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

[David purposes to build a temple to God.]

Whenne he had made his orisoun Vndir þat tre he set him doun And þouȝte vpon mony a þinge As he þat was a greet lordynge Line 8266 A temple he þouȝte þenne to make To goddes worshepe & for his sake Bisily he him biþouȝt Line 8269 how þis temple shulde be wrouȝt To kepe in his relikes þan And saue hem in his kyndam þe holy arke þat þei bare Aboute wiþ al her holy ware Line 8274 Oon was þo tables twyn þat þe ten comaundementis were In þat god wroot his owne hond And þerynne was Aarones wond Line 8278 þat bare fruyt þo hit was drye And als of manna sum partie þe gilden oyle of þe propiciatori To cherubins as seiþ þe stori Line 8282

Line 8282 þese þingis þat I telle here þe kyng hem helde tresoure dere herfore þouȝte dauid kyng To make hem a riche wonyng Line 8286 vndir þis tre þat I of sey A stapul was of marbul grey

And as he þouȝte what was to done An aungel coom from heuen trone Line 8290 On a bowȝe he made his sete Of þat tre þat was so swete For wiþ þat flour þat was so new þer stode a selcouþe louely hew Line 8294 þis aungel þat so briȝte shone Spak to þe kyng þere allone And seide god þe loke sir kyng wel I woot al þi ȝernyng Line 8298 þi wille is worshepe for to wirche To god him self a crafti chirche But þou shal wit on what wise þat þis werke owe to rise Line 8302 God wol not þi self hit make Of þi hondes he wol not take Suche a werke hit were vnriȝt Line 8305 For werroure art þou ful wiȝt And many hast slayn wiþ þi hond But þou shal elles vndirstond Al may hit not bi þe be done Ende hit shal þi son salomone Line 8310 þou shal ordeyne hit in þouȝt [folio 52b:1] Bi salomon hit shal be wrouȝt he shal be a mon of pese And muchel haue worldes ese Line 8314 he shal be kyng aftir þi day þis is sooþ þat I þe say In rest & pees regne shal he þe temple bi him made shal be Line 8318

Line 8318 he shal haue witt richesse & sele To reule al his kyndome wele hit shal be preciouse & ful proude Line 8321 þe werk he shal so semely shroude Relikes shal þer ynne be loken þat euermore shul of be spoken Bitwene þis & þe worldes ende Line 8325 haue good day now I wende

¶ Dauid vndirstode þis skil To leue his dede had he no wil Fully he þouȝte to do so Line 8329 As þe aungel seide him to