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

Here bigynneþ of Noe lede þe secounde world for to sede

Fyue hundride ȝeer had noe whenne he had geten sones þre þe first was sem cam þe toþer Line 1629 And Iapheth het þe þridde broþer God spak vnto noe þan þus his resoun he bi gan Line 1632 Noe he seide I telle þe Al þis world bitrayeþ me þei han lafte me & my lawe Of me stonden þei noon awe Line 1636 Al is forȝeten þat fraunchise þat I ȝaf mon in paradise þe erþe wiþ synne is foul shent Al riȝtwisnes awey is went Line 1640 Foule lustes & wicked-hede Han filed þis world in lengþe & brede No mon her synne may say no seke þerof to heuen recheþ þe smeke Couetise lecchery and pride Line 1645 Haþ spred þis world on euery syde Alle are þei worþi to wite Of woo is noon founden quyte Line 1648 But I shal hem laye ful lawe þat sett so litil of myn awe Wreche to take hit is to done I shal hem drenche in watir soone Line 1652

Line 1652 Alle hem but þi wif and þe þi sones & her wyues þre ȝe eiȝte for ȝoure leute Allone I haue graunted gre Line 1656 Wiþ þin ospringe I haue mynt Restore þe folke þat shal be tynt Fro þe moost to þe leest Shal nouþer haue lyf foule ne beest Line 1660 But ar þat I my vengeaunce take I wol þat þou a vessel make Sir telle me wher of hit shal be Hit shal be made of square tre Line 1664 A shippe most þou nedes diȝt þi self shal be þe maistir wriȝt I shal þe telle how brood & long Of what mesure & how strong Whenne þe tymber is festened wel Line 1669 Wynde þe sides euervche a del Bynde hit furste wiþ balke & bonde And wynde hit siþþen with good wonde Wiþ picke loke hit be not þynne Line 1673 Plastre hit wel wiþoute & ynne Seuen score ellen longe & tene þries eiȝte on wide on heiȝte fiftene Fiftene on heiȝte is þe entent Fro grounde to þe tabelment Hit shal be made wiþ stages sere Vchone for dyuerse manere Line 1680 þou shalt byneþen on þat o syde Make a dore wiþ mesure wyde A sperynge wyndowe als on heȝe Loke þi werke be not vnsleȝe Line 1684 An hous þerynne to drynke & ete Wardrope þat þou not for ȝete Of alle manere beestis take þe tweyn To wone þer wiþ her makes certeyn Line 1688

Line 1688 Of vche beest þat is wrouȝt Foule ny worm forȝete ȝe nouȝt In þe ouemast stage shal þou be [folio 11b:1] Foules nexte vndir þe Siþen alþer next honde Line 1693 Meke beestis þei shul vndirstonde þo þat are tame & mylde And vndir hem þenne þe wilde Also þat þou make aboure Line 1697 To kepe wiþinne þi wardestoure In þe boþum shal be no stalle For al her filþe shal þerin falle Line 1700 Hit shal be muche wiþouten pere In makyng six siþe twenty ȝere So longe tyme I haue hem lent þat wol com to amendement Line 1704 And if any wol tente to þe þat þei þerynne may saued be Whenne þou hast wel þi tymbur layd And hit is to þi wille payd Line 1708 þou & þi wif shul first in te þi sones & her wyues þre Also þat ȝe take ȝou wiþ Foule & beest þat shal haue griþ Line 1712 þe meke to gider two & two þe wilde bi hem self also Of vchone take þou tweyne In To holden vp he owne kyn Line 1716 Be wel war for any swynke þat þou ne wante mete ne drynke Do now wel I leue þe But I com efte þe to se Line 1720 If I se þou worchest riȝt I shal holde þat I þe hiȝt

