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

[Apostrophe to Saint John].

Iohan ful leli was tu sen Þat swilk a moder als ik of men Was to þi keping taht Line 24661 To kep þu tok þat maidin clen And sua was tu witoutin wen Þat sua þat leueli laht Line 24664

Þar was te raht a riche relik Mai tresur nan be þar to lik Of metal na of stan Line 24667 Bot cristis awin dreuri dere Þat of pris mai haf na per Nan nai certis nai Line 24670

To faintis was ti faiþe ne fere For þi þu was his tresorer On traister nan to tru Line 24673 Ful graþeli was tat grace te grant For qui his moder was tin ant Sa worþi nan als tu Line 24676

Þar til þe worthest he mad Wit mekne and wit maidinhad For þi es taim ful wel Line 24679 Man or wimman queþer it be Þat liuis in virginite Qua fanding þat tai fele Line 24682

He þat in maidenhed es lele He ledis life lik til angele For virginis al er þai Line 24685 Bot þis liuelad þat like quon Fra þat anis be fordon It es for euir and ai Line 24688

Line 24688

Wel acht man to kep þe þing Þat anis tint hauis na couering Sua do þai þat er wis Line 24691 Þoh þu hauis oþer virtu slain In þe þu mai þaim couir again Redi in þe to ris Line 24694

Þe man þat left hauis buxumnes Mai turn and be slik als he wes Al at his awen wille Line 24697 If þu was large and es noht nu Þu gif gladlik and þan er tu Sli faintis mai man felle Line 24700

If ani man in vice be cast He mai him draw fra þat last And be þat he was are Line 24703 Bot þai þat maidenhed hauis tint Al for noht es if þai mint To couer it euir mare Line 24706

Þis wist tu Iohan ful wel And held þi stat stabil als stel Þat worsip did þe win Line 24709 Þi faiþe he sah was noht to fail Crist mad þe cuþe of his consail And priuest of al his kin Line 24712

Chamberlain of gret honure He mad þe of his moderis bure Sli blis þe þar bitid Line 24715 Þu seruid hir wit main and miht Was neuer seruid dai ne niht I bur sa blisful brid Line 24718

To þat blisful brid Iohan Þat leuedi moder and maidan Þat tu sa cuþe was tille Line 24721

Line 24721 I þe bisek vr erand be And sco be til hir sun þat we Miht wirkin ai þair wille Line 24724

In cristis worsip for to suink And euir apon his þraues þink Þat sua did you to murne Line 24727 Prai þat lefdi ben vr lend Þat we mai find hir son frend To tore quen we sal turne. Amen.