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

Now we be þus ferforþ come Speke now mot we of þe dome

Þenne shal be herde þe blast of beme þe domes mon shal come to deme þat alle þinge of stondeþ awe Line 22713 In what fourme I shal ȝou shawe we leue & owen to trowe trewe But hit be sarasyn or iewe Þat aftir þe resurrexioun Þe heȝe day of his ascencioun Line 22718 Ihesu coom to his frendes swete Þat set were at her mete & ete

And þo þat were in drede or doute with stabul trouþe he brouȝte hem oute And siþen vp to heuen he styȝe [folio 135b:1] Mony mon hit stood and syȝe Line 22724 His disciplis for þat caas Muchel ioye maden in plas A cloude þei say aȝeyn him liȝt And bar him vp was wondir briȝt Verrey god & mon to say Line 22729 For to deme on domes day In þat fourme com shal he þare As he in erþe his cros bare Line 22732 So shal he com but wite ȝe þon Þat siþ þe world furst bigon was neuer seen so sorweful tide As þat day shal be to bide Line 22736 whenne he coom furst vs to redresse He coom al wiþ mekenesse Þat coome was derne & muche hidde Line 22739 And but to fewe men þen kidde His oþer comynge wol he showe To al þis world hit to knowe Heuen & erþe for him shal drede As ȝe haue bifore herde rede Line 22744 Hit is no clerk may write with enke Ny mouþ to mene ny hert þenke Þe hundride þousande of knyȝtes Shal folwe þat lord muche of myȝtes wiþ him to com alto þis day Line 22749 Alas what shal þe synful say vngeyn þenne shal be his gamen Line 22751 whenne he shal se al brenne samen Londe & see and alle þinges þat in þis world stondeþ or hinges Sorweful beþ þenne þe synneful chere Line 22755 whenne alle shul þo trompes here

Bifore þe face of þat caisere Line 22757 Aungels shulen his banere bere His rode þat he was onne spred Þat he vs wiþ to lif haþ led Line 22760 He ouercoom þe fend þerfore Is no banere he dredeþ more was neuer sonne shynynge so clere Þe tenþe part as þat banere Line 22764 Þe briȝtenes of þat crois shene Ouer al þe world shal be sene Þus shal com god & mon Line 22767 To deme þe doom vpon men þon

At doom shal he not sitte allone But wiþ seyntis monyone Line 22770 Alle þo as seiþ þe boke Þat worldes worshepe here forsoke Siluer & golde and ese of lif And toke her flesche for him to strif And trauailed hem on alle wise Line 22775 To peyne hem in his seruyse And folwede trewely alle his sawes Þo men shul be as his felawes Line 22778 For to deme boþe gode & wik wheþer þei be deed or quyk

Alle þat shul ben at þat assise Line 22781 Alle hool hem self shal vprise In bodi & soule on new manere Þourȝe myȝt of ihesu dere Þat same flesshe þat we haue now Line 22785 Þat shul we haue so shul we trow And oþere noon we writen fynde Þat oþere leueþ of trouþe are blynde . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Þouȝe mon be molten flesshe & bones Fro tyme þat he be roten ones Line 22792

Line 22792 To haue lym & lif as he had ore Hit semeth nay neuermore Line 22794 To mis trowe þat: hit is no nede Herken whi I shal ȝou rede whenne god hit wol þat vp bereþ al Þat monnes flesshe to molde fal Line 22798 Miȝt he not þenne wiþ his mayn Þat ilke molde make flesshe aȝayn He þat al made kyng of blis May al do þat his wille is He þat doþ flesshe be erþe & dust Line 22803 May make hit flesshe at his lust Soone con he make a body of ouȝt [folio 136a:1] Þat al þis world made of nouȝt Þerfore shortly þenne þus may he Line 22807 Do alle þinge at his wille to be Her of doute no mon in dede For trouþe may do vs best to spede who so douteþ þis. is childe þe more Of trewe trouþe þis is þe lore Line 22812 ¶ Al may he do þat al weldes If þou wolt wite of her eldes þat þei shul þenne In vp rise Seint poul seiþ on þis wise Þat lasse & more olde & ȝing Line 22817 At þat forseide vp risyng Shul be of elde as þei shulde here Haue deȝed in her þritti ȝere Þat elde þat crist had at his dede whenne he vs bouȝt fro þe quede And if any mon here lyuonde Line 22823 wemmed was on foot or honde On heed or bak brest or syde As we se chaunces ofte bitide On mouþ nese or elles whare Or bouche vpon body bare Line 22828

