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 witturly þe ferþe elde at kyng dauy

Saul is slayn þat sorweful king In his stud dauid douȝty þing þei sett a septure in his hond þat men calleþ þe kyngis wond Line 7864 Alle honourid him wiþ hailsyng heil be þou lord dauid oure kyng Saf & sounde euer mot þou be whil þe folke is vndir þe Line 7868

Dauid was a ful wise mon Riȝtfuly he regned þon Fro þat he was kyng in londe Line 7871 was noon durst his word withstonde Faire a court wiþ him he ledde his folke boþe him loued & dredde he nadde reyned but a stounde Whenne he an hous bigon to founde Line 7876 A mychel tour longe & brade In ierusalem he let be made But þe wiliest of wynne Ryuely ofte þei falle in synne Line 7880 Dauid þat mony had in wone Rafte him his wif þat had but one He had a douȝti knyȝt of fame his wif barsabe bi name Line 7884 Alas she was faire & briȝt þe kyng cast ones on hir siȝt he asked what was þat lady Line 7887 ȝoure knyȝtis wif þei seide vry þat vry þo was not þare In kyngis ost was he forþ fare whil þis knyȝt was away þe kyng bi þat lady lay Line 7892

Line 7892 þe lady was wiþ childe in hie þe kyng sende þo to fette vrie Whenne vri coom wiþouten wite þe kyng lete soone lettres write Line 7896 And toke hem vry for to bere þo To his marchal of his hoost þo wiþ biddyng he him bisouȝt þat vrie þat þo lettres brouȝt Line 7900 Into bataile so shulde be led þat he shulde sone be ded

Vry þo lettres toke & bare [folio 50a:1] But he wist not what þei ware Line 7904 þe kyngis commaundement was done Slayn he was in bataile sone . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in Trin. & Laud MSS.] Line 7908

whenne vry was þus brouȝte of lyue Dauid toke barsabe to wyue And helde hir in his hous fro þan Til oure lord seide to Natan Line 7912 Go to dauid kyng & say he haþ mis done aȝeyn my lay þenne coom þat prophete to þe kyng Line 7915 And seide him þis in tokenyng Twey men were late in londe A pore and a riche wononde þe riche hadde mychel fe Of alle godes greet plente Line 7920 Of sheep he hadde mychel wone þe pore had no sheep but one þat he had with his siluer bouȝt And fro a lamb hit vp brouȝt Line 7924 þe riche mon wiþ euel hert To agest coom ouerþwert For to spare his owne auȝt þe pore monnes sheep he lauȝt Line 7928

Line 7928 To his mete dud hit be slone Of his þat nadde but þat one Line 7930 þe man þat haþ done suche dede Sir kyng what shulde be his mede Of þis tale þe kyng was wrooþ Line 7933 Bi god o lyue he swore his ooþ þat mon he seide is ful of quede And shal bi riȝt suffer dede Son he seide take good gome ȝyuen þou hast þin owne dome Line 7938 God made þe kyng of Israel To lede þe folke in lawes wel þou shuldes haue holde þe lawe instede & hast broken þe lawe þat he forbede Slayn þou hast þi knyȝt vry Line 7943 And taken his wif & layn hir by Of god himself stood þou noon awe þerfore I com þe to shawe þat þi hous he sendeþ þe word Line 7947 Shal neuer twynned be fro sword Reise euel he shal on þe ful kene And þus he seiþ þe bidene Line 7950 þi wyues þat þou hast alle Be ȝyuen to oþere men shalle þi synne þat þou in priuete did Bifore folke hit shal be kid Line 7954 Synned I haue seide dauid þan þat is sooþ seide Natan þerfore shal þou not deȝ I wate For god haþ hette þe translate [[MS. transolate]] Line 7958 þou shal wite I shal not lyȝe þe son of barsabe shal diȝe Dauid gat ȝitt a son þonne Line 7961 þat wis was & het salomonne

Whenne dauid knew his cost of care Rewed him neuer þing so sare Line 7964

Line 7964 In token þat he rewed his sake An orisoun soone gon he make þat het Miserere mei deus hem owe to seye hit þat synnes rewes Line 7968 Of alle þe salmes of þe sautere þis salme for penaunce haþ no pere . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]