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

[The Ascension of Christ.]

whenne ihesus had fulfilde his spel And tauȝte hem as he coude wel Forþ he ladde þe meyne swete Line 18761 Vpon þe mount of olyuete In likenes of a processioun And ȝaf hem alle his benesoun And wiþ his owne propre myȝt He stey vp in her aller siȝt Line 18766 A cloude þat doun aȝeyn him coom Bitauȝte him to his aungels þon whenne þei siȝte of him had tynt ȝitt loked þei wiþouten stynt Line 18770 Whil þei biheld so in delite Biside hem stode two men in white And seiden gode men of galile wher vpon merueile ȝee Line 18774 ȝe merueile vp on ihesu now But riȝt as he is take fro ȝow

He shal com at anoþer tide Line 18777 Þar ȝou not him now abide But þat come shal be wondir kene whenne he com shal al to deme ¶ Vpon þe holy þurseday Line 18781 Went ihesus to ordeyne oure lay Wiþ his fadir to take her In Þat wol wiþ wille be of his kyn Line 18784 In heuen blis þat is to sey If we wol folwe þe riȝt wey His kyn wol he not forsake But we vs fouly mystake Line 18788 But god forbede hit so to wende Þat we oure fo make of oure frende wel owe we to loue him þon who loueþ him not is no mon Certis if we soþ shul rede Line 18793 Mon is noon but he do monhede And of vnmonhede is hit drawen Þat of good dede wol not be knawen Oure monhede bowe we þenne him to In al þe good þat we may do Line 18798 For furst in erþe he here hit fet And now in heuen he haþ hit set Ful heȝe aboue alle creatures Line 18801 what hert may þenke of suche honures Þat vs haþ done þe kyng of blis Þat coupled þus oure kynde to his And set hit on his fadir riȝt honde Þat myȝti god al weldonde Line 18806 Þis is a selcouþ þing to neuen For þus is erþe heȝer þen heuen Þere ihesus god & mon wiþ alle So heȝe is set in heuen stalle Line 18810 Monhede but erþe what is hit [folio 115a:1] Þat now wiþ þe godhede is knyt

He sende vs now þat ilke grace Line 18813 Þat we may se his blessed face More blis & ioye may neuer be Þen on his blessed face to se Line 18816