Now woot noe what to do And hew tymbur þat fel þerto

He ȝaf wriȝtes her mesure Line 1725 And him self dude his cure þei wrouȝte faste in dyuerse place Him self fastened boþe bond & lace But euermore as he wrouȝt Line 1729 Folke to preche forȝate he nouȝt To warne hem of goddes wreche How god had wiþ him a speche He hit tolde to many man Wherfore he þat shippe bigan Line 1734 Wiþ scorne alle him vnswerde And seide whi is þis cherle ferde þei seide greet wondir hem þouȝt Why he was so ferde for nouȝt Line 1738 He were þei seide worþ to be shent þat of his wordes toke tent Whenne noe say his trauel tynt Of his prechynge þenne he stynt Hit is but foly to ȝyue counsel to To hem þat wol but foly do Line 1744 þerfore he lefte þat cursede lede And went & dud his owen dede More wiþ hem him greued nouȝt Til he had his shippe wrouȝt He was glad when hit was made Line 1749 Riȝt as god bifore him bade Whenne he had done þe comaundement He bode not but þe iuggement Line 1752 þat god of myȝte wolde worche his wille As he bifore seide him tille þenne cam god at tyme his To noe for to speke of þis Line 1756 Whenne he had wiþ him spoken Him self þe dore soone had stoken þe wyndowe was with suche a gyn Hit myȝte open & spere wiþ In

Whenne þis was done þer was no bide Line 1761 Stormes roos on euery syde Sonne & moone þe liȝt gan hide Hit merked ouer al þis world wide þe reyn fel doun so wondir fast Line 1765 þe welles wex þe bankes brast þe see to ryse þe erþe to cleft þe springes alle oute to dref Leityng fel wiþ þondur & reyn þe erþe quook & dened aȝeyn Sonne & moone lost her liȝt [folio 12a:1] Al þe world turned to nyȝt Line 1772 þat sorwe to se was greet awe þe bildyngis fel boþe heȝe & lawe þe watir wex ouer þe pleynes þe beestis ran to mounteynes Line 1776 Men & wymmen ran hem wiþ Wel þei hoped to han had griþ Al for nouȝte þei went a fote Whenne þei þere cam hit was no bote þe foules flotered þo on heȝe Line 1781 And fel whenne þei myȝt not dreȝe For nouȝt fled beest & man Al to late þei hit bigan Line 1784 In þat watir soone þei swan Side bi syde wolf & man þe lyoun swam bi-syde þe hert Dude no beest to oþere smert Line 1788 þe sparhauke bi þe sterlyng þei tented oþere no maner þing þes ladyes tented not þo to pride þei swam bi her knaues syde Line 1792 For lordshipe was þere no strif Was no man gelous of his wyf Oþere to helpe was noon so sly Alle þei drenched bi & by Line 1796

Line 1796 Alle þei drenched euerychone Was noon fro deþe myȝte gone For her synnes wepte þei þan Allas to late þei bigan Line 1800 þenne desired þo caitifs badde þat þei had ben by noe ladde

But þouȝe þat Noe was in quert he was not al in ese of hert Line 1804 þe wynde him ledde on þat flode he miste whodirwarde he ȝode heuen & erþe he flet bitwene he nuste where his shipp wolde bene þei were ful ferde of her lyues þat was wiþ him men & wyues Line 1810 But þe lord ful of myȝt To Noe bifore her lyues hiȝt Noe þo wiste wiþouten wene þe folke were alle dede bi-dene Line 1814 Wiþ sore wepynge he hem ment And turned to god al his tent he fyned neuer nyȝt nor day For þo caitifs for to pray Line 1818 For monkynde as seiþ þe boke But durste he neuer wiþ eȝe vp loke He preyed to god for her sake Line 1821 No vengeaunce on þo soulis to take As was taken in þat while On her bodyes þat were so vile Line 1824 Siþ þei were perisshed so rewely On her soulis to haue mercy So had þei hadde wiþouten faile Hadde þei done Noes counsaile Line 1828 Whenne þei forsoke his prechyng And toke his speche to scornyng But now þei fynde hit þerfore þat wolden not leue on noe lore Line 1832

Line 1832 For whil þat god ȝaf hem grace þei were not ferde of his manace

¶ þis reyn reyned euer on-one Til fourty dayes were a-gone Line 1836 þe heȝest hille þat was owhore þe flood ouer passed seuen ellen & more þere was no creature on lyue Line 1839 þe grounde myȝte reche ne ryue But hit were fisshe þat flet on sonde Miȝte no þing on grounde stonde On þat streem þe shippe gan ride þe wawes beten on euery syde Line 1844 þe stormes straked wiþ þe wynde þe wawes to bote bifore & bihynde Noe & his euer loked doun To drenche wende þei had be boun But be we truste wiþouten strif Line 1849 þei were wery of her lyf Til seuen siþes twenty dayes were gon [folio 12b:1] þe flood stode stille euer in oon Line 1852 Aboute fyue moneþes hit stode Wiþouten falling þat fers flode Ofte þei wende her shippe wold ha ryue Wiþ wynde or wawe or dynt of clyue But ȝit is good kyng of blis Line 1857 To helpe euer when his wille is When his vengeaunce þer was wrouȝt Oure lord þenne on noe þouȝt Line 1860 And bigan to haue pite Of him his shippe & his meyne þat myȝty kyng soone I wis Turned her bale in to blis Line 1864 Aȝeyn he made þe wattres go In to þe places þat þei coom fro þe erþe wex bare ar þei wende þe shippe on lond bigon to lende Line 1868

