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

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PROLOGUE.

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Page 1437

Pater noster qui es in celis . . . . . [folio 73b:2]

Oure fader þat es high in heuyn,

halowid be þi name to neuyn,

þi kingrike þou send vs sone,

þi will in erth be euerdone

25106

als it es in heuyn done ay,

oure ilk day brede gif vs þis day.

And lord forgiff þou dettes ours,

Als we fo[r]giff till oure detoures,

25110

And lede vs fader in no fanding,

Bot schild vs euer fro euil thing. Page 1439

Crist himself made þis prayere,*. [[These first ten lines precede line 25103 in the Galba MS.]]

[folio 73b:2] Wharfore it es withouten pere,

þare es no prayer þat ordand es

So medeful of þe mikilnes,

25116

Seuin askinges er þarin to rede

þat makes vs mene on all oure nede,

both vnto lifing here a space,

25119

and whare oure sawl more mister hase,

And þat es in þir wordes fone,

þat er in ingliss þus vndone.*. [[These first ten lines precede line 25103 in the Galba MS.]]

Now sall I say halely bidene

What þir wordes er forto mene.

25124

"Oure fader," þusgat when we say,*. [Pater noster]

By þis word vnderstand we may

þat god es fader ouer vs all,

And we als suns opon him call;

25128

þarfore suld ilka prayer here

Haue foure thinges folowand in fere;

Ane es hertly luf to haue,

To him of wham we sall oght craue,

25132

And sekir hope oure bone to wyn,

And stedfast trowth to stand euer in,

And forto knaw with bowsumnes

þat no gude dede of oure self es,

25136

Bot oure gude dedis by night and day

Cumes of god, and his er þai.

"Oure fader," þis word when we schaw

Ful luf þarin may we knaw,

25140

For what þe sun has mister in minde,

þe fader it aw to grante by kinde.

Bot þar calles him fader ful fele

þat er noght to him suns lele,

25144

þat nowþer er his suns in-dede,

ne in no lifing at þai lede.

God for his sons no man here knawes

þat to þe fende þaire dedis drawes; Page 1441

25148

A wikked man þat god forsakes, [folio 74a:1]

And to þe werlaw wers him takes,

For goddes sun may he noght be kend

Till tyme þat he his mis amend.

25152

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]

þan suld we to slike dedes draw

þat god for his suns might vs knaw,

25156

And þan we may with worthines,

Call him oure fader, als he es.

In þis word "fader" we vnderstand

all sekernes of oure erand,

For if þat god oure fader be,

25161

Halden sekerly es he

Vs forto help and forto here,

Ay when we mak rightwis prayere.

25164

Bot þare er resons whi oure bone

Sumtyme es noght herd sone,

For sumtyme oure prayer es noght lele,

25167

Or askid ogains oure sawl hele,—

Als was þe prayer of saint paule

þat prayed ogaynes his awin sawl;

He prayed þe fanding of his fa

25171

Th[r]yse þat it suld be tane him fra,

And sen none may to heuin win

Bot he be fanded with sum syn,

And thurgh victori of þat fanding

He may haue mede of heuyn king,

Ferþi crist said saint paul answere,

25177

"Inogh es þe my grace to bere."

Forþi what so god sendes vs till

Vs aw to suffer it with gude will.

Sumtyme may oure praier be right

25181

And noght herd for oure awin plight;

And sum tyme als let it may þai

Forto be herd for wham we pray, Page 1443

25184

Als when we pray for þam þat lies

In syn þat god þam grante to rise.

Al if þis prayer be to take

And we worthi it forto make,

25188

And þai leue noght þaire wilkedhede

þat lettes vs of oure bone to spede.

And of oure praier crist es payd

Sum tyme all if it be missayd,

25192

And turnes into better state

Als he þat all oure mister wate;

And þat es noght vnherd we trow

þat es turned till oure gretter prow.

25196

þis word "fader" when we myn,

Stedfast trowth it beris þarein,

For when we trow in þe godhede [folio 74a:2]

Oure trowth sall mak vs mekil mede,

For of right trowth it es þe law

25201

To trow þe thing we neuer saw.

