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

[Description of Hell and its Nine Pains.]

. . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Line 23196 A pit men calleþ ofte bi stounde Þat þat haþ in him no grounde So þe pit of helle pyne Line 23199 Hit is so deep wiþouten fyne Þat ende beþ þere neuer vp on A stang for þi hit calleþ Ion He þat doukeþ ones þer doun Line 23203 Comeþ neuer out of þat prisoun Þe fire þat þere is for to brynne Neuermore may hit blynne Line 23206 ¶ Nyne peynes principale be þere Crist let vs neuer be in þat fere ¶ Þe furst hit is fuyr of hete Þat al þe muchel see so wete Line 23210 Þouȝe hit were casten þer In Hit shulde neuer þe lasse brin So þat oure fire is no more Aȝein þe fire þat brenneþ þore Line 23214 Þen peynted fire aȝein oure miȝt Þat on a wal bi mon were diȝt For euer hit brinneþ niȝt & day But ȝyue liȝt neuer hit may Line 23218 ¶ Þe toþer pyne is colde so kene Þat monnes mouþ may hit not mene Þat þouȝe a fire were made in hast Line 23221 And þourȝe þulke watir past

[folio 138b:1] In turnyng of þin honde aboute Hit wolde be colde out of doute Line 23224 ¶ Þe þridde pyne is harde to dreȝe Of wormes þat shul neuer deȝe Felle dragouns & todes boþe Þat ben vpon to loke ful loþe Line 23228 Ful loþsom on to here and se Ful wo is hem þat þere shul be As we se fisshes in watir swym Line 23231 So lyue þei in þat lowe so dym ¶ Þe ferþe peyne hit is of stynk Þat may no mon so muche þink Mony harde & dispitous dynt Line 23235 Shul þe wrecches þere hynt As hit were dyntes of a stiþi Þat smyþes smyten in her smyþi Þo dyntes are ful fers to falle Line 23239 Harder þen dynt of iren malle ¶ Þe sixte is wiþouten hope Suche derkenes þat men may grope So wondir þicke shal hit be Line 23243 Þat noon may on oþere se ¶ Þe seuenþe shame for her synne Lastynge euer wiþouten blynne For þerto shal vchone haue siȝt Line 23247 To se shenshepe on oþeres pliȝt ¶ Þe eiȝteþe peyne is ful grise To se þo fendis in her wise Line 23250 Strong peyne is on hem to loke To þo þat ben in her croke Þat deolful dyn & bittur bere Þat þei wiþouten ende shul here Line 23254 Of þo wepyng in her wo Þat shal hem laste euer and Oo ¶ Firen bondes is þe nynde As we in holy writt fynde Line 23258

Line 23258 Her lymmes shul be bounde þerwiþ Wiþouten ese of any liþ Line 23260 But o poynt is hem peynes more Þenne alle oþere here bifore Line 23262 Þei wiþ her peyne haþ noon ende For þe haue no tyme to mende ¶ Now haue ȝe herde þo peynes nyne Here now þe skil of euery pyne Line 23266 Nyne ordres of aungels þei forsoke Whenne þei to þe fende hem toke Þerfore shul þei pyned be Wiþ þo peynes six & þre Line 23270 ¶ And for þei were wont to brinne In couetise catele to wynne Whil þei in þis world were Line 23273 Þerfore þei shul euer brenne þere ¶ And þo men þat so euel dud here And lay þerinne fro ȝeer to ȝere Line 23276 Þei brende þerin so were þei bold Þei shul haue euer þat watir cold ¶ Þo þat euer had wraþþe & nyþe And wiþ bacbytyng wolde kiþe Line 23280 Þo wormes euer shul on hem wrote In bale wiþouten hope of bote ¶ And for þei here were wont to ly In stynkynge luste of lecchery Line 23284 And wolde not haue but her delices Þat drowȝe hem into oþere vices Þei shul haue þat stynke I wis Þat þei shul neuermore of mis Line 23288 ¶ And for þei wolde no scourgyng Þole for loue of heuen kyng Þei shul be beten euer on on Mercy shul þei euer forgoon Line 23292 ¶ And for þei wolde not be liȝt Of soþfastenes to haue þe siȝt

Þat is of god lord of lond Line 23295 Þei haue derkenes euer lastond ¶ And for þei wolde no shrifte take And at her ende amendes make Vchone shal se with siȝt of shame What blenche is on oþere for blame ¶ And þei þat wolde no prechyng here Of god nor of his lawes lere Line 23302 Þerfore shul þei here þe sownes [folio 139a:1] Boþe of neddres & dragownes Of fendes als þat foule cry Wo shal hem ben to be þerby Line 23306 And for þei euer tyed were In þis lif wiþ synnes sere Þei shul euer suffer sorwes þere Line 23309 Vpon her membres euerywhere Euer wende þei here to lyuen in synne Þere shul þei deȝe wiþouten blynne Euer deȝinge and neuer deed Line 23313 Deeþ shal hem fle for queed Þo þat be set in þat prisoun Vpwarde þe feet & hedes doun Her backes toward oþere bet Line 23317 Wiþ pyne on euery side biset Þe riȝtwis men shul se þo pynes Vp on oure lordes liþer hynes Line 23320 Þat her blis may be þe more For þei are scaped fro þat sore Þe wicked also þe gode shulde I wrapped alle in gome & gle Line 23324 For þei shul haue þe more vnpes Þat þei haue lost hit endeles Til domes day þis shal be þore But aftir þe doom þenne no more Line 23328 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.]

Þouȝe þei hem se wite hit wel Of hem shul þei rewe no del If fadir say his son þare Line 23333 Or son þe fadir al in care Þe wif þe husbonde or mon þe wif Or frend þe loued as his lif Line 23336 For her mis fare shul þei not mourne Ny ones to forþinkynge tourne But þei shul haue greet delit To se hem þenne in þat despit As we haue here on somer day Line 23341 To se fisshes in watir play Forþe riȝtwise glad shal be Whenne he shal wreche on synful se If þei shulde for hem pray Line 23345 Aȝein god were hit greet deray Þei to him shul be so queme Al shal hem like þat he shal deme Deme vs mot þat lord so Þat we neuer come in þat wo Line 23350