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

[How the Lions fawned on Jesus.]

¶ From Ierico to flum iurdone Line 12333 Among þo weyes þere is one þat lay riȝt bi þe watris syde Þere lay a leones þat tide Line 12336 Norisshinge hir whelpes so Þat nomon durst bi hir go Towarde þe flum on a day Ihesu goynge coom þat way Line 12340 To þe leones caue he ȝode Þere he þe whelpes vndirstode But whenne þe leonesse him sawe Anoon she dud hir lorde knawe Line 12344 Alle aȝein him gan rise And honoured him on her wise Ihesu sat bitwene hem þon Aboute his feet þe whelpes ron Line 12348 Pleyinge wiþ him on her manere Wiþ her fawnyng made him chere þese oþere leouns þat were olde Stoden a fer as bestis wolde wiþ hedes bare þei lowe sail honoured him wiþ faunnyng tail Line 12354 þe folke stood fer & loked tille we say neuer beestis of þis wille And seide but he or his kynne had wrouȝt er som greet synne

ȝit wolde not leouns on þis wise Bede to him her seruyse Line 12360 whenne ihesus of þe caue coom oute þe liouns coomen him aboute þe whelpes ran aboute his fete Line 12363 wiþ him to pley þouȝte hem swete þe folke bihelde & stood on ferre For leouns durst þei com no nerre ¶ Ihesu seide now may ȝe se Line 12367 How beestis are bettur þen ȝe þat con our lord honoure & ken And ȝe þat he haþ made to men And þat aftir his owne ymage Line 12371 To him take ȝe no knowlage þese beestis in mekenes knowe me And men knowe not þat þei se Þenne he ȝede þe flum to passe wiþ alle þe leouns þat þere wasse Line 12376 þe watir ȝaf him wey ful gode On eiþer side as wal vp stode whenne þei had companyed him so Forþ in pees he bad hem go Line 12380 To noye no mon ny no mon þaym Til þei had her erde aȝayn Her leue þei toke wiþ her entent Ihesu hoom to his modir went

Ihesu was þat tyme þore Line 12385 Of eiȝte yeer olde & more