[Sidenote: She was only two years old when she died,
and could do nothing to please God. She might be a countess
or some great lady but not a queen.]
That cortayse is to fre of dede,
Ȝyf hyt be soth þat þ{o}u coneȝ saye,
Þ{o}u lyfed not two ȝer i{n} oure þede,
Þ{o}u cowþeȝ neu{er} god nauþ{er} plese ne pray, 484
Ne neu{er} nawþer pater ne crede,
& quen mad on þe fyrst day!
I may not traw, so god me spede,
Þat god wolde wryþe so wrange away; 488
Of cou{n}tes damysel, par ma fay,
Wer fayr i{n} heuen to halde asstate
Aþ{er} elleȝ a lady of lasse aray,
Bot a quene, hit is to dere a date.” 492
[Sidenote: The maiden informs her father that there is no limit
to God’s power. The parable of the labourers in the vineyard.]
“Þer is no date of hys god-nesse,”
Þen sayde to me þat worþy wyȝte,
“For al is trawþe þat he con dresse,
& he may do no þynk bot ryȝt, 496
As mathew meleȝ i{n} yo{ur} messe,
I{n} sothfol gospel of god al-myȝt
I{n} sample he can ful grayþely gesse,
& lykneȝ hit to heuen lyȝte.” 500
“My regne, he saytȝ, is lyk on hyȝt,
To a lorde þat hade a uyne I wate,
Of tyme of ȝere þe terme watȝ tyȝt,
To labor vyne watȝ dere þe date, 504
[Sidenote: [Fol. 46a.]]
[Sidenote: The lord of the vineyard hires workmen for a penny a
day. At noon the lord hires other men standing idle in the
market place.]
Þat date of ȝere wel knawe þys hyne;
Þe lorde ful erly vp he ros,
To hyre werkmen to hys vyne,
& fyndeȝ þ{er} su{m}me to hys porpos, 508
Into acorde þay con de-clyne,
For a pené on a day & forth þay gotȝ,
Wryþen & worchen & don gret pyne,
Keruen & caggen & man hit clos; 512
Aboute vnder, þe lorde to marked totȝ
& ydel men stande he fyndeȝ þer-ate,
“Why stande ȝe ydel” he sayde to þos,
Ne knawe ȝe of þis day no date? 516
[Sidenote: He commands them to go into his vineyard, and he will
give them what is right.]
“Er date of daye hider arn we won{n}e,”
So watȝ al samen her answar soȝt;
“We haf standen her syn ros þe su{n}ne,
& no mo{n} byddeȝ v{us} do, ryȝt noȝt.” 520
“Gos i{n}-to my vyne, dotȝ þat ȝe co{n}ne.”
So sayde þe lorde & made hit toȝt.
“What resonabele hyre be naȝt be ru{n}ne,
I yow pray i{n} dede & þoȝte.” 524
Þay wente i{n} to þe vyne & wroȝte,
& al day þe lorde þ{us} ȝede his gate,
& nw men to hys vyne he broȝte;
Wel neȝ wyl day watȝ passed date, 528
[Sidenote: At an hour before the sun went down the lord sees
other men standing idle. Tells them to go into the vineyard.]
At þe day of date of euen-songe,
On oure byfore þe so{n}ne go dou{n}
He seȝ þer ydel men ful stronge
& sa[y]de to hem[17] w{i}t{h} sobre sou{n}; 532
“Wy stonde ȝe ydel þise dayeȝ longe.”
Þay sayden her hyre watȝ nawhere bou{n}.
“Gotȝ to my vyne ȝemen ȝonge
& wyrkeȝ & dotȝ þ{a}t at ȝe mou{n}.” 536
Sone þe worlde by-com wel brou{n},
Þe su{n}ne watȝ doun &[18] hit wex late;
To take her hyre he mad su{m}ou{n};
Þe day watȝ al apassed date. 540
[Sidenote 17: MS. _hen_.]
[Sidenote 18: MS. & &.]
[Headnote: THE PAYMENT OF THE LABOURERS.]