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

Hic vocantur omnes ad Judicium [[In later hand]]

Þan sal be herd þe blast of bem, [Nota] Þe demster sal com to dem Line 22712 Þat al þing of standes awe; In quatkin forme i sal yov sc[ha]we. We trow and al aw for to trow,— Bot it be sarezin or iow,— Line 22716 Þat eftir his resurrectioun, Þe hei dai of þassensioun, Com iesu til his frendes swete Þat set war to þair met at ette, Line 22720 And þai þat war in dred and dout, Þar-of wit trow he broht þaim out, And siþen op til heuin he stehe, Mani man onstand and sehe. Line 22724 His discipils for þis siht, Mikel he did þair hert to liht, A clud again him sau þai liht Line 22727 And bar him vp, was wonder briht; Verrai man and god verrai, Line 22729 [[Hic nota quod in forma qua ascendit veniet Judicare cum cruce; marginal note in later hand.]] Al for to deme on domesdai. Þat ilke forme com sal he þar, Þat he in erþe is croice bar, Line 22732 Sua sal he com bot witte wel þan, Þat sin þe werd first bigan Was neuir sen sa sorful tid, Als þat dai sal be for to bide. Line 22736 Quen com first his com to kiþe, Wit mekenes he gan it kiþe, Þat com baþe dern and hide [folio 3a:1] And no bit thone men to kide. Line 22740 His oþir coming sal he schaw Richli til al þis verd to knaw, Baþe heuin and erþe for him sal dred, Als ye fowit hauis herd me red. Line 22744 It es na clerk mai writ wit ink, Na mouþe to mel, ne hert to þink, Þe hunderet and þe þousand knihtes Sal folu þat lauerd mikel of mihtes, Wit him to com al to þis dai, Line 22749 Allas quat sal þe sinful sai. Vngainand sal be þan his gamin Quen he to brinne sal se al samin, Baþe land and liþe and al þinges, Þat ani werdische hald withinges. Sorful bes þan þe sinful cher, Line 22755 Quen al þan sal þa trompes her; Bifor þe face of þat kaiser Angels sal his baner ber, Þat es þe rod he was on sprid, Line 22759 Þat wit vs to liue hauis led, Ouircomin þe fend wald al forfar, Es na baner he dredis mar. Line 22762

Line 22762 Was neuer sunne schinand sa clere Þe tend part, als tat baner! Line 22764 Þe b[ri]htnes of þat croice sa schen, Ouir al þe werd it sal be sene. Þus heilik, bot wel heiliker, Sal com to dem þe demster. Line 22768 At dom he ne sal noht sitte allan, Bot felawis oþer mani an; Al þa þat þaim-self sua bowed Þat werdes worschip al for-howid, Siluer and gold and ais o lif, Line 22773 And þat þair fleis for him strif, And trauaild þaim on al wis To paien him in his seruis, And foluis lellik al his laues; Line 22777 Þir men sal be his felawes [folio 3a:2] For to dem baþe ded and quik, Queþer þai be god ouþer wik. Al þat sal be at þat asise, Al hal þaimself sal vprise Line 22782 In bodi and sauel, al on new wis, Al þoru þe strenket of þat iustis. Þat ilk fleis þat we haf now, We sal ber þan sa sal we trow, Line 22786 And oþer nan we writen find; Þat oþer trowes, of trowþe er blind, Of þis trowþe hard es trowþe to find. For qui it semis al again kind Line 22790 Þat mannis molden fleis and banis, Fra tim þat þai be rotin anis Haf piþe and lif, als þai hauid ar, It semis swa þat neuir mar. Line 22794 Herkin qui, I sal þe red, Bot mistrun þat es na ned, Quen god wil swa, þat vpberis al, Þat mannis fles to mold to fal, Line 22798 Nan miht he noht wit his main, Þat ilk erþe mak fles ogain? Line 22800 He þat it wroht fordos þe fles, He makes it eft quen his wil es; He þat dos fles worþe into lame, Of lam mai fleis wirk [[? MS. faint here]] likam; A bodi he mai son mak of noht, Þat al þis werd wroht o noht; Line 22806 Forþi es schortli noht þat he Ne mai his wil al do to be. Na duht riht na man in þis ded, For trouþe sal do man best to sped, Qua dutis he es bar þe mar, Line 22811 Of trouþe allan it es þis lar. Al mai he do he þat al waldes, If þou wil wit of þare eldes, Þat tai sal in þat dai vpris, Line 22815 Saint Pauel on þis vis,— Þa litel and mikel ald and yong, At þat mikel vprising Sal be of eld, als tai sul her, [folio 3b:1] Haf deyed in eld of xxx yer, Line 22820 Þat eld þat crist hauid at his dede Quen he vs broht al fra vr quede. And if þat ani her liuand Line 22823 Was wemmid ouþir on fot or hand, On heuid, on bak, on brest, or side, Als we se chancis oft bitide, On mouþe or nes or elquare, Line 22827 Or bote apon his bodi bare, Cripil, crokil, or turned on baft, Or limis ma gain kindeli craft, Line 22830 Þoru ma or lesse of lim haf last,— At þe norising þat sal be last. Al þat God hauis chosin till his For to be broht in til his blis, Line 22834

