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

[The Resurrection of Christ.]

¶ whil þei speke of þis selcouþ A new tiþing hem coom to mouþ Oon of þo knyȝtis þat were sent For to kepe þe monument Line 17368 Tolde hem þat of aungels one Had lifte awey þe graue stone Þat cloþed was as snow shire And his semblant like to fire Þis aungel set him on þe stone For drede we fel doun dede vchone To þo wymmen þat ihesu souȝt Line 17375 He bad þei shulde drede nouȝt ȝe seke þe bodi of ihesu dere Risen is he he is not here His wordis wel we vndirstonde Ihesu þat on cros dud honge Line 17380 Is risen as he biforn seide Lo here þe stud he was in leide But to his disciplis saye ȝe From deþ to lif vp risen is he Line 17384 Bidde hem to galile go ful riȝt To se him þere as he hem hiȝt Þis knyȝt seide leue hit wele Þat I haue tolde euerydele Line 17388 ¶ Þenne þei bad biforn hem calle Þat kepte þe graue þe knyȝtis alle what were þo wymmen þat him souȝt Line 17391

Line 17391 why nadde ȝe hem wiþ ȝou brouȝt Line 17392 We knew hem not þo seide þei As we were deed al doun we lay whenne we were so out of myȝt How shulde þei for vs be kiȝt Þenne swor þo iewes þat were wrooþ Line 17397 Bi lyuynge god þat was her ooþ We lyue ȝou not wite hit wel ȝoure sawes ben fals euery del Þo knyȝtis vnswerede alle in greue ȝe are euer in mis bileue Line 17402 Whenne ȝe him say bifore ȝoure siȝt So mony maistries made of myȝt Boþe herde & sene of him now Line 17405 No merueil þouȝe ȝe vs not trow Þei seide wel we hit vndirstoode Þe lord lyueþ ȝe dud on rode Line 17408 Also we haue of men herde seide Ioseph þat in toumbe him leide ȝe duden him vndir lok & sele Þat he awey shulde not stele Line 17412 But ȝe him misten aftir soone And none of ȝoure dores vndone Þus if ȝe riȝtwisly wol deme ȝeldeþ Ioseph ȝe had to ȝeme And we shul ȝelde ihesu soone Line 17417 Into oure kepyng þat was done Þe iewes seide ihesus ȝelde ȝe And we shul Ioseph we shul se We woot where Ioseph is al boun In aramathy his owne toun Line 17422 Þe knyȝtis seide if Ioseph be In aramathi his owne cite Þenne dar we saye of ihesu þat he Is redy now in galile Line 17426

Line 17426 Of þis soþ sawe are we bolde Line 17427 Þe aungel so to þe wymmen tolde Of þese wordes drad þe iewes To blake þo bigon her brewes To counsel soone were þei brouȝt Now is vs nede of redy þouȝt Line 17432 But we wiþstonde bityme now [folio 106b:1] Ihesus shal make al to him bow If we lete þis tiþing sprede Alle be we shent þat may we drede Þese knyȝtis anoon we ȝiftis bede Line 17437 Þat we may stoppe her mouþes wiþ mede And somme of pens gedered þei And ȝaf þo knyȝtis for to sei To alle þat wolde hem tiþing freyne To vnswere hem þus aȝeyne whil we bi nyȝte in slepe lay Line 17443 Ihesus meyne coom & him stale away Þei seide if any mon ȝou wite Þis may ȝou saue & make quyte Allas þat tyme of couetise So mony men hit makeþ vnwise Line 17448 Hit reueþ riȝtwisnes his wey And letteþ men þe soþe to sey Riȝt may com to noon ende Þat couetise mon haþ blende Line 17452 Whenne ȝiftis haue fordone þe siȝt How may men folwe þe reule of riȝt But ihesu crist þat riȝtwis es And al him self of soþfastenes Line 17456 Þouȝe hit lette neuer so longe Alwey to wreche he doþ þe wronge And soþfaste whenne fals is fled Holdeþ forþ his owne sted Þenne shal falshede be falde in felde Line 17461 Wiþ alle þo þat wiþ him helde