Line 1868 On ermony hit gon stonde An heȝe hil in holy londe þe sonne bigon þo hir to kiþe Noe wex þenne ful bliþe Line 1872 And seide to his sones þre Childre he seide what rede ȝe How shul we of þis watir wit Line 1875 If þat hit be fallen ȝitt Bi a foule þei seide wite may we If þe erþe bare be Line 1878 To shippe wol he com no more If he fynde bare erþe pore His wyndowe opened þo noe Line 1881 And lete a rauen out fle He souȝte vp & doun þere A stud to sitte vp on sum where Line 1884 Vpon þe watir þere he fond A drenched beest þere fletond Of þat flesshe was he so fayn To shippe coom he not aȝayn Line 1888 þerfore þe messangere þei sey þat dwelleþ longe in his Iourney He may be calde wiþ resoun clere Oon of þe rauenenes messangere Line 1892 And whenne noe perceyued was Of þe rauenes deceit in plas He lete out a doufe & toke hir fliȝt And fonde no place vpon to liȝt Line 1896 Sho coom aȝeyn wiþouten blyn Noe ros vp & lete hir in Siþen abode he seuen dayes Aftir þat þe bibel sayes Line 1900 He sende þe doufe anoþer siþe She went forþ & was ful bliþe Soone she coom & dwelt nouȝt An olyue braunche in mouþ brouȝt

þenne was noe wel I knawe Line 1905 þat þe flood hit was wiþdrawe But ȝitt bode he seuen dayes in rest For fere lest any damnyng brest Line 1908 Siþ he made hem alle out dryue Foule & beest mon & wyue þese beestes were ful glad in mode Line 1911 Whenne þei hadde her kyndely fode Oure lord dud hem soone to sprede Wiþ inne her owne kynde to brede þenne bad god vnto noe To leue þe shippe wiþ his meyne Line 1916 A tweluemoneþ was goon bi þis Bi þat same day I-wis þat day tweluemoneþ þat he rode in He hit lefte more ny myn Line 1920 As perus maior þe gode clerk Telleþ of him in his werk To him þenne coom oure lorde hende And seide noe leue frende Line 1924 þou & þi sones wiþ her wyues I haue saued alle ȝoure lyues Ȝou ȝitt haue I forborn þat in my vengeaunce be not lorn Line 1928 To ȝou ȝit þat I haue let lyue My brode benesoun I ȝou ȝyue I wol þat of þin ospringe brede [folio 13a:1] Al maner nacioun and lede Line 1932 Vche þing on his wise I wol þei do þe seruyse Noe was of his blessing bliþe And let reise an autere swiþe Line 1936 He ȝede to worshepe god as wise þeronne made he sacrifise Oure lord god al weldynge Him liked wel her offrynge Line 1940

Line 1940 He seide noe for no chaunce Shal I not take suche vengeaunce Fro me dounward man drouȝe his þouȝt Now are þei fully doun I brouȝt And if þou worche aftir my lore Line 1945 þou shalt fare wel þerfore To gode þewes þou þe ȝyue loue wel trouþe whil þou lyue For þat ȝe biforn han sene Line 1949 Vche mon lyue trewely bidene If þou wolt trowe on my rede Fle falshede and þefte as dede Line 1952 Who so of flesshe wol haue her fode Loke þei cast awey þe blode Alle þat wol trewely holde her lede Blode to ete I hem forbede Of beest wiþ clouen foot in two Line 1957 Wiþ chewyng code ȝe ete also I warne ȝou now alle bi dene Ete of no beest of kynde vnclene Line 1960 Of no maner worm þat is made Ne foule þat reueþ his lif lade Also ȝe ete of no flesshe elles þat in slouȝe & erþe dwelles Line 1964 Suche fisshe & flesshe of boþe I say Loke ȝe caste þe body away To þe & þine I bidde also Be noon so bolde oþere to slo Line 1968 For who so sleeþ mon or wif þer is no raunsoun but lif for lif I made man aftir myn owne ymage I wol noon oþere do outrage Line 1972 Euel owe no mon do to oþer But vche to be oþere broþer A couenaunde now I hete to þe þou shalt fro now my reinbowe se Line 1976