Line 22834 Quat sum þai in þis lif haf ben, Line 22835 Na sal na wem on þaim be sen, Na sal naþing bot al fairhed, Als we in hali scripture red. Al sal haf riht limes þar Line 22839 Þai ah haf, ne les ne mar. Bot tak tent quat I sai to þe, Of þair stature quat it suld be, Al of þair eld of þaim ik mele, Line 22843 Þat crist tas for his awen lele. Þar oþer sal haf faired nan, Of al welþe sal taim be wan, Of þaim it es to tel na tale Line 22847 Þat brewed witouten bote es bale. Þe childer þat er abortiuis, Þat es, þat er noht born on liuis, Sal rise in xxx winter elde, Line 22851 To litel bote to þaim or belde. For þai ne war noht baptiste i wis, Na sal tai haf na part of blis, Line 22854 Þir mikel maisters sais þat tai Mai saved be on nankin wai. Line 22856 Þe men þat þoru þair awen gilt Line 22859 Wit heuedind draht or hanging spilt, Þoru þair feloun and þair sine, [folio 3b:2] Wit hondis mast parti etine. Line 22862 Mani wenis þat er vnwis Þat tat fles hal suld neuir ris, Nou I sal te resun rede, Line 22865 And oute of mistrouning you lede; Wit ye wel it es na rihtt For to mistroun in godes miht; Line 22868 Quat [man] mai wet, quat man mai ler, Quat eye mai se, quat er mai her? Quat man in erþe mai þink in þoht? Hou al þis werd our lauerd wroht, Heuin and erþe al in þair haldes! Þat mihti god þat al waldes, Line 22874 Qua can sai me hou of a sede He dos a hunderet for to bred? Þoru his wil dos þat mihti kinge Out of hard tre to spring Line 22878 First þe lef and þan þe flowr, And siþin þe froit wit his sauour, Ilk fruit in his sesoun. Ach we þar-of to sek reson Line 22882 Hou he dos al þing to nait, Certes þat war bot surfait; Þe mar man swink him þar aboutin Fra sped þe ferre he sal ben outin; A saumpil sal I schaw þar bie [Exemplum] Þat I fand of saint gregorie. Line 22888 Þar he was in a sted sumquar, A crafti clerk and wis of lar And askid him an questioun Of an of wolf and a liun, Line 22892 And of þe þrid þat was a man, Quar of þe tal he þus bigan;— "A man welk þoru a wod his wai, Þar ner þe strete a wolf him lay, Þis wolf it was wnmisur of met, Al þis mannis fles he ete. Line 22898 Alle swiþe he swa hauid don A hungir lion mett he son, Vp and doun his prai secand; [folio 4a:1] Quen he na noþir best ne fand Line 22902 Þis wolf he felled and ette him alle, Ne left he naþer gret ne smalle. Þe lion eftir deyed in hii, Dede þar gan his caroin lie, And þar was rotin al to noht. Quar sal now þis man be soht? Line 22908

Line 22908 For i ne mai trow on nankin wis Þat þis man mai to lif upris, Line 22910 Sin nan es als i wen þat kan, Tuine þat erþe þat com of man Fra erþe þat es bred of best." Saint gregor gaf answer honest, Line 22914 And of þat man þat was in were Þe soþe he schawid him al cler, And prouid him wit quik resun, Þat at þis resurrecciun, Line 22918 Wit al his lims hal and fere Sal com bifor þe demester. For þou his bodi war al brint, And blawen al þe pouder tint, Line 22922 Yet mai god gadir it al agayn And newin it at his wille ogain; Al þe fleis þat was of man Soþefast sal be raised þan, Line 22926 It sal be delt in litil wefe, Þat was of best al sal bilefe. Þat baþe þe tan and toþir made, Wel bituix þaim þan he scahade, Sua halli sal tai risin þar, Line 22931 Þaim sal noht want an hefdis har, Ne noht a nail of fot or hand. Þohqueþir we sal wnderstand, Line 22934 Þat nail and har þat hauis ben schorn Bes noht al quar þai war biforn; Bot als potter wit pottes dos Quen his new vessel fordos, Line 22938 He castis it al in a bal Line 22941 A bettir for to mak wit al, [folio 4a:2] Of noht he lokes quilk was quilk, Bot makes anoþir of þat ilk Wel fairer þan þe first was wroht; Riht sua sal crist, ne dout þou noht. He þat es lauerd on erþe and heuin Mai of þat ilk seluin euin Line 22948 Þat first was molten into lam, Mak a wel fairer likham, And if þarof wanted mar or les, To mesur als his willes es. Line 22952 On paske dai sais saintis sume, Þat þe dai of dom sal come, Þat dai he wald himself ris He wald vs rais on þat wis; Line 22956 He sal dem at midward þe niht, Þat ilk tim he send his mihit, Vntil Egipte þat folk to quelle, Þat ilke time he herid helle. Line 22960 Þat ilke time sal com þat king, His lele vntil his blis to bring. Þe sted of dom quar al sal meet, Vs telles Ioel þe prophete, Line 22964 A[n]d þoru his mouþe vs said drihtin, Quen I sal haf merci of min, Sal brek þair bandes and þair lace, I sal taim comfort and solase, Line 22968 In vale o iosephat I sall Do to be gadired ledis all, Þar sal I you mi dom of ded;" Bot mani man þar þai can red, Line 22972 War noht þis word I forwit quaþe, Quat takenes vale of iosephat, Omang a hunderet men of wan Ne vndirstandes it noht an. Þai wen þat our lauerd driht Line 22977 Sal com vnto þat dal to liht, Þat iosephat es cald ai quare, Wenis þe dom it sal be þare, Vnder þe munt of olivete, Als it es nevind of prophete; Line 22982