In þis ilk word "in heuyn þates,"*. [Qui es in celis.]

þan vnderstand we bousumnes,

25204

For we suld think when we it neuyn

How hegh oure fader es in heuyn,

And how law we in erth er stad;

þan suld we be bowsom and rad,

25208

Bowsom his bidinges to fullfill,

And rad to wirk ogains his will.

We suld him drede for luf in land,

And for drede suld we be lufand.

Als oure fader luf we him þan,

And drede him als oure domesman.

He þat so dose þan may he euyn

Say "holowid be þi name in heuin,"

25216

*. [[Sanctificetur nominem tuum]]þat es to say, "þus lord þou strenkith

in vs þi name in brede and lenkith;

And len vs so þi suns to be

þat we wirk noght ogaynes þe; Page 1445

25220

And mak þi name be knawin als

25221

Omang men þat in trowth er fals,

Als with þe sarsins and þe iows,

And oþer mo þat ay mistrows,

25224

And all men þat in errure iss

For to be broght vnto þi blis.

And len vs lord swilk mode and mayn

þat we tak neuer þi name in vayn,

And þat we swere noght wrang þarby,

Bot honore it als es worthy."

*. [[Adueniat reg|num tuum]]"þi king rike lord þou do vs haue,

25231

So þat we may of sin be saue,

And so with vs lat regne þi grace

þat we may regne bifor þi face."

þis praier alls es for all þa

þat for þaire sins amendes will ma,

25236

And gif þam vnto godes lay;

And als þis prayer es to say

"Lord put oway thurgh powste þine

þe forces of þe fendes fine,

25240

Fro all folk þat er vnder þe,

And sett þam in þi saintite.

þat þou has vnto al þa hight

þat menskes þe with main and might."

And in þis point also we pray

25245

For all rightwiss on domesday,

When suthfastnes sall all be sene, [folio 74b:1]

And þe corn fro þe caf be clene,

25248

þe euill sall fra þe gude be drawn,

þat þai may with þare fase be knawn.

God grant vs here þi will to wirk,

And þat þi kingrike, hali kirk,

25252

And hir childer may be broght

To blis þat vnto þam es wroght.

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]Page 1447

Þis claus es cald þe thrid bone,*. [Fiat uo|luntas tua sicut in cœlo &c.]

25257

"Fader in erth þi will be done,"

þat we þi bidinges here fulfill

Als þai in heuyn wirkes will,

25260

Grante vs in erth þi will to do

Als angels in heuyn dose þe to,

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]

þai pay þe with þaire seruis sere;

25265

So mot we do all þat er here.

. . . . .

25268

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]

25272

Þis firth bone vs askes fode,*. [Panem nos|trum cotidi|anum da no|bis hodie]

Both vnto life and sawl gude;

For on þis wise it es to say

"Oure ilk day brede gif vs þis day,"

And gif vs strenkith withouten strif,

And might both vnto sawl & lif;

25278

For þare er fode on thrin manere

þat saul and lif has of mistere,

25280

þe body here has nede of bath

To be sustened with mete and clath;

And gastly fode on all maners

Es þe sawl when men sarmon heres,

25284

And fode of howsill suthly es

Both for þe sawl and for þe fless.

And efter both þir fodes we pray

When we oure pater noster say;

25288

Bot if oure fless be fed to will,

And þe sawl for hunger spill,

(þat es bot it be led with lare)

No wonder if þai both mis-fare! Page 1449

25292

And if þe sawl haue gude preching,

25293

And þan þe fless folow in al thing,

þan sall þai both on domesday,

Be broght to blis þat lastes ay.

25296

Þe fift asking es faire to bere*. [Et dimitte no|bis debita nos|tra sicut et nos dimittimus]

When we pray on þis manere,

"Fader, forgif vs dettes ours,

Als we forgif till oure dettours."

