[Sidenote: [Fol. 46b.]]
[Sidenote: As soon as the sun was gone down the “reeve” was told
to pay the workmen. To give each a penny. The first began to
complain.]
The date of þe daye þe lorde con knaw,
Called to þe reue “lede pay þe meyny,
Gyf hem þe hyre þat I hem owe,
& fyrre, þat non me may repreue, 544
Set hem alle vpon a rawe,
& gyf vchon i{n}-lyche a peny.
Bygyn at þe laste þat sta{n}deȝ lowe,
Tyl to þe fyrste þat þ{o}u atteny;” 548
& þe{n}ne þe fyrst by-go{n}ne to pleny
& sayden þat þay hade trauayled sore,
Þese bot an [h]oure hem con streny,
V{us} þy{n}k v{us} oȝe to take more. 552
[Sidenote: Having borne the heat of the day he thinks that he
deserves more. The lord tells him that he agreed only to give
him a penny.]
More haf we serued v{us} þy{n}k so,
Þat suffred han þe dayeȝ hete,
Þe{n}n þyse þat wroȝt[e] not houreȝ two,
& þ{o}u dotȝ hem v{us} to cou{n}terfete. 556
Þe{n}ne sayde þe lorde to on of þo,
“Frende no wrang[19] I wyl þe ȝete,
Take þat is þyn owne & go;
& I hyred þe for a peny a grete, 560
Quy bygy{n}neȝ þ{o}u now to þrete;
Watȝ not a pené þy couenau{n}t þore?
Fyrre þe{n} couenau{n}de is noȝt to plete,
Wy schalte þou þe{n}ne ask more? 564
[Sidenote 19: MS. _wanig_.]
[Headnote: THE APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE.]
[Sidenote: The last shall be first, and the first last.
The maiden applies the parable to herself.]
More weþ{er} louyly is me my gyfte
To do wyth myn quat so me lykeȝ?
Oþ{er} elleȝ þyn yȝe to lyþ{er} is lyfte,
For I am goude & no{n} by-swykeȝ.” 568
“Þ{us} schal I,” q{uod} kryste, “hit skyfte,
Þe laste schal be þe fyrst þat strykeȝ,
& þe fyrst þe laste, be he neu{er} so swyft,
For mony ben calle[d] þaȝ fewe be mykeȝ.” 572
Þ{us} pore men her part ay pykeȝ,
Þaȝ þay com late & lyttel wore,
& þaȝ her sweng wyth lyttel at-slykeȝ,
Þe merci of god is much þe more. 576
[Sidenote: [Fol. 47a.]]
[Sidenote: She came to the vine in eventide, and yet received
more than others who had lived longer.]
“More haf I of ioye & blysse here-i{n}ne,
Of ladyschyp gret & lyueȝ blom,
Þen alle þe wyȝeȝ i{n} þe worlde myȝt wy{n}ne
By þe way of ryȝt to aske dome. 580
Wheþer wel nygh[t] now I con bygy{n}ne,
In euentyde in-to þe vyne I come,
Fyrst of my hyre my lorde con my{n}ne,
I watȝ payed anon of al & sum; 584
Ȝet oþ{er} þer werne þ{a}t toke more tom,
Þat swange & swat for long ȝore,
Þat ȝet of hyre no þynk þay nom,
Parau{n}t{er} noȝt schal to ȝere more.” 588
[Sidenote: The father says that his daughter’s tale is
unreasonable.]
Then more I meled & sayde apert,
“Me þynk þy tale vnresou{n}able,
Goddeȝ ryȝt is redy & eu{er} more rert,[20]
Oþ{er} holy wryt is bot a fable; 592
I{n} sauter is sayd a verce ouerte
Þat spekeȝ a poy{n}t determynable,
‘Þ{o}u quyteȝ vchon as hys desserte,
Þ{o}u hyȝe ky{n}g ay p{re}termynable,’[21] 596
Now he þat stod þe long day stable,
& þ{o}u to payment com hym byfore,
Þe{n}ne þe lasse i{n} werke to take more able,
& eu{er} þe lenger þe lasse þe more.” 600
[Sidenote 20: _ert_ (?).]
[Sidenote 21: MS. p{er}termynable.]
[Headnote: GOD IS NO NIGGARD.]