<County: Staffordshire>
<Code: L0036>
<MS reference: Cambridge, Trinity College 383 (R.3.8)>
<Text: Cursor Mundi>



<Tranche 1>

<fol. 2va>For comune folk of engelonde
Shulde þe bettur hit vndirstonde
þt speche þt moost vs may spede
Moost to speke hit were greet nede
Selden hit is for any chaunce
Englisshe tunge preched in fraunce
3yue we vche lond his langage
þenne do we noon outrage
To lewed men englisshe J spelle
þt vndirstondeþ what J con telle
And to hem speke J alþer moost
þt ledeþ her lyues in pride & boost
And spenden her lyues in trewandise
And my3te amenden in mony wise
wo shal+hem be her lif so spende
þt fynde þerof no fruyt at þe ende
Now of þis prolouge wol we blynne
Jn cristis nome oure book bigynne
Cours of þis world men shul hit calle
For almest hit reherseþ alle
Take we oure bigynnyng þan
At him þt al þis world bi-gan
Hereþ now of þe triniite dere
And of þe makyng of þis world here

Alle men owe þt lord to drede
þt made mon to haue mede
þt euer was & euer shal be
wiþouten ende in trinite
he þt lorde boþe god and mon
Al maner þing of him bigan
þou3e he bigan al oþere þing
him-self hadde neuer bigynnyng
Of him coom al in him is al
Al holdeþ he vp fro doun fal
he holdeþ heuen & erþe studfaste
wiþouten ende may no þing laste
þis lord þt is so mychel of my3te
Purueide al in-to his si3t
And þt he ord[e]yned wiþ his witt
he multepli<gap>ed & gouerneþ hit
<fol. 2vb>þerfore he is þe trinite
þt is o god & persones þre
And if þu wenest hit may not be
Biholde þe sonne þenne maistou se
Jn þe sonne þt shyneþ clere
Js o þing & þre sere
A body rounde hoot & li3t
þese þre we fynde at a si3t
þese þingis þre wiþ noon art
Mow not fro oþere be depart
For if þu take þe li3t awey
þe erþe haþ no sunne perfey
And if þe heete awey be goon
Sonne for-soþe hastou noon
But vche maner man wel wote
þe kynde of sonne is to be hote
þe sonnes body þt J neuene
Bitokeneþ þe fadir god of heuen
And bi þe li3t þt lastyng is
hit is þe son kyng of blis
And bi þe hete vndirstonde hit so
þe holy goost comeþ of hem two
And fadir is he calde for-þi
For he is welle þt neuer is dry
And ouer þis him-self wrou3t
Alle þingis whenne þei were nou3t
his son is wisdom þt alle þinge wate
For al þe world he halt in state
Alle þinges he halt fro mysfare
þt þei not turne <gap> to sorwe & care
þe holy <gap> goost is þe godhede
þt 3yueþ lyf to alle we rede
þis lord þt J bifore of seide
Firste in his witt he al purueide
his werkes he doþ as sotil wri3t
And siþen he reiseþ hit in si3t
For-þi is god as seiþ scripture
Noon elder þen is creature
Elder of tyme is not he
But elles more in dignite
<fol. 3ra>þis wri3te þt J speke of here
Js prince ouer alle wiþouten pere
For oþere wri3tes mot tymber take
But he him-self con tymber make
For of him-self he toke þe euene
þt he made wiþ boþe erþe & heuene
But we shul vndirstonde
þt he wrou3t not al werke wiþ his honde
But seide wiþ worde & also soone
Al his biddyng hit was done
Smartliere þan 3e may wynke
Or any mannes herte may þinke
And as clerkes say þt are wise
he wrou3te hit not bi partise
But he þt made alle þing of nou3t
Al þe world to-gider he wrou3t
To be set in lengþe & brede
þe matere furst þerof J rede
þat is þe elamentis to say
þt firste shaples to-gidur lay
he dalt hem ful in sex dayes
Jn parties as þe scripture sayes
þe elementes firste in dayes þre
þre þingis wiþynne hem þer be
þe elementis þt al þing byndes
Foure þer ben as clerkes fyndes
þe lowest hit is watir and erþe
þe þridde is eyr & fuyr þe ferþe
And we seye þt he þus bigan
As austyn seiþ þat holy man
As we in his bokis fynde
Furste he wrou3te aungel kynde
þe world & tyme þese þingis þre
Bifore al oþere þing made he
þe world J calle in myne ententis
þe matere of foure elementis
þt 3itt was þenne of forme vnshapen
wherof siþ was parties taken