25300

Of god in heuyn we ask þis bone,

And es þus forto be vndone:

Fader oure sins forgiff vs to

Right als we vntill oþer do

25304

þat ogains vs oght has done; [folio 74b:2]

Sinn bannes þam self þa sais þis bone.

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]

25308

For when þou prayes to god þat he

Right so þi sins forgif to þe,

Als þou forgiffes vntill anoþer,

25311

And haldes wreth þan with þi broþer,

Any þat trewly cristend es

And namly þat askes forgifnes,

25314

Vnto þi-self þan askes þou wrake,

And prayes þat god it on þe take.

For þus sais crist in his godspell,

"With slike met als ȝe till oþer sell,

25318

With slike mesure sal ȝe be met,"

When ilka man sall haue his dett.

Sen god forgifes noght vs oure syn

Bot if we forgiff all man-kyn,

How may he ask forgifnes þan,

þat forgifs noght anoþer man?

25324

Forgif till oþer most we nede,

If we onence oure self will spede;

Or els ogains oure self we pray

When we oure pater noster say. Page 1451

25328

And man, if þi sawl be swa seke

25329

þat þou nonegate þi mode may meke,

Better es þe þan to say it noght

Bot haue þis entent in þi thoght,

þe whilk þat I sall schew þe here;

þat es to say on þis manere,

25334

"Oure fader of heuyn to þe I pray,

Thre persons and a god verray,

If we thurgh frelnes of oure fless

May gif till oþer no forgifnes,

25338

Als we suld do if we did right,

Thurgh þi grace þou grante vs might

So to forgif oþer þaire sin

þat we may þi forgifnes win;

25342

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]

And of man-kinde to luf þe state

þat we may wikked werkes hate,

25346

And so vntill all oþer at do

Als þou has techid vs vnto;

To will þat lay in gude life be

And end in luf and charite,

And to amend þam if we may,

Or be of more power þan þai,

And if we may noght mend þaire care,

Haue sorow in hert of þaire misfare."

And if we do þus þan we may

Oure pater noster trewly say.

*. [Et ne nos inducas in tenta|tionem]þe sex bone es ful nedeful thing, [folio 75a:1]

25357

"Fader lede vs in no fanding,"

þat es on þis maner to mene,

"Oure fader of heuyn, þou kepe vs clene,

And lat vs neuer be fanded swa

25361

þat we feld doun with oure fa.

We sall noght pray to god þat he

Help þat we noght fanded be, Page 1453

For ilka man þat here lifes right

Has fele fandinges both day and night,

25366

And he þat victori may gete

Sall be corond wirschippes grete.

Fals fanders here haue thrin

þat alway fandes vs with syn,

25370

þe werld with welth, oure fless with will,

þe fende es euer eggand to ill;

þarfore we pray oure fader dere

25373

To lede vs in no fanding here,

Bot grante vs grace þam to ouercum,

þat we may won þi kingdom.

þis es þe seuynd and þe last asking,*. [Sed libera nos a malo]

25377

"Deliuer vs fader fro all ill thing,"

And forþi þat we may finde

Sere euils laid bifor man-kinde

25380

Whilk by our self we may noght fle,

In þis bone þar-fore pray we,

þat god vs schilde fro euils all

þat in aiþer life may fall,

25384

þat es, þe body fro harmes here,

And þe sawl fro syns sere.

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]

Now haue I sayd þir askinges seuyn

25389

þat helpes vs to þe blis of heuyn,

Whilk seuyn vertuse vntill vs wins,

And als fordose seuyn dedly sins,

25392

And bringes vs till seuyn bliscedehedes

þat es in heuyn to haue sere medes.

"Amen," þat menes "so mot it be"*. [Amen]

Of all þat we haue asked þe;

. . . . .

25397

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]Page 1455

25400

Oure blisced fader þou it fulfill,

And schild vs euer fro alkins ill.

25402

AMEN.

Page 1527

[folio 67a:1] Here will I tell a schort tretice

made of þe seuyn dedly vice;

and for pride es þe formastsin,

at him to speke I will bigyn.

men may find þare er thre thinges

þe whilk pride riueliest of springes.