Line 22828 Crupel croked or bynomen Or lymmes aȝeyn kynde be comen Line 22830 Forsoþe I saye wiþovten lesyng At þat ilke vp risyng Alle þo þat god haþ chosen to his For to be brouȝte into his blis Line 22834 what so þei in þis lif haue bene Þere shal no wem on hem be sene Ny nouȝt but al feirhede As we in holy scripture rede Line 22838 Riȝt lymmes shul þei haue vchone Hit shal wante þere to hem none Take tent what I saye to þe Line 22841 Of fair stature shul þe saued be . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Line 22844 Þe dampnede shul haue fairhede none, Alle godenesses shul be hem wone Of hem is not to telle in tale wiþouten bote þei shul haue bale Line 22848

¶ Þe childre þat are abortyues Þo are þat ben not born in lyues Shul rise in þritty ȝeer of elde But litil bote to hem to welde Line 22852 For þei were not baptiȝed I wis Shul þei haue no part of blis Þese maistris grete saye þat þei May saued be bi no wey Line 22856 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.]

Þo men þat þourȝe her owne gilt Wiþ hedyng or hongyng were spilt Þourȝe her synne & her foly Line 22861 Wiþ houndes eten þe moost party Mony wenen þat ben not wise Line 22863 Þat þat flesshe shal not hool vp rise

Þat to wene is but falshede Now wol I ȝou þe resoun rede Line 22866 Hit is out of al skil & riȝt For to mistrowe in goddes myȝt Line 22868 What mon may wite or elles lere What eȝe may se or ere here What mon here may þenke in þouȝt How al þis world oure lord wrouȝt Heuen & erþe he vp holdeþ Miȝty god þat al woldeþ Line 22874 May we not se how of a sede An hundride doþ he for to brede And bi his wille doþ þat kyng Out of þe harde tre to spryng Forst þe leef & þenne þe flour Line 22879 And siþen fruyt wiþ his sauour Vche fruyt for his sesoun Owe we here of to fecche resoun How he doþ alle þinge to note Þat were but surfete vche grote Line 22884 Þe more mon swynkeþ þer aboute Fro spede þe ferþer is he oute A saumpel I shal ȝou telle þerby Þat I fond in a book of seynt gregory Line 22888 Þere he was in a stud sumwhore [folio 136b:1] A crafty clerke & wise of lore Asked him a questioun Line 22891 Of a wolf and a lioun And of þe þridde þat was a man Þus his tale he bigan Line 22894

¶ A mon welke þourȝe a wode his way And neȝe his wey a wolf him lay Þis wolf was vn mesure mete Al þis monnes flesshe he ete Line 22898 Anoon as he so had done An hongry leoun met he sone

Vp & doun his prey sekond Line 22901 whenne he noon oþere beest fond Þis wolf he felde & ete him al Lafte he nouþer greet ny smal Þe leoun aftir deȝed in hy Line 22905 Deed þere con his careyn ly And so was roten al to nouȝt where shal now þis mon be souȝt For I may leue on no wise Line 22909 þat þis mon to lif may rise Siþ noon is I wene þat kan Twynne þe erþe þat coom of man Fro þe erþe þat coom of beest Line 22913 Seint gregore ȝaf vnswere honest To þat mon þat was in were þe soþe shewed he him al clere And proued hit wiþ questioun Þat at þe grete resurrexioun Line 22918 wiþ al his lymmes hool & fere He shulde com þe doom to here For þouȝe his body al were brynt Line 22921 And blowen & þe pouder tynt ȝitt may god geder hit wiþ mayn And newe hit at his wille aȝayn Al þe flesshe þat was of mon Line 22925 Soþely shal be reised þon Þat was of mon shal com to cast Þat was on beest shal be last Line 22928 He þat made boþe wiþ his art Ful wel he con hem depart So holly shul þei rise þere Hem shal not wante of hede on here Line 22932 Ny not a naile of fote ny honde And ȝit shul we vndirstonde Þat naile & heer þat haþ ben shorn Beþ not þere hit was biforn

But as þe potter doþ ful wel whenne he fordoþ his new vessel Line 22938 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] He casteþ soone al in a bal Line 22941 A bettre for to make wiþ al Not he lokeþ whiche was whilk But makeþ anoþer of þat ilke Line 22944 Feirer þen þe furst was wrouȝt So shal crist doute we nouȝt He þat is lord of erþe & heuen May of þat ilke selue euen Line 22948 Þat furst was molten in to lame Make a wel feirer bicame And if hit were more or les Line 22951 To mesure hit as his wille es