So dude þese knyȝtis þat I of mele Ȝiftis made hem þe soþe to hele Line 17464 As mede hem bad so þenne þei dud Þat þei herde & say þei hud Þei seide as hem was boden sey Þat ihesu cors was stolen awey Line 17468 But aftir þat þerwiþ þei won Shenshepe & shame of mony mon Men seide hem aftir muchel shame And of her treuþe loste þe name Line 17472 Alle false shul fare on þat wise And euer shal riȝtwisnes vp rise Wo was hem þo wrecches wik whenne þis tiþing bigon to quyk ¶ In þat tyme out of Inde Line 17477 Of walkynge men were comen þre To þat folke tolde þei al bi-dene Þat þei had wiþ her eȝen sene Line 17480 Ihesus þei seide to deþe ȝe didde Sittyng his disciplis amydde We say on mount of olyuete Line 17483 He seide to hem breþere swete Ȝe shul wende ouer al þis werd And preche þat ȝe haue seen & herd Alle þat hit leueþ & bapteme take Shul saued be of al her sake Line 17488 Whenne he had þis tale hem telde To heuen he steiȝe we alle bihelde Þe prestis & þese oþere olde Seide to hem þat þis tale tolde Line 17492 Dar ȝe swere þe soþe I-wis Þat ȝe herde & say al þis Þei seide certeyn þe soþe hit is we take god fully to witenes Line 17496 But we soþ seide what shulde we wynne Forsoþe no þing but open synne

Wiþ þis þe maistris þo vp stert Þis word hem sat sore at hert To counsel þo þre men þei ledde On goddes babie þei hem forbedde Þei coniured hem bi goddes awe Þese wordis no more to shawe Þat neuer of ihesu more spoken be Line 17505 Þerfore þei ȝaf hem muchel mone Þei ȝaf hem ȝiftis grete to spende And þre men þei wiþ hem sende To her londe hem for to lede For hit shulde no furþer sprede ¶ Þe iewes drowȝe to gider þon And sory sorwyng þei bigon Line 17512 [[ [folio 108a:1] , before leaf 107 in MS.]] þei seide what token may þis be In israel in oure cuntre But Anna & caiphas þese two Þat moost souȝt ihesu to slo Line 17516 To coumforte hem þat were in care Dowey þei seide let be ȝoure fare We shal not þo knyȝtis trowe Þat kepte þe graue of ihesu nowe Þei vs tolde of aungels one Line 17521 Had lifted of his graue þe stone His disciples wel may falle Seide so to þo knyȝtis alle And ȝaf hem ȝiftis so to say Whil þei his bodi bar away Line 17526 Þei lyed þat þei say him rise Forsoþe hit is noon oþere wise For ȝiftis grete of vs þei toke And nouȝte of oures þei forsoke Line 17530 As we hem bad or wolde bidde Wel ȝe woot þat so þei didde But raþer shulde þei to vs take þen to ihesu for oure sake Line 17534

Line 17534 ¶ þen stood vp & seide Nichodeme Gode men for goddes loue take ȝeme what ȝe sey & seiþ but riȝt Line 17537 And dredeþ sumwhat god of myȝt Herde ȝe not what þese þre men seide And on ȝoure lawe her hondes þei leide Þei swor þat þei & oþere fele Say ihesu wiþ his meyne mele Line 17542 And steyȝe vs fro feire & swete From þe mount of olyuete And holy story telleþ & sayes Þat elye Elie bi olde dayes Line 17546 Was taken vp as in to heuen Muche haue ȝe herde þerof neuen His son men asked where he was bi|comen And he hem seide was him binomen Rafte awey forsoþe is he Line 17551 How þei seide may þis be May be sum goost awey him ledde And so to wildernes is fledde In israel ben grete felles Line 17555 Þere is he soþ & nowhere elles But chese we douȝty men & lele To seche þo felles of israele Line 17558 Þei wente forþ him to seke His son & oþere men eke whenne þei þre dayes had him souȝt No tiþing hem of him þei brouȝt Þerfore seide Nichodeme þo Line 17563 Mi reed is now if ȝe wol so ȝe seke þo felles alle to gider Þat ihesus be not rauyssed þider Line 17566 And if we fynde him þere bi chaunce we may do for oure synne penaunce

