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

Now is good to here hit red How þat anticrist shal be bred

No þing shal I feyne newe But þat I fond in bokes trewe Line 22008

Line 22008 Þese clerkes seye þo þat be wise Line 22009 Þat he of iewes kyn shal rise Of danes kynde he seiþ anone Þe prophete þus makeþ his mone Dane he seiþ is neddre in strete waityng hors to stynge in fete Line 22014 To do þe rider falle bi þe way Þis is as myche to say By way as nedder shal he sit And alle þe men þat he may wit Ridyng in þe rule of riȝt Line 22019 He shal hem smyte & do to liȝt He shal hem ȝyue ful attry dynt Out of her trouþe make hem stynt Of fadir & modir he shal be born As oþere men were him biforn Line 22024 Bitwene a mon & a wommone But not of a mayden allone As hit is foly tolde of somme Not bitwene a bisshop & a nonne But of a bismare breme & balde Geten of a glotoun foule scalde Line 22030 Þere may be no foulere tweyn Alle in synne geten certeyn Geten in synne þat cursed wiȝt Of god he shal be malediȝt Line 22034 In his getyng þe fend of helle Shal crepe in his modir to dwelle Maister of errour & of pride Þere In he shal his burþe abide Line 22038 Þouȝe he be now in prisoun bounden As hit is in holy writt þenne founden Þat seynt gregore him seluen wrouȝt Þerfore he seiþ he lieþ nouȝt Line 22042 þe kynde of strengþe he haþ þat he had ere Þouȝe his myȝte more were

Þat myȝt is not so now knowen Oure lord haþ done for his owen For if he myȝte al wolde he quelle Þerfore he bounden haþ þat felle Line 22048 He shal be lesed þenne of bonde And muche wo worche in londe Þis is he þat cursede brede In þe apocalipse þat we of rede An aungel he seide he say ledonde Line 22053 wiþ a muchel cheyne in honde And bar þe key of þe muchel pit As seiþ seint Ion in holy writ To þat dragoun soone he wan Line 22057 Þat men callen deuel sathan And in þat pit him spred fast whil a þousonde ȝeer wolde laste whenne þat þousonde ȝeer were gone Line 22061 To be loused soone anone To walke his wey fro þat while And mony men for to bigile Þe kynge of pride þis ilke is he [folio 131b:1] Line 22065 And euer hit shal him folewyng be And as in oure lady þo liȝt Þe holy goost bi goddes myȝt And vmbileide hir wiþ his leme To brede þat blessed barneteme Line 22070 Þat al þe burþe she þere shulde brede Shulde holly be of his godhede Riȝt so þe deuel shal descende And in anticristis modir lende To fulle þat caitif so vnclene Line 22075 And vmbilay hir al bidene Into his wille hir to weyue And do hir þourȝe a mon conceyue Þat al þe burþe þat þere is born Line 22079 Shal be wicked fals & forlorn

Þerfore his name is calde ful riȝt Line 22081 Son of los þe malediȝt In al þat he may worche þerto Al monkynde he shal for do Of his getyng I tolde ȝou ore Of his burþe I wol telle more Line 22086 For riȝt as crist him seluen chese Be born in bedleem for oure ese His monhede for to bringe in place Þat he toke for vs of his grace Riȝt so shal þe fend he þis Line 22091 Chese him a burþ stude I wis Þe beest is ordeyned to his stal where is þe rotes of eueles al Þere leest of god men maken myn Line 22095 Þe toun of babilone wiþ In Þis toun was whilom cheef of pers Of mony oþere also dyuers A toun of wondir muchel pride Line 22099 Heed of maumetri þat tide Bethsaida & corozaym Þese two citees shul susteyne him Oure lord warieþ þese two townes Line 22103 And þus seiþ in his sermownes Corozaym euer be þe wo And þe bethsaida eke also Capharnaum euer wo þe be Line 22107 Þe synful son shal regne in þe Þei þou þe reise vp to heuen To helle depe shaltou be ȝeuen Norisshe him shul enchauntours Line 22111 Nigromaunceres and Iogelours Of alle manere craftis ille Of al fals hede þei shul him fille wickede goostis him vp to bere Folwynge him monyone to fere Line 22116