Line 22982 Þai tent allan bot to þe letter, [folio 4b:1] And litel es taim þarfor þe bettere. Iosephat qua giuis entent, Line 22985 Bitakenis godis iugement, Ieromie sais of þat prophecie, Þat iosephat mai signifie Line 22988 Vr lauerd dome qua rihti spelles, Þat beris þe word and naþing ellis. Bot qua wil wite þe soþe and riht Doun to þe cloudes þat er on hiht, In þe air of loft he sal him schaw, To don his mihtes for to knaw, Line 22996 Þar sal we met wit him to lend, For euer-mar wit-outen end. Þe wikid þat dred noht his aw, Her doun þai sal be demed law, Line 23000 Þai sal haf na miht vp to win, Sa heui carkeded of þair sin; Vp in þe schi þe dom sal be, Sua trowes hali kyrk and we. Line 23004 Bot es na man sa wis can telle Hou lang at dom þat crist sal duelle, Bot þuprising witouten hon, Ful swiþe Iwis it sal be don, Line 23008 Baþe sal rise in a litel weie, Al þat war ded and þat sal deie, Saint austin says inent þat dai Es nan can godis consail sai. Line 23012 Of dom men clepis it þe dai, Queþir þar be ma þan an or nai, Vnder name of dai man sal, Undirstand þe tim þat al Line 23016 Sal be demd at þat dom sa strang, Queþir-sum it last schort quil or lang. Þai þat sal dey braþeli þat tide, To bete sal tai na space abide, Line 23020 Bot þai þat hauis bot sinnes liht Sal clengid be al for þe siht. Line 23022 Þe fend sal to þat dom be led, For þai for him sal be sa red, He sal haf dom swa laþe to be, [folio 4b:2] Þat santis þar on him sal se, Baþe þai dredin sal and grow, Line 23027 Na þis na þar na man mistrw, Þat þan in s[i]nnis liht war tan, And penance þarof don hafs nan. For penance sal haf nan oþer pine, Bot þat dred of þat wiþerwin, Line 23032 Þat drednes sal be sa vnmete, Line 23035 Þat it mai al suilk plihtes bete, Þat fundin er in dedeli sine, Þai wend to pine witouten blin. At þis dom þat es fowit melt, Sal al led in iiij be delt, Line 23040 Þe god in tuin on his riht hand, Þe wik in tuin on his lef hand; Þe formast raw sal stand him ner, Als þat es his dowhti der, Line 23044 Þat al þis werdis werkes forsok, And arlik to god þaim tok. Þat sinne and sak for him forhuid, And bodi and saul til him bued; Went vnto religioun, Line 23049 And did þair bodis in prison, And swinkid baþe dai and niht, For to serue vr lauerd driht. Gret lauerdschip sal þir be lent, Line 23053 For qui þai sal of nan be dempt, Al þe hali men sal com Wit our lauerd vnto þat dom, Noht to be dempt, þou sal wit, Bot in þar setis for to site, Line 23058

