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

Christ chooses the Apostles

Ihesu þouȝt hit was ful longe Wiþouten felowshipe to gonge To chese him felowes he dud bigynne Line 13268 But not of richiche kyngis kynne Nouþer of erles ny of baroun Ny oþere grete lordynges of toun But mene men of sympul lif Line 13272 Þat siþen were holden princes rif ¶ Two breþer petur and andrew Boþe þei were of muche þew Had þei furst noon oþere gode Line 13276 But wiþ her shipp fond hem fode Wiþ her fisshyng were þei fed & pore liflode þei led Wiþ o word haue þei ship for gone Þat was al her worldes wone Line 13281 Neuer aftir turned þei her mode For þei say her change was gode At þe see Iame & Ion he fonde As þei were lynes leyond Fadir & modir & alle her kyn And shipp þei lafte & folwed him Þenne coom to him Iudas thadeu Line 13288 And wiþ him brouȝte bartelmeu Siþen he coom to abii A morenyng fonde he dan leui Of publicanes leder was he Line 13292 And a mon of greet pouste Ihesu furste wiþ him he ete And he for ihesu al for lete To folwe him þouȝte him no shame Siþen mathew was his name Line 13297

Line 13297 Siþen had he symond & Iudas Line 13298 Þe lesse seint Iame & seynt thomas þenne Iudas scarioth þe bolde Þat aftirwarde his lorde solde Twelue were þei to telle in dole Line 13302 Whenne þei were to gider hole For þat þei to þis lord chese þei forsoke þis worldes ese Line 13305 To mon wrouȝte þei neuer vnpees [folio 83a:1] þei men hem souȝte wiþ greet males To gider þei loued as sister & broþer Noon wille sondre þo fro oþer Wiþouten alle chidyng or strif Line 13310 Til þe endyng of her lif Petur þat he porest fond Ouer alle he made him moost weldond Biforen alle his oþere feres Moost priuilage he ȝaf to peres Line 13315 To peter he seide louestou me þou wost wel lord þat I loue þe þou shal do þenne my commaundement ȝis sir wiþ al myn ent Line 13319 To deȝe for þe if hit be nede Mi sheep he seide þou shalt fede Petur he seide þou hast ben gode Fisshere hidurto on þe flode Line 13323 Fro þis day forþ I shal þe ken To be fisshere of gode men Fro þis tyme now shaltou be ȝatewarde of heuen & erþe to se Of hem þou shalt þe keyes bere Line 13328 Boþe to open & to spere Whom so þou byndest be he bolde Bifore me beþ he for bounden tolde And whom þou lesest out of bonde For louse he shal in heuen stonde Line 13333

Line 13333 Petur art þou & my chirche shalle Line 13334 On þat stoon set hir ground walle No wrenches of þe malediȝt Aȝein hir shal haue no myȝt Serueþ me þou & þi fere Line 13338 ȝe are my frendes leefe & dere So þei dud boþe day & nyȝt Him þei serued as hit was riȝt Wiþouten pride in sympel lyf Line 13342 Wiþouten boost wiþouten strif þe folke him folwed of þe lond Bi hundride & bi þousond Line 13345 Men folwed him for dyuerse resouns Somme to here his sarmouns To se him self coom somme eke Somme for hele þat were seke Somme to þe miracles rif Line 13350 How he reised dede to lif And somme for to haue þe fode For vche mon hadde of his gode And þere as any defaute bi tidde Line 13354 Was neuer his curtesy vn kidde But he hit shewed with mony dedes In mony studes wiþ worþi medes As at þe feest of architricline Line 13358 þere he turned watir to wyne