Line 22116 To ierusalem shal he þenne fare Line 22117 Alle þat he cristen fyndeþ þare If þei leue not his techyng To deolful deþ he shal hem bring In þe temple salomone Þenne shal þat traitour set his trone Line 22122 Þat þat was felde longe gone He shal hit reise efte of stone Circumcise him þere he shalle And goddes son him do to calle Line 22126 Þe grete caiseres & þe kyngis And alle suche oþere lordyngis Turne to him þei shul raþerest And siþen oþere at þe leest Line 22130 Ouer al þere crist was wont to go He shal ouer gone hem also Furste he shal destrye new Þat halewed was of god ihesu Line 22134 Siþen ouer al þis world wide Shal be sende wiþ muchel pride His prechours for to spelle his wille Al þe cristen lawe to spille Line 22138 Fro see to see fro norþ to souþ He shal do make his sermoun couþ He shal do mony token to sene Þat bifore haþ not done bene Line 22142 Þondur on lofte shal he rere And trees blossomes brode to bere He shal do þe see be rowȝe [folio 132a:1] And also to be smeþe Inowȝe Line 22146 Dyuerse þinges fro her natures Shal he turne to dyuerse figures Aȝeyn kynde bi þe deueles crafte Þe wattres for to rise on bafte Line 22150 Þe wynde also reuly to rise And stormes do men sore to grise

To reise þe dede to monnes siȝt So selcouþely to shewe his myȝt But hit be goddes chosen þing He shal him to his errour bring Line 22156 But alle þo merueiles done wiþ art Of soþfastenes shul haue no part wiþ iogelery þei shul be wrouȝt Line 22159 And fantom ben and elles nouȝt As symon magus in his while So shal he þe folke bigile . . . . . Line 22163 . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Gode men þat shul se þis wrouȝt Shul be studiynge al in þouȝt wheþer hit be crist or not sure Þat þei haue herde of in scripture Line 22168 þer is no lond þat men con neuen vndir þe roof of cristis heuen But he shal do hem to be souȝt To bringe þe cristen men to nouȝt He shal him seluen do to rise Line 22173 Aȝeyn þe trouþe on þre wise Þat is to say wiþ ȝifte wiþ awe And wiþ tokenes þat he shal shawe who in his trouþe wol biholde Shal plente haue of siluer & golde For alle þo hordes þat ben hid Line 22179 In his tyme shul be kid Þat he may not with ȝiftes drawe Into his hond he shal wiþ awe Þere he may not wiþ drede wiþ signes shal he fonde to spede Line 22184 And who þat wol not leue him so He shal hem worche muchel wo Mony sorweful pyne to dryȝe And siþen deolful deþ to dyȝe Line 22188

Line 22188 Þenne shal rise in þat tyme þere Line 22189 A sorwynge suche was neuer ere Siþ mon was made hit wene & þan Ny siþen þe world furst bigan Þenne shul þei fle þat wolde be hid Line 22193 And to þe hilles shul þei bid Hilles falle vp on vs doun And hide vs fro þis fals feloun And he þat in hous is stad Line 22197 In þat tyme shal be so rad Neuer shal he recche how to twynne To leue al his worldes wynne To founden how shal he not reke Line 22201 On heȝe to lepe his necke to breke Þenne shul alle þo shortly to say Þat trewe be founden in cristis lay For ihesu cristis holy sake Line 22205 Suffre muchel woo & wrake wiþ iren fuyr or attri beest How þat euer þei may hardest So wiþ dyuerse manere pyne In crist þei shul haue blisful fyne ¶ Þis drewery tyme þat ȝe of here Line 22211 Shal lastynge be half þridde ȝere For his derlynges þe story sayes Oure lord shal do to shorte his dayes But his dayes shorted were Line 22215 Vnneþe shulde any flesshe be fere Þe tyme of anticristis come And of oure lordis day of dome Seynt poule seiþ in his sarmonis Line 22219 To þe folke of thessalonis But if discencioun bityde And he comen þe son of pride Þat is but if discorde & strif Line 22223 Ouer al þis world be ronnen rif