Of werldes hap, of grace of kinde,

als men may in sere bukes finde;

Pride es a lust, withowten legh,

27556

þat ever his awin state wald hegh;

and raise it up als men may se,

riueliest in thinges thre,

27559

For werldes hap, als clath or fode,

Hows, or rent, or oþer gude,

Erthly honowre, or priorte,

27562

Welth, or lordschip, or pouste;

Grace or vertuse, or gude fame,

Grete wirschip, or worthi name;

For steuin swete, for redy tong,

27566

For ladis luf, or maydens ȝong,

For kind, for craft, or for gentrise,

For fairhed, or for wit of prise.

27569

And oft it falles þat sum man es

Bycumen prowd for halines,

And lates lightly of all þa

27572

þat he wate er noght halden swa;

Of þam we suld noghtly late

For of þaire gude werkes noght we wate,

If þai do ill think euer inlike;

27576

All if þai seme vntill vs slike;

þai haue in þam sum hid bounte

þat more & better þan owres may be;

And we may se als on þis wise

27580

þe standand fall, þe falland rise, Page 1529

þarfore vs aw to be dredand

27582

For to fall we now stand;

All þat er fallen aw vs to rayse,

And oure self of sins to layse.

Pride it es, if a man wend

27586

His gudes war noght of grace him send,

And wenis in his hert þat it

Be cumen all of his awin wit

Or for his wisdome wenes wele,

27590

þat him es granted all his sele;

Prid es it when þou reses þe oght

Of thing þou has, or has it noght.

Or if þou rose by morn or none

27594

þe thing þat þou byfore has done.

Also of pride cumes vaynglori, [folio 67a:2]

þat es to be of rose redy;

Ane ipocrite, so forto seme

27598

Withowten a doghty man to deme,

And within es no thing swa;

Men may find ful many of þa.

27601

. . . . .

. . . . .*. [no gap in the MS.]

Of pride als cumes discord and strif,

þat es when owþer man or wife

27605

Of þaire trispas will noght be knawen,

Ne prais no mans dedes bot þaire awin.

Of pride als cumes trauers and threte,

Hething, threpe, and athes grete,

sum prowd men think no better glew

þan ilkaday find athes new;

27611

Wonder it es how þe erth beres

þam þat so vgly athes sweres,

27613

For þai forsake noght crist allane,

Bot missais him, both blude and bane.

Of pride cumes als vnbowsumnes,

Whareof grete strif ful oft sene es. Page 1531

Of pride it cums oure faith to file,

Or forto hald þe pouer vile.

27619

Of pride cumes fanding and foly,

And namly syn of lichery;

And many vnnayt oþer thing,

Als sang of trofils or lesing.

27623

Al men aght pride to forsake,

For he wald no man war his make;

þarfore sais Isyder of þis syn:—

"If þou be gentill man of kin;

27627

If þou be riche, or body gent,

Thank god þat þe swilk grace has lent;

If þou be faire þou think alswa

27630

þat all þir pointes sone passes þou fra;

If þou be bowsom and curtayse,

þan at þe first ertou to prayse.

27633

þe angell þat was faire and bright,

And in heuin bare þe name of light;

When he wex proud he might noght dwell,

Bot out of heuyn he fell to hell,

And al his vglines he toke

27638

Of sin of pride," als sais þe buke;

For thing that files es more vile*. [[This looks like a loan from the "Pricke of Conscience," ll. 2348-2355.]]

þan es þe thing þat it may file.

27641

þan may we se sin es fowler

þan any deuil in hell by fer,

þan fro sin aw vs to fle,

27644

Faster þan fro þe fende to se.

þou man þat in erth I say [folio 67b:1]

And wers þan a lump of clay,

27647

With pride how suld þou þeder win,

Whare angels fell fro, for þat sin.

Ogaines þis sin es medcyn gude,

27650

Forto be meke and milde of mode,

And knaw oure self in alkins thing

Onence bigining and ending; Page 1533

27653

God len vs slike knawing to haue,

þat we to him þe sawl may saue.

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