Line 23058 Felauschip vr lauerd to ber, Line 23059 Baþe als iustis and demster. Iesu crist es lau[er]d i wis, Sin he þis couenand hiht til his. Þe toþir raw biside sal ben, Sal be ful loueli on to sen, Line 23064 Þat sal ben of god cristin led, Þat did in þis lif mani god ded. Þat þouh riches hauid enoh, [folio 5a:1] Þarfor þai til na riches droh, Line 23068 Bot swilk als tai hauid in catel Þai did to pouer for to del, And gaf þair hert for luf of med Þe nedi for to claþe and fede; Line 23072 And willi war to don, and glad, Þat men of hali kirk þaim bad; And did wel her þair mis to mend, Treuli trowand at þair end. Line 23076 Swilk man þat taim sa bar her, Of dom bot god þaim sal noht her, Ful liht sal be þair lot þat dai, To þaim ful swetli sal he sai, Line 23080 "Y bliced folk, baþe men and wiuis, Þat me war seruand in yor liuis, In mi greuance ye did me god, I was hungri, ye gaf me fod; Line 23084 Me þirsted sar, drink ye me broht; Prisond I was, and ye me soht; Quen I in sekenes was sar, Ye com to comfort mi kar; Line 23088 Of nakidhed quen I drow harme, Ye gaf me cleþing þat was warme; Quen I was wil and out of rest, Godli tok ye me to rest. For ye haf serued me sa wel, To med ye sal haf lastand sel, Line 23094 Þe sel þat ye sal haf to winne, Line 23095 For euir sal ye leng þarinne." Þan sal þir felauschipes twa Led lastand lif for euir and a. Þat iesu crist mot bring vs to! For in þis werd nis bot vnro, Line 23100 Ful wel es him þat won mai þar, Þat kiþe was neuir cuþe to kar. Þar sal stand on his left side, Wrichis stad in waful wide, Line 23104 And of þaim sal men se alswa Þair parti to be delt in twa. Laþe and st[i]nkand sal tai be, [folio 5a:2] Sari sorful on to se, Line 23108 Þe first range þe mast stinkand, Sal be of wriches mistrouand; Þat renaid als traitur and fals, Murþerers and mansworn als, Line 23112 Þat þoru corsing or oþer pliht, Of kirk as tint þe help wit riht. Fra comun out cristin men Þa carful sal eþe be to ken, Line 23116 Þat in þis lif war won to lie In hordom and in licherie, Foluand al þair fleis wil, And mast þaim liked dedis ille Line 23120 Witouten reuþe or wil to mend; Unscriuin war þai at þair end, Bot deied in sin of dedeli dede, Þir to dem sal be na nede, For þai war ar þai com þar, Line 23125 Þair dom apon þaimself bar. Þe toþir range bes il Inoh, Of cristin fals and ful o woh, Þat mas taim cristin men wit nam, And vnder seruis godis gram. Line 23130

Line 23130 Falslik es he cristin cald, Line 23131 Þat cristis lawis wil noht hald, Fals it es þat lufe to knaw, Þat nauthir þat wil for luf ne au Do þat suld be him to quem, Line 23135 Quar-wit man miht himseluin yem. Bot in pride and tricheri, In niþe and enest and licheri, And in vntelland sinnis felle, Line 23139 Þe hunderet parte es noht to mel, Þat man riht now his lif in ledis, Sa dugid in þair wik dedis. On ilka sid þan gadir þai, Line 23143 Bot litel beres þe pouer awai, Þai es sa gned þat tai ne mai spar, For to gif þaim les ne mar. Line 23146 Þe couaitis, for soþe to telle, [folio 5b:1] Hauis mani sauil browht til helle, Bisweld it hauis þis werd at weld, Vnneþis sal man find an in eld Line 23150 Þat wel wil scrif him of þis sak Ne for na consail mendis tak. Wit ye forsoþe al þat are schilke Þai sal be demd al wit the wike, To mikel soru and site to þaim, Line 23155 Þat al þis werd þaim mai noht raim. Wit mikel wret and awful cher, Vr lauerd sal sai þat þai mai her, "Do fles hethin, ye malediht! Line 23159 Vnto mi rik haf ye na riht, Oft I was wit malis met, Bot for yow ne was neuir þe bet; In hungir oft saw ye me, Line 23163 Þar of ne hauid ye na pite. Gas to þe deuil, þar sal ye ga, For to wel wit in him wa, Line 23166 Euir wit-ine his wa to welle, Line 23167 Wit him and his þat ar in helle." A! lauerd, wat he war wis þat moht Stedfast hald þis dai in þoht! Line 23176 To forgied þat tai neuir mar To-quilis þat he liuand war. For þan mund he mak her his wai, Fra wak to wer him of þat dai; Line 23180 Fra þat dai forþe þu ahe to mine, Sal neuir fra bodi sauil tuin, For god and ille togidirs ar, Þai wrohtin ar þai twinned war. Line 23184 Togiders sal tai tak alswa, Þair worþi med in wel or wa, Auþir heuin or hel pin, Wit satanas þat wiþirwin, Line 23188 Þe fra þe iugement be mad Sal castin be, witoutin bad, In a stinkand stank of fire; Þar sal be yoldin him his hire, Line 23192 Als sais þe boke of priuete [folio 5b:2] Þat to saint Ion was scawid to se.