[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.] XI. [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_.]