Al shaples was hit not for-þy
For hit of shap had sum party
<fol. 3rb>But þerfore shaples hit was how
For hit had not as hit haþ now
he wrou3te vpon þe oþere day
þe firmament þat is to say
The sky wiþ sterres grete & smale
wiþ watir shynynge as cristale
þt is on he3e & þat is vndir
Jn þis he souned al to wondir
þe þridde day god dud bi grace
þe wattres drawe in-to a place
And bad a drye place shulde be
þe wattres alle he calde þe see
þe drye he calde erþe þat kyng
And bad hit grifyng fruyt forþ bryng
Al þing to be waxinge þere
And in hem-self her seed to bere
þe ferþe he bad & was done
Boþe were made sonne & mone
Eiþer wiþ his dyuerse li3t
To parte þe day fro þe ny3t
Jn tokenynge of tides to stonde
Dayes & 3eres boþe dwellonde
And þe sterres grete & smale
þt we may se wiþouten tale
Jn þe he3est element of alle
þer-ynne fuyr haþ his stalle
þe fyueþe day he failed nou3t
Of watir foule & fisshe he wrou3t
þe fisshe to watir as we fynde
þe foules he toke to þe wynde
Alle goynge beestis þe sixte day
And adam als he made of clay
he was last made as lordyng
To be maistir ouer al þing
Jn a dale he wrou3te Adame
þt Ebron hett in ebrew name
þese sixe dayes he wrou3t his wille
þe seuenþe of werke he helde him stille
he vs 3af Ensanple þore
þt we shulde holde hit euermore
<fol. 3va>Þe firste werke as 3e herde neuen
God wrou3te þe aungels of heuen
And set hem in his he3e pales
wiþouten pride to ben in pees
For þis paleis was so riche
As my3ty kyng noon oþere liche
he ordeyned hym two creatures
To serue him þere wiþ honures
þt shulde a hool noumbre be
Mony a þousonde to telle & se
þe whiche tale no weye shulde be more
And nedeful bihoued hit wore
þis noumbrary he ordeyned þon
Shulde be boþe of aungel & mon
For he wolde be þt kyng of craft
worsheped wiþ two maner shaft
þe ton wiþ aungel þt is goostly
And als wiþ mannes body
Of aungels wolde he serued be
þt ordres shulde haue þries þre
he chees to him þt lorde hende
þt man þe ordre shulde be tende
But þe aungels he wrou3t formast
Ouer alle he made her pouste past
þei were boþe faire & wyse
Somme of lasse summe of more prise
he 3af oon moost to knowe & fele
Jf þt he couþe haue borun him wele
And sett him beste in his halle
As prynce & sire of oþere alle
And for he was so wondir li3t
Lucifer to name he hi3t
And whenne he hadde perceyued þis
þt he was ouer alle oþere in blis
Allas caitif he knew nou3t
þt god him-seluen had him wrou3t
Ful sorweful sawe he þt tyde
A3eynes god he toke a pride
Li3tly he lette of al his fere
To god hym-self wolde he be pere
<fol. 3vb>Not pere alone but mychel more
For vndir him he wolde alle wore
And he him-self her commaundour
who herde euer of suche traitour~
þt he þt not hadde but of him
A3eyn his lord shulde wexe so grym
he seide sett my sete J shal
A3eynes him þt is best of al
Jn þe norþ syde shal sitte my sete
Seruise of me shal he noon gete
why shulde J him seruyse 3elde
J shal be at myn owne welde
But he was marred of his wille
Ful+soone he fonde hit ful grille
For lenger þen he þou3te þt pride
Jn heuen my3te he not abide
For in þt court þt is so clene
No fulþe may dwelle ne be sene
Seynt Michael for her aller ri3t
Ros a3eyn him to fi3t
A3eyn him 3af he batail grym
Out of þt court cast he him
Lucifer furste doun he+brou3t
And siþ þt wiþ him helde ou3t
And scoured þt court of hem so clene
þt siþ her stude was þere not sene
þis was þe fend þt formest felle
For his pride from heuen to helle
For þenne his name chaunged was
Fro lucifer to Sathanas
Fro ful he3e he fel lawe
þt of his lorde wolde stonde noon awe
wiþouten coueryng of his sore
For mercy geteþ he neuer more
For god oweþ not 3if him mercy
þt þer-aftir wolde not cry
And þus he lost þt he3e tour
þere was he not fully an hour
For soone aftir þt he was made
he fel wiþouten lenger abade