Þourȝe sarasynes and anticrist Line 22225 His coome shal bide oure lord crist we woot boþe bi story and vers [folio 132b:1] Þat þe kyndam of grace & pers were hede kyngus in forme tide Line 22229 wiþ pouste florisshed moost of pride And siþen was rome at þe last Moost ouer oþere hit ouer past For þere shulde be no lede of londe Line 22233 But rome shulde haue hem vndir honde Alle maner folke to rome shulde helde And as to hede trowage ȝelde Seint poul seiþ for þis resoun Line 22237 Þat furst shal be discencioun Er anticrist shal com in lande Þat is þus to vndirstande But alle kyndomes þat was rome vndir Fro lordhede of rome shul sondir Þat furst was vndir romes awe Line 22243 Eer anticrist him shal not shawe Þis beþ not ȝitt of romaynge Þouȝe hit be struyed bi greet partie Euer whil frenshe kyngis is Line 22247 Þat owe þe empire of rome to wis Of Rome empire þe dignite May no wey al perisshed be For in þo kyngis shal hit stonde Line 22251 Euer whil þei are lastonde ¶ Oure maistris tellen of þis chaunce þat þer shal be a kyng of fraunce Of romayne and þat empire Line 22255 Holly shal be lord and sire He shal be in þe laste dayes Þe moost kynge of alle hit sayes Boþe shal he be þe mast Line 22259 And of alle he shal be last

Þis kyng shal be biset wiþ sele Line 22261 And aftir he haþ regned wele whenne his regne is at þe ende To ierusalem shal he wende Line 22264 Þere shal he ȝelde out of his honde His crowne & his kyngis wonde To ihesu crist dere lorde hende And so shul cristen kyngis ende Line 22268 Also of þe empire of rome Þenne shal be anticristis come Aftir poule þe apostle sayes He shal him shewe in þo dyes Line 22272 Þat synful men wiþouten make Þat sorweful son ful of wrake Þe fendes owne childe to wille His werkes wronge to fulfille Line 22276 He shal be calde his owne sone Al wickednes in him shal wone Al falshede and felony And al tresoun shal in him ly Line 22280 He shal him reise so in hiȝt Men shul him wene god of myȝt Him self shal do him reise Ouer goddes alle him to preise Ouer Iubiter & appolyn Line 22285 Þat goddes were of sarasyn Heȝer þen þese he shal him bere For he shal be more myȝtiere He shal men do of him to boost Line 22289 Ouer alle oþere to preise moost Ȝe ouer þe holy trinite Þat shulde ouer al worshiped be In þe temple shal he sitt And do men falsely for to wit Þat he is þat crist to bete Line 22295 Þat was hem hiȝt bi prophete

Þere shal he do him circumcise Line 22297 And shewynge make of his maistrise I am þat crist shal he say Þat ȝou was het so mony a day Line 22300 Now am comen for ȝoure hele Þus shal he to þe iewes mele Comen I am to geder ȝow Þat han ben scatered euer til now Line 22304 Þe iewes shortly euerychone To his counsel shul turne anone Þei shul wene crist to vndirfonge [folio 133a:1] And shul receyue þe fend stronge Line 22308 As crist haþ to þe iewes bolde In his gospel bifore hem tolde I coom in my fadir nome And ȝe me seke with muche shome If anoþer coom in his awen Line 22313 Soone shul ȝe be to him drawen ¶ Sibile seiþ in hir spellyng In tyme of þis forseide kyng Constans men shul him calle in lede He shal haue muche lordhede Line 22318 Of romayne & al þe empire And also of grece he shal be sire A muchel mon of stature heȝe Fair in facioun to siȝte of eȝe Line 22322 loued wel wiþouten blame wiþouten last al his licame Muche riches þenne shal be Þe erþe shal ȝyue fruyt plente Line 22326 Þe met of whete as hit is tolde For a peny shal þenne be solde wyn & oyle þat ilke prise Þenne shal fro norþe a folk rise Þat alisaundre spered in gog And in a lond þat het magog Line 22332

