was boren kyng dauy Þe toun of bethleem þat es [folio 92a:1] Þe book þerof bereþ witenes Somme seide to oþere þon Line 14792 Þenne is good þis ilke mon Þat of bethleem kynde is nouȝt Be taken and to deþe brouȝt He is knowen in his kiþ His fadir & his modir wiþ Of galile is he born & geten Line 14798 And so þis may not be forȝeten

Openly biforn vs alle Line 14800 He doþ him goddes son to calle Oure folke ben foles þat is sene Þat rise þus wiþ him bi dene Whenne men of him herde & sawe Of him stood þei muchel awe And seide fast is he pryuen And muchel grace is him ȝyuen Kyng salomon in al his blis Line 14808 Had neuer suche happ as he þis For to him was þe lawe bitauȝt þat he him self bi lernyng lauȝt Nor þe prophetes wise þat wore Ȝitt þei of summon hadden lore But þis mon siþ he coom in werd Of suche anoþer neuer we herd Þat neuer of mon lerned he lawe And to him is þere no ȝeynsawe In his herte is al purueide What he wol saye hit is seide Ȝerne haþ he vs ouer comen Line 14820 Longe ar he for vs be nomen For þouȝe þe riche be not his frendes Þe pore wiþ wille wiþ him wendes

¶ þenne coom þei to þe phariseus Line 14824 Of alle were þei moost shrewus And þo þei asked hem on hy What is he þat goddes enemy Haue ȝe him take þei seide nay Wherfore sende we ȝou quod þay But to take him if ȝe mouȝt Aȝeyn him may we do nouȝt He haþ vs wonne wiþ maistry Line 14832 Whe wol shewe ȝou skil why Suche a mon wiþouten wene Was neuer in erþe herde nor sene Line 14835

Line 14835 Aȝeyn his word may noon stryue Be he of resoun neuer so ryue Line 14837 Alas þei seide haþ he ȝou shent Wher any of oures be to him went Wher he haue giled wiþ his art Any lordyng of oure part Line 14841 We sory men what may we say Knowe we not þe writen lay Þis ilke mon wol vs shende Þenne seide oon was his frende Line 14845 Nichodeme bi name hiȝt He spake & seide for ihesu riȝt Me þinkeþ lordes bi þe lawe Þat I for me to warant drawe Wiþouten dome shal noon dede be Line 14850 And but in synne take were he If þat ȝe redili wol loke We shul hit fynde writen in boke If any mon were taken for ouȝt Line 14854 He shulde bifore iustice be brouȝt And if hit were suche a wite Þat he miȝt not him of quyte Þenne shulde men his doome ȝyue For to deȝe or for to lyue Line 14859 Wiþ him holdestou þei seide we se For ȝe are boþe of galile But we may fynde hit nowhere Þat oure crist shulde be born þere Line 14863 But of bethleem of dauid kynde Þis is sooþ as ȝe shul fynde Þei went hoom at þat siþe In wraþþe & woo ful vnbliþe Line 14867 Strongely was þis folk feloun Of litil witt wiþouten resoun Bitauȝte to þe fend grim [folio 92b:1] Line 14870 Noon edder more ful of venym

Of wickede wille & euel mode Line 14872 Aȝeyn her owne flesshe & blode . . . . . [no gap in Trinity MS.; the Laud MS. wants lines 14782-14960; two leaves torn out] . . . . . Line 14876 . . . . . Þei wolde not leue for his gode dede Til þei had made his sides blede Line 14879 Leuer had þei se þe fend of helle Þen him amonges hem to dwelle Muchel auȝte þei þat lord to loue þat so wolde com for her bihoue He foleweþ hem & þei him fle Line 14884 Wolde þei neuer on him se Fayn wolde he drawe hem to And þei aboute him to for do Line 14887 But had sele on hem ben sene Glad of him had þei bene And serued him wiþ honde & fote Þat wolde be born to her bote He loued hem longe in his hert Þei quyt him euer wiþ vnquert Þei him hated to þe dede In euel tyme toke þei þat rede Line 14895 Fro þat tyme for wele nor wo Wolde not ihesus fle hem fro But stably wol wiþ hem lende Line 14898 Til prophecies han her ende Þat he were nayled on þat tre Þat vche day we saumple se Line 14901 Þat brouȝte vs oute of peynes bondes Fro oure enemyes hondes And to his passioun þat was hard Line 14904 As ȝe may heren aftirward He wolde him bowe þo þertille Frely of his owne wille Line 14907

Line 14907 He say þe tyme comynge neȝe Þat he for monkynde wolde deȝe Line 14909 To bie hem out of her care Þat wiþ þe fend dwellynge ware He wolde hem vnbynde in dede For him þouȝte hit was nede For to suffere peynes grym Line 14914 Monnes soule to haue to him . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 14918 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 14923 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 14927 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 14933