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

Re-capitulation, of Adam's Fall and the Scheme to save Mankind.

Now lordingis haue ȝe herd Of þe bigynnyng of þis werd how he þat neuer had bigynnyng Line 9377 Made heuen erþe & al þing Also to alle þinge he ȝaue her kyndely shap for to haue Line 9380 Sonne & mone þat is so briȝt Had seuen so michel more liȝt Alle þingis þat þo dud grow Were myȝtiere þen þei are now Line 9384 A greet harm bifel vs þore þat alle shulde deȝe lasse & more þat of Adam & eue coom But ȝitt was hit riȝtwis doom Line 9388 As ȝe shul se bi riȝtful skil þat here wel þis stori wil Whenne þis world to ende was wrouȝt wantyng was þere of nouȝt Beest gras fruyt & tre Line 9393 Al was as hit shulde be Foule & fisshe greet & smal Adam last was made of al Line 9396 In ebron greue þat ilke dale þerynne he drey ȝe aftir bale Of erþe god made him to be Aftir þe holy trinite Line 9400

Line 9400 his owne ymage he made him þore how miȝte he loue kyþe him more In paradis he made him rest And fleȝely slepe on him he kest Line 9404 he made a felowe of his boone To Adam þat was furste his one witt & skil he ȝaf him tille Miȝte feirhede & fre wille Line 9408 Ouer al þis world to be kaisere Euer lastynge lif for to bere In paradis as heritage To lede her lif wiþouten rage Line 9412 In welþe wiþouten tene or tray Bitwene and a certeyn day þat of his owne ospringe myȝt Fulfille þe noumbre hool & riȝt Of þat felowshepe þat felle Line 9417 Out of heuen into helle þenne shulde þei so blessed be þat þei of deeþ shulde neuer se Line 9420 And so swynkeles feire & briȝt As þat tyme was þe sonne liȝt As ȝe herde to fore neuen þenne shulde þei stiȝe to heuen Line 9424 who herde euer of more blis þen ordeyned was to him & his lawes two were set on sise To Adam in paradise Line 9428 As in holy writ we fynde ¶ þe furst was þe lawe of kynde þat is to saye kyndely to do Al þat him was beden to Line 9432 ¶ þe toþer haþ posityue to name þat was fully forboden adame Of þis fruyt god him seide I haue hit in my forbode leide Line 9436

Line 9436 If þou so bolde be hit to bite þou shal deȝe in sorwe & site If þou wolt my forbode holde þou shal be lord as I þe tolde Line 9440 Of al erþe & of paradise wiþ more blis þen þou con deuyse þe seisyne of þis Adam al Allas soone he let hit fal Line 9444 [folio 59b:1] His greet worshepe þat he had þare And brouȝte vs alle to muchel care Als soone as he þe appel ete þe lawes boþe he gon to lete Line 9448 Boþe naturele & positiue his wif made him to vnþriue Whenne she leued more þe fend þen god þat made hir so hende ¶ þus was adam for his outrage Line 9453 Dryuen fro his heritage Out of þe ioye & out of blis To wo & sorwe to him & his Bi deeþ his wif most he tyne Where he shal euer haue medicyne whenne he had lost þere present Line 9459 his heritage bi iuggement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 9463 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 9467 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 9471 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]

Out of þe feirest lond þat es he was put into wildernes Line 9474 þis foule synne was so vnwrast þat of his seisyne hit gon him cast . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 9478 ¶ Now is mon bigiled al his owne synne made him þrale þat furste was fre as I tolde Now haþ him Sathanas to holde Line 9482 To whos seruise he him ȝelde his þral he was to haue in welde whil he is þral in his seruise he ne may be fre on no wise þral may be no lawe in lede Fre heritage aske of lordhede Siþ he is þus þral bicomen his heritage him binomen Line 9490 In no court owe þral be herd Ny stonde in doom to be vnswerd But in þe lordis þat him owe To deme him ouþer heȝe or lowe þen most he seke anoþer nede Line 9495 To wynne his heritage to spede Fre born to be & not bonde þat shulde in court shewe his eronde his heritage aȝeyn to wynne Line 9499 he most be of his owne kynne So þat he soþfaste mon shulde be And eet not of þis forseide tre he most be born out of synne Line 9503 And holden had þese lawes twynne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Line 9508

Line 9508 he þat neuer dud synne ne pliȝt What mon miȝt se so briȝt þat suche a mon coude þenke in þouȝt þat do þat miracle mouȝt Line 9512 Rest a litil here wol I A saumple telle ȝou her bi Ensaumple cordyng þat I toke Out of seynt Roberdes koke [[read boke]] Line 9516