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

[Simon Magus wishes to buy Holy Gifts.]

Þere was a mon symon Magus As oure story telleþ vs Line 19518 He ladde þe folk wiþ muchel swike For signes were his werkes like To folk wrouȝt he greet ferly And al was bi nygromaunci Line 19522 Goddes vertu or greete prophete Or elles aungel þei him lete Or goddes son þei him helde For he made þe folk al dwelde whenne þe folk in þat toun Line 19527 Truly leued phelip sermoun And to baptizing hem bowed Symond lete þenne as he trowed He baptized him to holy chirche Line 19531 For tokenes he say phelip wirche Oþere þenne he myȝte do For he wende to com þerto Þerfore toke he bapteme feynt Line 19535 To be wiþ phelip so aqueynt He wolde be to him sum what nere þat he myȝte of signes lere

¶ whenne þe apostlis herden say Samaritanes had taken her lay Line 19540 Fro ierusalem þei sent anone Boþe seynt petur & seynt Ione Þei preyed for hem wiþouten boost Þei shulde receyue þe holi goost Line 19544

Line 19544 Þat is to sey wiþ tokenes sene Line 19545 But þar no mon þerfore wene Þat hit receyued hadde þo Vnsene whenne þei toke bapteme so Here may we se on þis wise Þouȝe mony mon ȝyue baptise Line 19550 May no mon þat is in londe Conferme but bisshopes honde þis nedefulnes phelip wist þerfore alle þo þat he baptist Line 19554 He sende hem to þe apostlis ay þat þei shulde hondes on hem lay A awe se now bisshopes do þat þis pouste is ȝeuen to Line 19558 Þe bisshopes hool confermement [folio 119b:1] Of strengþe hit is þe sacriment Stably to stonde in strif In lastyng cristen mennes lif Line 19562 whenne symon magus vndirstood þe holy goost þenne was so good þat þo men þat hit vndirfong Line 19565 Miȝte do grete dedes strong He wende hit were but a queyntise þat miȝte be bouȝte for sum prise As hit is in þe stories red Line 19569 To þe apostlis ȝifte he bed Selle me þis maistry he seide Þat on what mon my hond be leide He haue þe holy goost in hiȝe Line 19573 To wynne þerwiþ he wolde hit byȝe ¶ Petur vnswered to þat qued Þi catele be þi self to deed Line 19576 Holde þe catel þat is þine To be wiþ þe in helle pyne Here may men se bi þis resoun whenne seyntis ȝaf her malisoun Line 19580

Line 19580 Þei ȝaf hit noon bi euel wille Ni for wraþþe þer bar hem tille Line 19582 But þe riȝtwisnes to do On hem þat worþi were þerto Þou hast no part seide petur here wiþ falsede hastou made þe fere Line 19586 Bi þi hond shaltou haue no myȝt To do þe holy goost doun liȝt But do penaunce nede hastow For god hastou souȝt wiþ wow He wol forȝyue so may hit falle Line 19591 Þe falsede þou him fondide wiþ alle Hit fel seynt petur as for rent To calle men to amendement So auȝte alle prestis more & les In als muche as in hem es Line 19596 Petur & Ion went aȝayn And preched boþe wiþ myȝt & mayn Lafte þei for no blenche nor shome Til þei to Ierusalem coom home Line 19600