[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