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 marriage of Isaac.]

he hir ȝaf a ȝifte anone A golde ring þat briȝte shone Line 3320 þankyng god to erþe he fel þe mayde ran hoom of him to tel She had a broþer het laban he ran forþ aȝeyn þe man Line 3324 Bitokne soone were þei knawe To riche gestenyng was he drawe þenne wisten þei bi þis messangere Abraham was sib him ful nere Line 3328 Ete ne drinke nouþer he wolde Til he hadde his eronde tolde And þe sikernes was made Likenes to rauen he not hade Line 3332 Wel be suche a messangere his message forþ to bere þat of him self reccheþ nouȝt Til his nedes be ful wrouȝt þe mariage dud he þenne make Line 3337 Bitwene rebecca and Isaake To vchone ȝaf he ȝiftis sere Aftir þat þei worþi were Line 3340 And clad þe may in riche wede As was lawe in þat lede To vchon he ȝaf sum þing Line 3343 Batuel made him good gestenyng A morwe in goddes benesoun Rebecca was ladde of toun hir modir as witt hir lad Line 3347 Til þei coom nyȝe þere hir rad

þere wonynge sir Abraham was Isaac was not fer fro plas As Isaac went him to ro Line 3351 And þouȝt of þingis he hadde to do he ȝeode walkynge bi þe strete And coom aȝeynes hem to mete Rebecca seide what man is he þat towarde vs comynge I se Line 3356 he drouȝe hir neer & stille spak þat is my lord sir ysaak hit is þe caisere shal be þin Of him shal þou soone haue seisyn Line 3360 To his bihoue I þe souȝt In sely tyme & wiþ me brouȝt þis seriaunt dud hir doun to liȝt In better aray for to diȝt Line 3364 She hir in better wede arayed A mantil of reede aboue she layed And þouȝe she shemeful was I wis She lost no countenaunce wiþ þis Rebecca & Isaac are samen Line 3369 Mett wiþ myche ioye & gamen wiþ mychel myrþe for to mene was brouȝte to house þat may shene þenne þei made þe mariage Line 3373 þat fel to riche heritage þe mychel loue of rebecca Falde þe sorwe of dam sare Line 3376 Suche are now a lyue ful þicke [folio 22a:1] Forȝete þe dede for þe quike But þei hit dud for som resoun And þourȝe significacioun Line 3380

Thre wyues had Ismael Twelue kynges coom of him to tel þei helde as miȝtiest þat day þe londes þat in þe eest lay Line 3384

Line 3384 Wondir hit were þe kyn to tel þat multeplied of Ismael Abraham aftir dam sara Toke a wif het Cephura Line 3388 Of hir he gat a son madan And anoþer het madian Not for lust of lecchery But his seed to multeply Line 3392 As god him had to fore hiȝt he toke a wif for hit was riȝt Bitwene his childre he delt his auȝt his londe to Isaac he bitauȝt Line 3396 For he furst born was in mariage Bi riȝt he hadde his heritage An hundride ȝeer seuenty & fyue Whenne Abraham had lad his lyue Line 3400 he deȝed in trouþe & holy hede his sones douȝti were of dede þei wepte his deeþ & so dud mo Bi sara þei leide him þo Line 3404 In god was euer his feiþ fest Oure lorde bringe vs to his rest Suche a reste to to come Line 3407 þat we may wiþ him seluen wone . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]