X.

[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.]