Line 22332 Þo foule folke no man may mele Line 22333 Þe noumbre of hem þei ben so fele Þis ilke foule cursede lede Ouer alle londes shul þei sprede Line 22336 And do men to drede ful sore To felles fle to hide hem þore Monnes flesshe spare shul not þei Moost þei shul hit ȝerne alwey Line 22340 Hors & asse wommon & childe Shal noon haue myȝt fro hem him shilde But at þe laste Romane kynge Line 22343 Shal of his oost make greet gederinge He shal hem bringe alle to grounde And at þe laste so hem confounde Aȝein sarazynes greet werrour Line 22347 Boþe to strye hem toun & tour Of maumetri her temples alle And to bapteme he shal hem calle To turne to crist þat shed his blode In temples he shal reise his rode Line 22352 whenne þat þis douȝty lordyng Haþ ben an hundride wyntur kyng And twelue þenne shal he fare To ierusalem wiþouten care Line 22356 And ȝelde vp þere his diademe To oure lord god as wol biseme Cristen kyngdomes vp to ȝelde To ihesu þat haþ al to welde Line 22360

Two prophetus þenne shul com in hy Þat ben Enok and eke hely Aȝeyn þe saut of anticrist Shul do trewe to be warnyst Line 22364 Þei shul hem teche & also riȝt And strengþe hem wiþ him to fiȝt Iewes shul conuerte as hit sayes Alle þat be founden in þo dayes Line 22368

Line 22368 whenne þei haue done her seruyse Anticrist on hem shal rise Line 22370 Þe book of priuetees sheweþ so Þat he shal hem boþe slo whenne þei haue lyen deed two dayes To lyf shal oure lord hem raise Line 22374 Þo oþere alle he may ouer reke Wiþ sword he shal hem seluen wreke Or do hem cristendome renay If þei wol bere her lif away Line 22378 Alle þat on him shul leue þere In frount shal he his merke bere But whenne þulke fendes brid His wrecchednes haþ two ȝeer kid Line 22382 Two ȝeer & an half þerto wiþ al þat euer he may do Ouer al þis world in lengþe & brede Namely among þe cristen lede Line 22386 Alle þat þenne wol him wiþstonde [folio 133b:1] Shal crouned be to lif beonde Þenne shal oure lord on him sende His doom þat shal him dryue to ende For cristis coome shal be so briȝt Þat þourȝe þat muchel lordis myȝt He shal of stonde so muchel awe Line 22393 Þat al þe fulþe of his mawe Shal brest out of him bihynde For drede of god as we fynde . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Line 22398 And oþere maistryes not for þi Þat folwe þe word of gregory Sayn þat myȝhell shal him quelle In papilon þat muchel felle In þat stude in his owne stalle Þat is sooþ wel may falle Line 22404

Line 22404 For if seynt Miȝhel com in place To dome bifore oure lordis grace Line 22406 Him sle shal not his vertu But þe biddyng of ihesu Stabely owe we leue as stone Þat also sone as he is slone Line 22410 Crist shal not com his doom to dele But as we fynde in danyele Fourty dayes he shal hem ȝyue Þat are fallen out of bileue Line 22414 Bi folwynge of þat fals prophete Þat þei may wiþ penaunce bete whenne her penaunce to ende is brouȝt I vndirstonde hit in my þouȝt Line 22418 Þat is no mon so wis þat may Telle whenne shal be þe last day But he þat al haþ for to ȝeme Al is in his wille to deme Line 22422 Þe laste day þat al shal ende God ȝyue vs grace with him to lende . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Line 22426