Alle þe iewes lasse & more Of þis counsel apayed þei wore Line 17570 And chees men þat þo were myȝty And lele to leue In ful trewely Boþe souȝte þei downe & dale Line 17573 But of ihesu herde þei no tale Weylawey þat þei were blynde Whenne þei wende ihesu so to fynde Line 17576 Him to fynde who so wol him seke Her mood to him most þei meke To knowe him al weldonde Þenne may þei fynde him nyȝe at honde Miȝtily at al his nede To suche he wol his bodi bede Line 17582 For þouȝe he sitte in heuen halle ȝit is he in erþe ouer alle Miȝti boþe fer & nere And nouþer mist in heuen ny here Þei þat truly in him lyue Line 17587 His blessyng he wol hem ȝyue Þese caitif iewes dud not so now Sende him to seche in clif & clow To fynde ihesu if he were reft Line 17591 Wiþ any goost & þere bileft He þat alle goostis gode & ille [folio 108b:1] Haþ to welde at his wille Þus were þo iewes al mis led Line 17595 Her sondes coom aȝeyn vnsped Þat had him souȝt vp & doun But Ioseph in his owne toun Þei seide þei sey in aramathi And þere þei lefte him sikurly Line 17600 Princes & prestes of þe lay Of þis tiþing wondride þai And þonked her god of israele Þat so coude his dedes dele Line 17604

Line 17604 Þat he shulde be founden þus Line 17605 Þat was in prisoun and not ihesus ¶ Þei made a gederynge greet & dern And seiden gode men loke we ȝern How we myȝt do þat douȝti gome Ioseph of aramathi to vs to come Line 17610 To telle his state vche grot And oþere þingis þat he wol wot Þenne dud þei soone to write a writ Þis was þe tenure of hit Line 17614 Pees hit seide Ioseph & griþ Haue þou & al þat is þe wiþ wel we woot we haue done mys Aȝeyn þe & þi lord þat is Line 17618 And god him self haþ þe brouȝt Fro wickede wronge we on þe souȝt Hit shal be but to queme Leue frende woldestou þe seme Line 17622 To com wiþ vs to speke & mele Pees to make wiþ vs & hele Þei senden seuen men ful dere Þat Iosephes moost frendes were Line 17626 And bad whenne þei wiþ him met wiþ pees & loue he shulde be gret Sone in his hond þei lettre set Line 17629 Wel shulde þei seide his mys be bet Ioseph þei fonde þe story seis Redy at home in his paleis Þei heilsed him wiþouten wite Line 17633 And rauȝt him to rede þat scrite Soone whenne he had rad þat dede Towarde heuen his heed he bede I blesse þe lord me kepte hast ȝet And saf vndir þi wynges set He cust þo messangeres alle Line 17639 And hendely gestened hem in halle

wel ferde þei wiþ him þat nyȝt Þe morwe his asse dud he to diȝt To ierusalem he toke þe strete Line 17643 Þe iewes him coom for to mete To Ioseph seide þei alle to gider Peseful be þi comyng hidur Line 17646 Ioseph soone þis vnswere ȝaue Goddes pees mot ȝe haue He cust hem alle wiþouten blyn wiþ nychodeme toke he is In Wel was he gestened wiþ good feiþ Line 17651 Þe toþer morn þe story seiþ Coom cayphas Anna Nichodemus And Ioseph þei asked þus ¶ Ioseph to grete god of israele Line 17655 Shryue þe & telle vs lele Of þing þat we wol at þe freyne Þe soþe we preye þe not þou leyne Alle we coude þe muchel grame For þou buriedest ihesu licame Line 17660 In an hous þerfore we louked þe But whenne we coom þe to se No token of þe fonde we þere wherfore we forwondride were Line 17664 And for þe drad we alle in care Til now þou telle vs of þi fare To god & vs telle now soone What of þe þenne was done Line 17668 ¶ Ioseph seide I shal ȝou say ȝe spered me In on o friday At euentide in to þat stede And as I stode seyinge my bede [[ [folio 107a:1] , after leaf 108 in MS.]] Þe satirday soone at mydnyȝt Line 17673 Þat I say þis was þe siȝt Bi nokes foure þe hous vp hong And soone aftir was hit not long