<Tranche 2>

<fol. 5va>Boþe þei be on o party
To ouercom man wiþ tricchery
þe wily fende him helde on he3e
him geyned nou3t com Adam ne3e
Namely in his owne shap
To spede he hoped haue no hap
þerfore a messangere he sende
Bi whom best to spede he wende
þenne he chees a litil beest
whiche is not vnwiliest
þe neddre þt is of suche a shaft
Moost of queyntise & of craft
Queyntly tau3te he him þe gynne
At þe wif to bigynne
And þour3e þe wif to wynne þe man
þenne goþ þis neddre & not blan
Jn þis slou3e Sathan þenne was
wondir is he entred in þt plas
But of his suffraunce he him lete
þt best wist how þt bale to bete
For mon he made þt he mou3t
Synne or leue as him good þou3t
And bi skil of his owne dede
Shulde be merked þenne his mede
To bowe & lyue Wiþouten ende
Or elles to de3e & to wo wende
How adam brak goddus commaundement
wherfore kynde of mon was shent

Adam wandride in þt wele
Jn mychel myrþe ioye & hele
whenne adam was fro eue a-þrawe
þe nedder ne3e to hir gon drawe
And seide wommon telle mi whi
þt 3e eten not al comynly
Jn paradis of euer-vche tre
She seide certis so now do we
Of alle trees but of one
þt is out-taken to vs allone
Oure lord in forbode haþ hit laide
wost þu þe why ; nay she saide
<fol. 5vb>But she seide if we com þer ny3e
On double deeþ shul we dy3e
þis o tre shulde him-seluen haue
And alle þe oþere to vs he 3aue
And trowes þu þt hit so be
As he 3ou seide ; She seide 3e
Nay seide he wiþ greet tresoun
But þerynne liþ suche resoun
But for he wolde not 3e were
Paringal to him nor pere
þe soþe fro 3ou wol J not hide
he wot wel þt what tyme or tide
þt 3e had eten of þat tre
As goddes shulde 3e boþe be
To knowe boþe good & ille
3e shulde be lordis at 3oure wille
Of hit 3e ete so rede J 3ow
And 3e shul fynde hit for 3oure prow
þis hetynge was þt tyme ful mykel
But his was ful fals & fikel
Sone so she þis fruit bi-helde
She 3erned hit to haue in welde
She let not for drede nor blame
But toke & ete & 3af Adame
what bote is longe þis tale to drawe
þei eet hit boþe in litil þrawe
Al for nou3te þei eet hit boþe
wherfore oure lord god was wroþe
For þt ilke appels bit
her sones teeþ eggen 3it
And so shul do til domes-day
here a3eyn may no man say
whonne eiþer say oþere naked
For shame þei stode boþe & quaked
þenne þei say þt bare þei were
Jn welþe & ioye þt were clad+ere
þei hiled hem J telle hit þe
wiþ leues of a fige tre
whenne þe fend þus had hem nomen
wel he wende haue god ouercomen
<fol. 6ra>And seide wiþinne his sory þou3t
J haue made him worche for nou3t
his heuen shal he haue his one
Of Adam part geteþ he none
To bringe into þat heritage
þt J haue lost bi myn vtrage
he li3ed fals þeof for-why
3itt had god of Adam mercy
þt he were lost god wolde nou3t
For he wiþ tricchery was sou3t
þe fend was wel more to blame
þt so falsly giled Adame
God wist þe fend had Adam blent
3itt wolde he not þt he were shent
But þou3e he wolde 3yue Adam grace
Furst shulde he bie dere þt trespace
Of þe astate þe world was Jnne
Aftir tyme of Adames synne

