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

[The Author's Exhortation to his Fellow Men.]

¶ Ȝe cristen men aboute ȝe loke Alle þat euer haþ herde þis boke Of ȝoure lif þat ȝe here lede Line 23707 Ȝe turne hit not in to wanspede Who so wol him wel biþinke Þe world is fals & ful of swynke Fals hit is we may se how Line 23711 And we wol algate þeron trow Þis litil lif we haue in hond We wene hit be euer lastond Line 23714 Deeþ we wene alwey to stille Þat doþ vs muchel spedyng spille Hit blendeþ vs a litil ȝele Þat we con not oure seluen fele Line 23718

Line 23718 Dame fortune turneþ hir whele anoon Þat casteþ doun mony on Of þat doun cast we may bi chaunce Anent þis world get coueraunce Line 23722 And com to worldes welþ aȝein [folio 141b:1] A while to holde wiþ muche peyn But þerwiþ fynde we anoþer strif Þat waiteþ no þing but oure lif Line 23726 Deþ vs haþ biset oure strete Wol we or nyl we we shul him mete Alle shul we renne into his lace Line 23729 Oþer wey shal noon apase Euer he waiteþ vs þat quede Is no þing certeynere þen dede Ny vncerteynour þen his tide Line 23733 Þerfore we owe him euer to abide To passe à pas þat is so hard And we woot neuer whodirward We shul alle hennes wende Line 23737 Here is good to make vs frende . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Þerfore þis lif he haþ vs lent Line 23741 To serue him euer wiþ oure entent Þat his commaundementes be done If we do mis to mende hit sone To trauaile ordeyned he þis lif Aȝeyn oure foes þre to strif Line 23746 Oure flesshe þis world & þe wer lawe We are bounden in her awe Oure flesshe is euer to synne crous Þe world hateful & couetous Line 23750 Þe fende serueþ of wraþþe & pride Þese were wiþ vs on euery side Þese þre may we wel fordryue If we wol truly lede oure lyue Line 23754

Line 23754 For boþe may falle hem mon & wif Aȝein hem stalworþely to strif If we wol strongly vs stere Line 23757 Cristis help shal be vs nere His helpe & oure wittes eke If we wol him truly biseke Forsoþe if we wol do oure peyn Line 23761 Þei haue no myȝt to stonde aȝeyn If we wole note on hem oure miȝt Certis þei be felde in fiȝt Þat lond is esy for to wynne Line 23765 Þat no mon is to kepe hit Inne And he is also a foule coward Þat no þing may þole of hard Þat ȝeldeþ him ar he be souȝt Line 23769 And leseþ so him self for nouȝt Fiȝte he shulde if he dud riȝt And fle whenne he no lenger miȝt ¶ Fele þer ben of vs in drede Line 23773 Þat ȝelden hem er þei haue nede Vnto þe fende ful of pliȝt Wiþouten any assaut of fiȝt Line 23776 But euer to falle ben redy Who miȝt do more couherdely Þen to falle bifore þe torn And wol not bide to ȝyue a sporn Line 23780 Al þat oure flesshe vs ledeþ tille Of al oure wele hit is oure wille Line 23782 And þouȝe we knowe hit mis wrouȝt Hit to fulfille we fyne nouȝt Alas for a litil lust A dreury þat is but a dust Line 23786 We þralle vs to oure fulle fo In prisoun for to lye in wo Of suche are þere mony now Alas how dar þei þat avow Line 23790

Line 23790 Whi selle we vs to þat sorwe Þat no þing may vs aftir borwe Line 23792 We wrecches willefuly forsake Þe selynes þat neuer shal slake Boþe of sorwe & of þat sele Ȝe haue herde bifore som dele Line 23796 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Line 23800 We haue bifore vs wayes two Þe ton to wele þe toþer to wo Frely to whider we wol to gon To oure frendes or to oure fon Line 23804 If we þenne forsake oure frende To chese vs to oure foos to wende Þenne dar I seye & lyȝe nouȝt In sorweful tyme were we wrouȝt A sorweful tyme to oure bihoue [folio 142a:1] Line 23809 But god forbede þat we hit proue Whenne we hit proue hit is to late Þenne is no mendyng of oure state Þere is no wey bifore vs rud Line 23813 But to go riȝt as we dud For who þat doþ not whenne he may Whenne he wolde hit wol be nay Here is tyme for to grete Line 23817 Here is tyme synne to bete Ouþer here or nowhere elles Þat witenesseþ alle holy spelles ¶ Vche day we haue somoun For to make vs redi boun Line 23822 Þat euery day we se and here We owe hit not to holdem were Þe prechoures fynen not to spelle Line 23825 Þe soþe þei spare vs not to telle

To do vs of helle to be ware But neuer þe bettur mony are Selden come we sermoun nere Line 23829 Looþ vs þinkeþ hit to here Oure ere selden þerto we ley But fer is oure hert awey Line 23832 . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Wherfore of hem let we so ille Line 23835 But for þei speke aȝein oure wille He þat me seiþ moost þat me likeþ God hit wot moost he me bi swikeþ For if we wel vs vndirstode Line 23839 Oure wille doþ vs litil gode But ofte oure skil makeþ vs blynde Here aftir shul we hit fynde Line 23842 Fynde we hit shul leest when we wene Alle shul we to þe deeþ bidene From hit may we no way scape For no wile þat we con make Line 23846 Muche wolde I here of mote Wist I hit were any bote Euer to speke & not to spede Wastyng hit is of goddes sede Line 23850 Hit is not worþi to tile þat felde Þat not þe seed aȝeyn wol ȝelde What bote is hit of riȝt to rede Þat neuer founden is in dede Line 23854 Muche to here & litil to holde But were a ribaudry vs tolde Of a fantom or a fabul Line 23857 Þat wolde we holde in herte stabul In herte þat is a sory hord To kepe hit raþer þen cristis word How may he to him self be holde Line 23861 Þat cheseþ leed & leueþ golde

Al þe writyng in holy writt Line 23863 Is writen to teche vs wit How we owe to lede oure lif Cristen folk mon & wif In eldre men may we se Line 23867 What to folwe & what to fle Þinges þat we not ne con For to aske at oþer mon And he þat more con þen oþer Debonerly þenne to teche his broþer Line 23872 Alle are we breþer ȝonge & olde Crist for vs was bouȝte & solde He haþ vs in his noumbre tolde As for shepe of his folde Line 23876 Þourȝe herdes þat oure lord haþ set For he wol his sheep be get He haþ vs chosen for oure mede His holy folke for to fede Line 23880 Vche mon riȝtly to deme His owne soule haþ to ȝeme And vche of vs witturly Haþ receyued goddes tresory Riche besauntis of golde þei ben Line 23885 Somme lasse & somme moo to sen Þo besauntis so þat we biset Þat we may wel paye oure det Line 23888 To acounte were shul gone Aftir þat we toke vchone Somme for more & somme for les [folio 142b:1] Aftir þat oure ȝiftus wes Line 23892 He ȝyue vs grace so to acounte Þat we may to heuen mounte Þad sprad was on an harde tre Nailed naked þer on to be Line 23896 Oure fadir maker of alle þinge Þat neuer shal haue endynge [[Signed below in a later hand "Iohn Digbye,,]]

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