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

[Of the death of Sarah, and the search for Isaac's wife.]

¶ Sara had six score ȝeer & seuen þe And deȝed wiþouten childre mo þen Isaac no mo sho bare And Abraham for hir hadde care Line 3212 In ebron buryed hir Abraham þere furste was buryed olde Adam Abraham willed in his lyue Line 3215 þat Isaac hadde weddede a wyue And wolde she were if hit miȝt be [folio 21a:1] Of his kynde & his cuntre Men shulde hir seche in þat land þere his frendes were weldand Line 3220 A seriaunt soone commaundide he þat moost knew of his priuete þat euer had bene at his fyndyng Line 3223 Fro he was a childe ȝing Vpon his kne he dud him swere þat he shulde trewe eronde bere And þat he shulde ȝyue hool entent To fulfille his commaundement Line 3228 Frende he seide wende in hye vnt[o] mesopothanye þere þou woot oure frendes wone To seke a wif to my sone Line 3232 And if she may be founden lele Bringe hir hoom wiþ mychel wele But bringe þou him no womman Of þe kynde of canaan Line 3236 Sir he seide what shal I do þis ilke mayde if þat sho Wiþ no catel com wiþ me þenne of þin ooþ I holde þe fre Line 3240 For Isaac wiþ no forward Wol I he wende þiderward

Gladly he seide hit shal be done þis mon made him redy soone Line 3244 Faste he hyȝed to his goyng Wiþ tresour greet & preciouse þing Suche as maydenes han of mistere Al þat ten cameles myȝte bere Line 3248 Ringe & broche þat were proude Golde & stoon for maydenes shroude þat who him say myȝte vndirstonde he comen was fro a riche londe Line 3252 To mesopothanie soone coom he And soone he fonde þat cite Whenne he coom neȝe honde þe toun Bi a welle he liȝt doun Line 3256 A preyere made he in þat place And þus bisouȝte god of grace lorde he seide þat al welde may þat my lord honoureþ euery day For whoos loue he wolde not warn To sacrifise his owne barn Line 3262 To whom to seke a wif I fare lord þou sende me oon sum whare And so my seruyse set to seme Line 3265 þat to þi worshepe may be queme And suche a wif to ysaace þat may be good him to take Line 3268 him to ioye & menske to þe lord þou graunte þat hit so be And graunte me bi þis welle here Trusti to be of my preyere Line 3272 For bi þis welle wol I bide What of myn eronde wol bityde here wol I be til þat I se Maydenes com fro þis cite Line 3276 her watir at þis welle to drawe þere shal I my womman knawe

She þat shal bete my þrest I shal hir holde as for best Line 3280 he nadde rested but a þrowe Of maydenes he say com a rowe þe formast was vnlauȝter mylde hir semed no þing to be wilde Line 3284 Was she not of semblaunt liȝt Rebecca hir name hiȝt Batuel het hir fadir snel hir semed alle hir werkes wel Line 3288 Sittyngly hir watir she toke þis mon faste dud on hir loke he was witty & deuyse he seide to hir on þis wise Line 3292 Mayden he seide ȝyue me drynke Mychel I haue on þe to þinke I am a mon faryng þe wey Myn harneys dud I here doun ley Line 3296 Of my passage I was in doute [folio 21b:1] For no mon knew I here aboute Me were loþ If I myȝte were Line 3299 Men dud me harm on my gere Frend she seide þin askyng Nis not but litil þing þou shal hit haue wiþ good wille Line 3303 And þi camailes to drynke her fille For here vs wanteþ no vessel Bolle ny boket ny no fonel She drouȝe hem alle ynouȝe of drynk Lefte she not for no swynk Line 3308 þis oþere mon myȝte not blin To biholde þis fair maydin how alle hir dedes dud hir seme þis mon þouȝt hem to queme Maide he seide bi þi honde Line 3313 hastou any fadir lyuonde

ȝe she seide & modir wiþ al To hous gladly þat wol þe cal Line 3316 Fodder & hey þou shal be boun No feirere In in al þis toun