[Sidenote: In heaven, the maiden says, each man is paid alike.
God is no niggard. The grace of God is sufficient for all.]
“Of more & lasse in godeȝ ryche,”
Þat gentyl sayde “lys no Ioparde,
For þer is vch mon payed inliche,
Wheþer lyttel oþ{er} much be hys rewarde, 604
For þe gentyl cheuentayn is no chyche,
Queþ{er}-so-eu{er} he dele nesch oþ{er} harde,
He laueȝ hys gyfteȝ[22] as wat{er} of dyche,
Oþ{er} goteȝ of golf þat neu{er} charde; 608
Hys frau{n}chyse is large þ{a}t eu{er} dard,
To hy{m} þat matȝ i{n} sy{n}ne no scogh{e}[23]
No blysse betȝ fro hem reparde,
For þe grace of god is gret I-nogh{e}. 612
[Sidenote 22: MS. _gysteȝ_.]
[Sidenote 23: In the MS. it looks like _rescoghe_.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 47b.]]
[Sidenote: Those who live long on the earth often forfeit heaven
by sinning.]
Bot now þ{o}u moteȝ me for to mate
Þat I my peny haf wrang tan here,
Þ{o}u sayȝ þat I þat com to late,
Am not worþy so gret lere. 616
Where wysteȝ þ{o}u eu{er} any bourne abate
Euer so holy i{n} hys prayere,
Þat he ne forfeted by su{m}kyn gate,
Þe mede su{m}-tyme of heueneȝ clere; 620
& ay þe ofter, þe alder þay were,
Þay laften ryȝt & wroȝten wogh{e}
Mercy & g{ra}ce moste hem þe{n} stere,
For þe g{ra}ce of god is gret i{n}-noȝe. 624
[Sidenote: Innocents are saved by baptism. Why should not
God allow their labour.]
Bot i{n}-nogh{e} of grace hatȝ i{n}nocent,
As sone as þay arn borne by lyne
I{n} þe water of babtem þay dyssente,
Þ{en} arne þay boroȝt i{n}-to þe vyne, 628
Anon þe day w{i}t{h} derk endente,
Þe myȝt of deth dotȝ to en-clyne
Þat wroȝt neuer wrang er þe{n}ne þay wente;
Þe gentyle lorde þe{n}ne payeȝ hys hyne, 632
Þay dyden hys heste, þay wern þere-ine,
Why schulde he not her labo{ur} alow,
Ȝy[rd] & pay hem[24] at þe fyrst fyne
For þe grace of god is gret i{n}-nogh{e}? 636
[Sidenote 24: MS. _hym_.]
[Headnote: PARADISE WAS LOST THROUGH AN APPLE.]
[Sidenote: Our first father lost heaven by eating an apple.
And all are damned for the sin of Adam. But there came one
who paid the penalty of our sins.]
Inoȝe is knawen þ{a}t man-kyn grete,
Fyrste watȝ wroȝt to blysse parfyt;
Oure forme-fader hit con forfete,
Þurȝ an apple þat he vpon con byte; 640
Al wer we dampned for þat mete,
To dyȝe i{n} doel out of delyt,
& syþen wende to helle hete,
Þ{er}-i{n}ne to won w{i}t{h}-oute respyt; 644
Bot þer on com a bote as-tyt.
Ryche blod ran on rode so rogh{e},
& wy{n}ne [&] wat{er}, þe{n} at þat plyt
Þe g{ra}ce of god wex gret i{n}-nogh{e}. 648
[Sidenote: [Fol. 48a.]]
[Sidenote: The water that came from the pierced side of Christ
was baptism.]
Innogh{e} þer wax out[25] of þat welle,
Blod & wat{er} of brode wou{n}de;
Þe blod v{us} boȝt fro bale of helle,
& delyu{er}ed v{us} of þe deth secou{n}de; 652
Þe water is baptem þe soþe to telle;
Þat folȝed þe glayue so gry{m}ly grou{n}de,
Þat wascheȝ away þe gylteȝ felle,
Þat adam wyth i{n}ne deth v{us} drou{n}de. 656
Now is þ{er} noȝt i{n} þe worlde rou{n}de
Bytwene v{us} & blysse bot þat he w{i}t{h}-droȝ
& þat is restored i{n} sely stou{n}de,
& þe grace of god is gret i{n}-nogh. 660
[Sidenote 25: MS. _out out_.]