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

[Glutony and Drunkenness.]

Glotony and dronkinhede, ful mani branches out þai sprede, þai stonay men þat er ful strang Line 27878 And lettes þam both to speke and gang, Also þai stroy a mans insight, And merres him of all his might; For be a man neuer so wise in dede, And he be tane in dronkinhede, Line 27883 All his wittes ful wele we wate, Er turned into ful simple state; It mase oft kounsail to be talde, And mase meschefes ful many falde, It mase a man oft fole-hardy Line 27888 Bod forto speke and do foly; Whare he by reson sold be rad, So es his minde mased and mad. . . . . . . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] He semys þan in his mis-fare Line 27894 Noght like þe man þat he was are;

And sertes alkins euill þat es Line 27896 Riuely cums of drinkynnes, For all þinges þat suld festin wit, Dronkinnes destroyes it. And men may find ful rely Line 27900 Fowrkins maners of glotony, Ane es byfortyme forto ette, Anoþer to sit ouerlang at mete, Þe thrid to ȝern metes dayntyuely, [folio 68b:2] þe firth to ette ouer gredyly. Line 27905 Ogayns þe first ilk man þat may Suld ett his mete in time of day, Nowþer lang byfore, ne efter past, And namely when him auto fast, And noght ouer arly to mete at gang, Ne forto sit þarat ouer lang; Line 27911 For als gude war men to ett twise Als noght two oures fro mete at rise. Ogaines þis sin es medcyn gude, Abstinence fro flesly fode, Line 27915 And also to fast fro all syn þat glotony may ger begin, And mesurely oure fless to fede, þat we it in no folis lede, Line 27919 Bot seson it with sobirte; God grante vs grace it so may be.