I say comyng ihesu so briȝt Line 17677 As hit were a lemyng liȝt In þat hous þere I was stad And I fel doun al for drad Vp he me toke wiþouten let Line 17681 And wiþ a dew my face he wet Soone wiped he my face And blessed me þenne wiþ his grace He seide Ioseph be not ferdy Line 17685 Biholde on me þis ilke is I I bihelde what he þenne was And called him maistir helias Helias am I not he seide Line 17689 But ihesus þat þou in graue leide He bad me to þat stud anoone Þere I had him spered in a stone His sudary his wyndyng cloþe Line 17693 Þere were þei lafte I say hem boþe Þat he was ihesus þo wist I wele Couþely bifore him gon I knele Lord I seide blessed þou be þat here is comen in nome of þe Bi þe hond þo he me hynt Line 17699 And brouȝte me forþ wiþouten stynt Riȝt to myn owne hous at home And to me whenne I þidir come Line 17702 Pees mot þou haue he seide Ioseph Go not out of þi hous a step Til fourti dayes be comen to ende Now to my disciplis wol I wende Line 17706 Whenne Ioseph had tolde þis tale Þei fel as þei had dronken dwale Grouelynge doun on erþe plat Were þei neuer mate ar þat Vchone to oþere þus gon say Line 17711 What signe wol þis be quod þai

In ierusalem we here now myn Line 17713 We knew boþe ihesus & his kyn ¶ Vp ros þo & stood hem by A douȝty mon þat het leuy Line 17716 I knowe he seide of hem bred Douȝti men þat god dred Bisili to god preyonde Wiþ sacrifise & wiþ offronde Whenne symeon þe muchel prest Line 17721 þat bar þe holy goost in brest Ihesus bitwene his armes fong He seide lord lyued haue I long Bidynge þe þe siȝte of hele þat þou hast diȝte to israele Line 17726 Now haue I seen hit wiþ myn eȝe Lete me in pees þi seruaunt deȝe Þat ilke Symeon þo was boun And ȝaf marie his benesoun Line 17730 To his he seide I wol þe warn Þat ȝit sum tyme þis ilke barn Shal be to summen vp risyng And to somme dounfallyng Mony shal he fynde to him vnbeyne Line 17735 Mony shul seye him aȝeyne Þe swerde of sorwe & of wo Shal þourȝe þin hert for him go Of monnes herte þe þouȝtis hid Line 17739 Shul for him be knowen & kid ¶ Þenne seide þe iewes now sende we Aftir þo ilke prestes þre Þat tolde þei sey ihesus sete On þe mounte of olyuete Line 17744 Þei sent for hem whenne þis was done And hem þei dud to resoun soone Þei vnswerde bi god of myȝt We sey him þere wiþ open siȝt Line 17748

Line 17748 We sey him & herde his steuen And openly he stey to heuen Of ȝou þei seide vs þinkeþ wondir And dud þo þre men in sondir [folio 107b:1] And bi hem self asked hem sere Line 17753 If þei wolde liȝe for to here If any fro oþere wolde saye ouȝt But al her fondyng was for nouȝt Alle seide riȝt as þei sei Line 17757 Ihesus on heiȝte to heuen stey ¶ Þenne seide Anna & caiphas Oure lawe wol boþe þat is & was Þat in þe mouþ of two or þre Line 17761 Shulde al þe soþe stonde & be What more shul we saye ȝou þan I trowe hit was a riȝtful man Line 17764 And payed so wel god in his state Þat wiþ his word was he transolate Of þe prophete sir moyses Þat noon woot where he doluen es But ihesus in honde was lauȝt And to sir pilate soone bitauȝt Boþe biscourged & bispit Line 17771 For he of mony gilt was wit Woundide wiþ spere nayled on tre Wiþ þornes crowned also was he þis menskeful Ioseph dud him delue In a toumbe made to him selue And þre men als now witnes here Þei say bifore her eȝen clere Line 17778 Þis ilke ihesus speke wiþ his And siþen steiȝe to heuen blis