Als faste as þei had don þt synne
Oure wo bigan to bigynne
Al maner blis fro hem was went
For þei brak þt commaundement
Soone bigan he vengeaunce kiþe
As lord þt first was meke & bliþe
Al bigan to stire & strif
A3eyn adam & eue his wif
Bitwene hem-self roos strif also
þe strenger beest þe weyker dud slo
vchone of oþere to make his pray
As we may se now vche day
Fro þt tyme furst coom deþ to man
And þt tyme al oure wo bigan
þese wrongis þt ben of euel wrake
þere bigynnynge dud þei take
Synne & sake shame & strif
þt now ouer al þe world is rif
Mercy lord strong wickedhede
Made Adam do so foul a dede
him-self had lost & al his kyn
But oure lord had raunsonde him
<fol. 6rb>On suche a wise as he had þou3t
Bifore ar he þe world wrou3t
But þt was not done al for nede
But þour3e his owne nobel-hede
For if he had wolde he my3te man
wel bettur haue made þen he was þan
wiþ flesshe þerfore he coom in place
And hilled þis world of his grace
his grace hit was & noon oþere
þt he wolde bicom oure broþere
wiþ þe fend þerfore he fau3t
And wiþ his fadir he made vs sau3t
¶ Leue we now of þis spelle
Of oure story furþere to telle
whenne Adam say he had mysdone
he went to hide him als sone
he wende to hide him among þe trees
Fro his si3te þat al sees
Al for nou3t him hud Adame
Oure lord him called bi his name
lord he seide whenne J þe herde
For J saw þt J mys-ferde
J & my wif went vs to hide
Shame vs þou3te þe to abide
For oure bodyes al bare were
Adam he seide so tolde J þe ere
J þe tolde mest & leest
what hit was to breke my heest
But now is þis appul eten
And my biddynge is for3eten
And þt þu hast þus don þis mis
þi-seluen is to wite J-wis
lorde he seide of þis gult here
Js she to wite þt is my fere
þt þu me 3af my wif to be
For principaly she bed hit me
She bede hit me wiþouten blynne
She haþ me fuyled wiþ her synne
Al þis may she not 3eyn-sey
She owe to bere þe gilt awey
<fol. 6va>Jhesu seide to hir a-noon
whi dudest þu þis dede wommon
She seide þe worm me drou3e þer-tille
þt J haue doue a3eyn þi wille
To þt worm of wraþþe & wrake
Oure lord þenne þus he spake
þu worm þu shalt acursed be
More þen any oþere beest to se
For on þi wombe þu shalt slide
More þen any oþere beest in tyde
Fro þis day forþ shal hate be
For-soþe bitwene wommon & þe
Erþe shal be þi mete for nede
Bitwene þin & wommonnes sede
wommon to stynge awayte þu shal
And þin heed to breke 3it she shal
þou3e þu in hete euer wolde be sted
Jn colde shal euer be þi bed
And þu wommon for þis dere
Jn sorwe shal þu þi children bere
þu shal+be slayun wiþ double dede
harde hit is for to rede
þou shal be vndir mannes hest
To hem be buxom meest & leest
þu shalt haue euer þi heed hud
þi shame shal not be vnkud
And 3itt þt þu now hast mys-goon
hit shal be bet bi a wommon
Of synneles mon made J þe
Jn wommon shal 3it my wonyng be
But hit shal not 3itt be so ne3e
To couer my loos furst mot J hy3e
¶ And þu man þt hast vndirtaken
þi wyues rede & myn forsaken
No þing shal þou þerwiþ wynne
þe world is cursed of þi synne
Jn erþe shal þou swete & swynke
wynne þt þu shalt ete & drynke
Alle þe dayes of þyn elde
Breres & þornes hit shal þe 3elde
<fol. 6vb>þerof shal þou ete gresses sere
þu shal bye þi breed ful dere
Til þu turne a3eyn in quake
To þt erþe þu were of take
For þu art now but pouder pleyn
To pouder shal þu turne a3eyn
he turned þenne his wyues name
And Eue fro þenne hir calde Adame
Eue she hett fro þat day
þt modir of mony is to say
God made hem þenne curteles of hide
þerwiþ her flesshe for to shride
Lo he seide Adam how
likeþ þe þis dede now
J made euel & good to 3ou knowen
But 3e were sone ouer-þrowen
3e trespassed at þe tre of lif
þerfore 3e ben in woo & strif
he put hem out of þt plas
Jnto þe world þere þei made was
Adam dere hit shal be bou3t
Til hit be bet þt þu hast wrou3t
Take þi wyf in þi honde
Leue 3e shul þis lufsome londe
Jnto þe wrecched world to be
þi lif shal þinke longe to þe
Longe peyne þere shal þu dre3e
And siþen on doubel deþ to de3e
3e shul be flemed fro my face
Til þt J 3ou sende my grace
þe oile of mercy 3e mot abide
J hete to sende hit 3ou sum tide
Alas seide Adam wo is me
þt J trowed not lord to þe
lorde my lif is me ful looþ
þt J euer made þe wrooþ
J woot but þe J haue no frende
Telle me ar J fro þe wende
what maner & wiþ what þing
May J gete þi sau3telyng