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

[Of the Works and Death of each of the Apostles.]

Speke we of þo spelleres bolde Siþ we haue of þis lady tolde Þe apostlis þenne wide were spred Line 20851 Þat to þe lawes newe vs led Aftir þat we fynde in boke what endyng vchone of hem toke Line 20854 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] In short manere I shal ȝou sey For tyme passeþ faste awey ¶ Petur was seynt andreu broþer Line 20859 Þe ton was blessed & þe toþer In bethsaida was he born Of galile was tolde biforn Line 20862

Line 20862 Of holy chirche is he ground wal Line 20863 Bi crist him self þat ledeþ al Formast chosen þerfore as heued Ouer alle his fere was he leued Of goddes son þe confessour Line 20867 Of alle monkynde herde of pastour . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Denyinge he fel wepynge he ros Line 20871 Corouned in passioun he wos His name is ȝyuen to him of dede And titul of myȝt and of mede Line 20874 He preched whil he was in lyue Namely in þese londes fyue Capados and Galathie Bethany and Masie Line 20878 And in a lond het Italy Þat now men callen lumbardy Of his dedes shortly to rede On þe flowyng see he ȝede Line 20882 A ded mon quyked bi his shade As þat he þenne bi him glade To þe crepeles ȝaf he fote And of þe palesy mony bote But ananyas & his wif Line 20887 For þis he dampned hem of lif Oþer to haue ensaumple hem bi To do no more tricchery Symon magus þat Iogelour Þat ladde folke wiþ greet errour Line 20892 Þat in him self was so proude He wende to fle ouer þe cloude But þourȝe petres orisoun Sorwefuly he fel a doun Line 20896 . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] whenne he Antiache had founde Line 20901 Þe chirche & holy set þe grounde Aȝein þis ilke symon he ȝede [folio 127b:1] Line 20903 To rome & turned mis-lyuynge lede He spake of trouþe wiþouten spare Fyue wyntur was he bisshop þare Six & þritty wyntur euen Line 20907 Fro þat ihesu stey to heuen In Rome bi oon þat nero hiȝt was emperoure þere malediȝt For þe loue of his sarmoun Line 20911 His feet vp his heed a-doun Nailed on a rode he was And so to be him seluen ches Line 20914 Maistir was he to hem of rome wherfore him owed to haue no dome He was not worþi þer tille Þerfore þei demed him at his wille . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Buryed his bodi was þat tide Line 20921 wiþoute þe toun on þe eest side . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]

¶ Poule þat saul had furst to name whil he dude þe cristen shame Furste was he iewes avocate Line 20927 And siþen at þe apostlis astate Calde of ihesu crist of heuen Line 20929 Þere he doun was cast herde his steuen Blynde he fel seynge he ras Vessel of chesyng wrouȝt he was To whom he furst was werriour Line 20933 Aftir bicome he good prechour

Sheep of wolf meke of felle Line 20935 In chesyng laste formast in spelle His lond was thars þat he bred In Comen of þe kyng beniamyn Þe toþer ȝeer aftir þe ascencioun Line 20939 Toke he bapteme & gon sarmoun For he as apostle stode in stide was noon so muchel trauaile dide Goddes word to spelle & sprede Line 20943 Amonges alle lyuynge lede Mony folke to trouþe he won At Ierusalem he furste bigon Þourȝe illerike & lumbardye Line 20947 Riȝt til he coom to hispanye Of his miracles shul we neuen Rauysshed was he to þe þridde heuen A day & a nyȝt in þat stounde Line 20951 He was stad at þe se grounde A goost of gile away he drof þat in a maydenes body clof Line 20954 A childe þat bi a fal was slayn He ȝaf hit lif & heled aȝayn A Iogelour wiþ blyndenes he smate To halt goyng ȝaf he state Line 20958 Þe venym nedder þat was strong Not he shoned for hir stong But of his hond þere hit was fest Line 20961 He shoke & in þe fire hit kest Mony seke & eke vnfere He heled soone bi his preyere Mony was þe harde shour [[read stour]] Line 20965 Þat he dreyȝe for his saueour Vpon his owne flesshe & blode Furste þe iewes þat wer wode On him þei werred euer wiþ wo Line 20969 And alle þe heþen folke also

Muche he þoled as I ȝou tolde Of hongur þirste trauaile & colde . . . . . Line 20973 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] In prisoun lay he ofte in woþe Line 20977 In merkenes & in bondes boþe whil þe iewes faste him bond And tauȝte him heþen men in honde He was so stad mony a day Line 20981 Vnneþe he bar þe lyf away In a lep ouer a wal was he let doun Harde in prees & in prisoun Þourȝe an erþe-den þat þer was Line 20985 Þerwiþ was he leten pas Siþen at Rome Nero boun Þat emperour was of þe toun Line 20988 For he preched goddes word heueded he was wiþ dynt of sword Þat ilke day & þat ȝere [folio 128a:1] Line 20991 Þat martired was petur his fere Vpon þe west half of þat cite Buried wiþ cristen men was he Line 20994