Line 1976 Whil þou may se my bowe wiþoute Of suche a flood þar þe not doute If mon mys doþ on oþere wise On hem I shal sett my iustise Line 1980 þat shal ben at þat day of ire Whenne I shal com to deme with fire Wiþ trewe werkes loke ȝe dele As ȝe wol loue þe soule hele Line 1984 And ȝeldeþ to ȝoure creatour þe tenþe part of ȝoure labour

Gode men I wol þat ȝe se Bitwene Adam and Noe Line 1988 þe tyme was eueryliche grene þat no reynbowe þere was sene And þei no reyn on erþe felle Plente on erþe myȝt men telle Line 1992 Ne þurte no mon ete flesshe þat tide Til hit made mannes pride Now is for synne & pride of man þe erþe feblere þen hit was þan Line 1996 Fro þe watir þat hit so wesshe þerfore man mot now ete flesshe And feblere monnes state now is þen hit was þenne forsoþe I wis Line 2000

¶ Whenne noe lefte þe shippe alone He hadde six hundride ȝeer & one þe alleuenþe wyntur was witturly þer aftir as telleþ vs metody Line 2004 Whenne þe world was goonde In elde of þe þridde þousonde Noe þe trewe wiþouten synne A newe liflode he dud bigynne Line 2008 To newe liflode went þe be Him self & his sones þre . . . . . [no gap in the Trinity & Laud MSS.] Line 2012

Line 2012 Moost to tilþe he ȝaf him þan [folio 13b:1] To flitte breres he bigan So longe flittynge to hem he souȝt þat wynetrees he hem wrouȝt Line 2016 A day bifel he was forswonken And vnwarres of wyn dronken þei he him self furst hit wrouȝt þerfore þe wyn spared him nouȝt Drunke he lay & slept bi his one þere þe sonne vp on him shone Line 2022 Naked on þat lymme lay he þat men þinke moost shame to se His myddelest son was calde cam Bihelde & say his fadir sham Line 2026 He kidde he was vnkynde ynouȝe To scorne he his fadir louȝe To his broþer Iapheth seide he Broþer com now hidur & se Line 2030 What is þat seide Iapheth broþer þi fadir slepeþ seide þe toþer He liþ here com se þou shalle Naked vp on his lymmes alle Line 2034 Broþer he seide þou seist folye And þat I trowe þou wolt abye If þou of þi fadir make despit þou beste of his blessyng quyt His ȝonger broþer was ful woo For þe elder wrouȝte so Line 2040 A mantel fro his necke he toke & ȝeode bacwarde as seiþ þe boke He & his eldest broþer seem Blessedest of þat barneteem Line 2044 Til þei coom þere her fadir lay þerwiþ him couerede þay Her by may we vndirstonde Was no breeche foundide þo in londe Line 2048

Line 2048 Noe wiþ þis mantel awoke His sones scorne he vndirtoke His malisoun on him he leide And siþ to him þenne he seide Line 2052 Cam wiþouten any doute Vndir þi breþeren þou shalt loute Vndir hem to be as þral þou & þin osprynge al Line 2056 þe oþere two for her couerynge Noe ȝaf his brode blessynge To seem & Iapheth þo seide he Now shal hit al forȝyuen be Line 2060 Laþþe & wraþþe or any pliȝt If ȝe aȝeyn me haue done vnriȝt Of ȝou shal þe ospringe sprede þat shal ouer al haue lordhede Blessed shal be ȝoure tabernacle Ful of myrþe and of miracle And god hit graunte þat hit be so þat al þis world be ȝoures two Line 2068 To cam he seide foul feloun þou hast þe kynde of þat nacioun Of caym cursede moost of oþere þat wiþ tresoun slowȝe his broþere Do þe swiþe out of my siȝt Line 2073 þou art & shalt be cursed wiȝt Bi me owe þou not to dwelle I drede þi wonyng be in helle Fle fro me þou waryed þing Line 2077 Now shul we parte for þi scornyng Awey he fledde he and his Oure lordes enemyes þei were I-wis Line 2080