¶ On paske day saye seyntis somme Þat þe day of dome shal comme Þat day he wolde him self vp rise He shal vs reise þat ilke wise Line 22956 He shal deme at mydnyȝt Þat same day he sent his miȝt Vnto egipte þe folk to quelle And in suche tyme he harewed helle Line 22960 Þat ilke tyme shal com þat kynge His trewe to his blisse brynge

þe place of dome þere alle shul mete vs telleþ Iohel þe prophete Line 22964 And in him seiþ oure lord fyne whenne I shal haue mercy of myne And breke þe bondes of her trespace I shal hem coumforte & solace Line 22968 In vale of Iosephat I shalle Do to be gedered ledes alle [folio 137a:1] Þere shal I ȝyue my doom of drede But mony ȝit con þis not rede Line 22972

Line 22972 woot not mony bi þis tale what tokeneþ Iosephathes vale Line 22974 Among an hundride men allone Vndirstondeþ hit not one Þei wene þat oure lord of myȝt Shal com into þat vale to liȝt Line 22978 Þat Iosephat is nemed eer Men wene þe doom shal be þeer Vndir þe mount of oliuete Line 22981 As hit is tolde of prophete Þei tente only but to þe lettre litil þerfore be þei þe bettur Iosephat who takeþ tent Line 22985 Bitokeneþ goddes iuggement Ierom seiþ of þat prophecie Þat Iosephat may signifie Line 22988 Oure lordis dome who truly spelles Þat is þe word and nouȝt elles But who so wol wite þe soþe riȝt As at seint poules word he myȝt Line 22992 He seiþ oure lord liȝte shal Doun to þe cloudes abouen vs al In þe eir aboue he shal him showe To done his miȝte to vs be knowe Þere shul we mete wiþ him to lende Euermore wiþouten ende Line 22998 Þe wickede þat dreden not his awe Here doun shul be demed lawe Þei shul no miȝte haue vp to wynne For heuy karked of her synne Vp in þe sky þe doom shal be Line 23003 So troweþ holy chirche & we

But is no mon so wis con telle How longe at doom ihesu shal dwelle But þe vprisyng of euerychone Shal be done soone anone Line 23008

Line 23008 Boþe shul rise þenne sikurly Line 23009 Alle þat are dede & shulen dy Seint austyn seiþ of þat day Is noon con goddes counsel say Line 23012 Þe day of doom hit callen men wheþer þer be mo þen oon þen Vndir þe name of day men shalle vndirstonde þe tyme þat alle Line 23016 Shal be demed at doom so strong wheþer hit laste short while or long

Þei þat bremely shul deȝe þat tide To bete shul haue no space to bide And þei þat haue but synnes liȝt Shul clensed be for þat siȝt Line 23022 Of fendes þat shul to doom be led Þei shul of hem be so adred Þei shul at doom so lodly be Þat seintis þat shul on hem se Line 23026 Quake shul þei for fere & drede To mistrowe þis. is no nede Line 23028 Þo þat in liȝt synnes be take And dud no penaunce for þat sake Þei shul haue noon oþere pyne But siȝte of þat lithur hyne Line 23032 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Þat ferdenes shal be so vnmete Line 23035 Þat hit may alle suche synnes bete Þat founden are in dedly synne wenden to peyne wiþouten blynne

¶ At þis day as we may seen Line 23039 Alle ledes in foure dalt shul ben Þe gode in two on his riȝt honde Þe wicked in two on lifte to stonde Þe formast rowe shul stonde him nere Þo þat ben his dereworþe dere Line 23044

Line 23044 Þat al þis worldis welþe forsoken And only to god hem token Line 23046 And lasten of þe fulþe of synne An bisieden hem to pleisen hym And wenten into religioun Line 23049 And duden her bodies into prisoun And swonken boþe day & nyȝt To serue god ful of myȝt Þenne shul þei be made so fre [folio 137b:1] Þat þei shul not demed be Alle þese holly shul come Line 23055 wiþ oure lorde vnto þe dome Not to be demed we shul wite But in her setes for to sit Feloushipe oure lord to bere Line 23059 Boþe as Iustise and demere Longe is siþen ihesu crist I wis Het þis couenaunt vnto his

¶ Þe toþer rowe þat bi side shal be Line 23063 Shal be louely onne to se Hit shal be of good cristen lede Þat duden in lif mony good dede Þat þouȝe þei riches had Inouȝe Þerfore þei to no tresour drouȝe Line 23068 But greet parti of her catele Þei dud to pore men hit dele And her hertis for loue of mede Þe nedy for to cloþe & fede Line 23072 And willeful were & þerto glad To do as holy chirche hem bad And here wolde her mis amende And trewe bileuen at her ende Line 23076 Þese men þat þus hem bare in fere Þei shul but of good doom here Liȝt shal be her part þat day To hem swetely shal he say Line 23080

Line 23080 ȝe blessed folk men & wyues Þat to me serued in ȝoure lyues In my disese ȝe dud me gode Line 23083 Whenne I hongride ȝe ȝaue me fode Me þirsted sore drinke ȝe me brouȝt Prisoned I was & ȝe me souȝt when I in sekenes stad was sore ȝe coom to coumforte me þerfore Line 23088 Bi nakudnes whenne I toke harm wiþ cloþing ȝe made me warm whenne I was wagering out of rest Godely toke ȝe me to gest Line 23092 For ȝe to me were so hende Ȝe shul haue heuen wiþouten ende Euer ȝe shul haue hit wiþ wynne Neuermore þerfro to twynne Line 23096 Þenne shul þese companyes two To heuen wiþouten ende go Ihesu crist vs þider brynge For here is febul abidynge Line 23100 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.]

¶ Þenne shul stonde on his oþere side wrecched stad in wo ful wide Line 23104 Þe lord of myȝt þat al walt Shal do hem in two be dalt Lodly & stynkynge shul þei be Sory & sorweful on to se Line 23108 Þe furste moost stynkonde Þat shul be of þe wrecches mistrowonde Þat renayed are traitours fals Murþereres & forsworen als Line 23112 Þat þourȝe cursyng or oþere pliȝt Haue lost holy chirches liȝt Fro comynynge of cristen men Þo careful shul be eþ to ken Line 23116

Line 23116 Þat in her lif were won to ly Line 23117 In horedome and in lecchery Folwynge al her flesshes wille And moost hem liked dedes ille Line 23120 wiþouten pite or wille to mende And vnshryuen were at her ende But deȝed in dedly synne of dede Line 23123 Hem to deme shal be no nede Þei were dampned er þei coom þere Her doom vpon hem self þei bere

¶ Þe oþere rowe is euel ȝnowȝe Line 23127 Of fals cristen ful of wowȝe Þat callen hem cristen men in name And euer disseruen goddes grame Falsely is he for cristen tolde Þat wol not cristis lawes holde Line 23132 Fals is þat loue to knawe Þat nouþer wol for loue ny awe Do þat shulde god queme [folio 138a:1] Line 23135 And þerwiþ miȝte him self ȝeme But in pride & tricchery In nythe & onde & lecchery And in vntolde synnes fele Line 23139 Þe hundride part may I not mele Þat mon now in his lif ledes So douke þei into wickedhedes On euery side þenne gedered þei Line 23143 But litil bar þe pepul awei For go may þei not þerfore Nouþer to ȝyue lasse ny more Couetise forsoþe to telle Haþ mony a soule brouȝt to helle Line 23148 Bisuyled hit haþ þe world on brede Vnneþe is þer any in lede Þat wel wol shryue hem of þis sake Ny for no counsel amendes make

Wite hit wele þo þat suche are Line 23153 Shul be demed al in care To muchel sorwe & wo to þaym Al þis world miȝt hem not raym Wiþ muchel wraþþe & woful chere Oure lord shal saye þat þei shul here Do fleeþ hennes ȝe malediȝt Line 23159 To my blis haue ȝe no riȝt Ofte I was wiþ male ese met Line 23161 But for ȝou ferde I neuer þe bet In hongur & þirst of say ȝe me But þerof hadde ȝe no pite Goþ to þe deuel þere shul ȝe go For to welle euer in wo Line 23166 Euer in his wo to welle Wiþ him & his þat are in helle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.]

¶ A lord he were wis þat mouȝt Studfastly holde þis day in þouȝt And to forȝete hit neuermore Line 23177 Whiles þat he lyuynge wore Þenne miȝte he make here his way Fro wreche to were him on þat day Fro þat day be comen In Shal neuer soule fro bodi twyn Line 23182 For good & euele þat þei dud ere Whil þei to gider alyue were To gider shul þei take also Line 23185 Her worþi mede in wele or wo Ouþer in heuen or elles in helle Wiþ sathanas euer to dwelle Line 23188

Line 23188 Fro þat Iuggement þenne be done Line 23189 Þenne shul þei be casten sone In a stynkynge pit of fire Þere shal be ȝolden hem her hire As seiþ þe book of priuete Line 23193 Þat seint Ion was set to se