Dominica in Septuagesima. Evangelium secundum Matheum.1 Simile est regnum celorum homini patrifamilias. Et cetera.2
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250 255 260 265 270 275 280 285 290 295 300 305 310 315 320 325 330 335 340 345 350 355 360 365 370 375 380 385 390 395 400 405 410 415 420 425 430	Lythis all I sall yow tell What Mathewe sais in this Gospell. Criste spak, he sais of hevene rike To his folowars, and made it lyke Till a husband that areli yede Till hyre werkmen to do his dede. He hyrid men for a penye o the daye And bad thaim grubbe fast for thaire laye In his vyneyard, and thai did so. And aboute undrone he hyrid mo, And bad thaim wirk eftir thaire might, And he suld give thaim that ware right. About myddaie and aboute none Sawe he werkmen stand and hone, And all forouten graythe forward. Sent he thaim till his vyneyard, And eftir none he yode and fand Tome werkmen in strete standand; And to thir werkmen sone he come And askid thaim whi thai stode tome. Thai said, “We stand tome all daie For naman will us to werk laie." This husband till his werk thaim sende, And when that daye was broght till ende, His sergeaunte sone till him he callid, That his godes had in walde; And bad he suld his werkmen call And penye hyre give to thaim all; And bad he suld at thaim begynne That last come thair hyre to wynne. This sergeaunde did his lorde will And callid thir werkmen him untill, And gave thaim first penye to laye That last come of all that daye. And to the first last hyre he gave;3 And mare began thai for to crave, And said, “All daie have we wroght fast, And othir werkmen that come now last Takis for thair werk als mikil laye, Als we that wroght all this daye In heete, and in paynes strange All the daye that es so lange." This husband herd thaire menynge, And answerd att thaire allir askinge, And to ane was thaim ymange He saide, “Frende, I do thee na wrange. Ne hyred I thee noght todaye For a penye to thi laye? Thou take thi hyre and ga in blisse, For I do thee na wrange ne misse. Have I noght leve to do my will Of that thinge that fallis me till? For als mikil will I give him That come to wirk the last tyme Als I will give to thee iwisse. Therof me think I do no misse. Thof I be gode, what scathis thee? It thayres thee noght if I be fre." When Criste had this ensawmpil said, A gude resoune thareto he laide: He saide thus sall som men be last That first was in this werlde rotefast; And som that last in this werld was born Sall come to hevene thaim beforn That first in this werld was borne to be. And be this resoune maye we se That Cristen men that laste come Sall be first on the Daye of Dome, Before the Jewis for to take Thaire mede that nevermare sall slake. For Cristen men come wele lattere Than the Jewes, forthi sais Criste here: Thai that ware first sall be laste, When he sall deme bathe leste and maste. Bot a worde es in oure Gospell That burde wele oure pride fell, Als I sall tell yow now sone When oure Gospell es all done.    The gude prechore, Saynte Gregorie Unduse this Gospell full doghtili: And first betaknes he full evene Be this husband, the Fadir of Hevene. And be this vyneyard will he mene The folk of Hali Kirk bedene. For Hali Kirk es vyneyarde callid, That fruyte forthe bringes manyfalde, When it to God thaire saules sendes That here in Goddes servys endes. God sent into this Hali Kirk His werkemen areli to wirk, When he sent prophetes for to schawe His worde to the folk of the Alde Lawe. And about undrone sent he ma When he bad his apostles ga In the werld, Cristen lawe to kenne Bothe to Jewes and to haythen menne. And sithen aboute middaye and none Gert this husband his dede be done; For he sent many gode clerk Into this yarde to do his werk, When he sente Austyne and Bernarde And Gregore into his vyneyarde. Thai ripid the rote of Hali Writte, And to Cristen folk undid it; When thai kende us what boke wald saye, In gude vyneyard grubbid thaie. Of scorffe thai clensid Hali Buke To thaime that on thaire werke wald luke. Yitt eftir non er werkmen sende, To preche and mennes lyves to mende. For now er prechors sent to preche And all men the rightwaie to hevene to teche. Now se ye wele how he gon sende His werkmen mannes life to mende Areli aboute undrone dayes, Als Criste in oure Gospell sayes. Aboute none and myddaye also, Se ye how God geres prechurs go Mannes sawle wele to tylle With worde, and bringe his folk him tyll; And yitt geres he eftir none With gode prechurs his dede be done. Be morne tyde may ye wele se The tyme fra Adam to Noe And undrone tyde betaknes the tyme Betwix Abraham and hyme. And be myddaie betakned es The tyme fra Abraham to Moyses, And fra Moyses to Kynge Davye Als tellis us Saynte Gregorye. And be the nonetyde he schewis us The tyme fra David to Jesus. For than come tyme that Goddis worde Sulde fede man at Goddis borde. Bot a worde in oure Gospell is That touchis many man iwisse; That es thare oure forsaide husbande The last werkmen all tome fande, And askid whi thai stode tome all daie. And thai saide, “Na man walde us laye." Als who saye: noman come us to, To saye us what that we suld do. For nouther prechure ne prophete Kende us oure synnes for to lete Right so may now thir Sarzines saie, For na man techis thaim the waie How thai sall wende to heven blisse — Forthi me think the pape duse misse, That will noght send prechours thaim to To fande if thaire worde might oght do. On Domisdaye with mare resoune Maye thai have mare excusacioune, Than we that heris wele in sermoune How we thareto sall make us boune. Forthi sall synfull caytives That in Cristen lawe here lyves, And will noghte bete thaire synnes here, In hell pyne be wele deppere Than Sarzynes — for Cristen men knawes All Goddes will thorghe prechoure sawes; Bot Sarzynes heres na man tell Nouthir of hevene ne of hell. Forthi be we on Domisdaye Wele mare blamid for synne than thai. Forthi rede I that we do Als this prechurs saise us unto; And stand we noght here all daye tome, Bot think we of the Daie of Dome When God sall yelde us for oure dedes Outher hevene or hell till oure medes. If we in Goddis vyneyard wirk, Be we noght sone of Goddes werk yrk; For he that wirkes wele to the ende, He maye be sikir to blisse to wende. Thof man lede all his life in synne, And he will in his elde blynne, God es aye full redye To have of him full gode mercye. That may we se in oure Gospell Thare ye herd of that husband tell That all the tymes of the daye Was redi werkmen for to laye; This ilk daye whareof I mene Betaknes all oure lyfe bedene. For ilka daye hase tymes sere, So hase oure life in the werld here. For pryme betaknes oure barnehede, When we begynne oure life to lede; And undirstand full wele we maye Oure yowthede be undrone of the daie; For than waxes the sonne full hate, And we begynne in youthe to bate. For kyndeli it geres us schewe Wantonhede and als unthewe. And myddaie full graytheli schawes Oure myddil elde that to ende us drawes. And eftir mydday comes none And eftir myddes elde wax we sone Stabil men, for than we drawe To fode and eese, and waxes slawe Als men att none drawes to sete Thare thai maye eeseli sitt at the mete. Bot ovrenone betaknes right Oure laste elde when us wantis might. For than begynnes the sonne to helde, And so do we in oure laste elde, For than we bowe als hevye lede, And drawes fast toward oure dede. Now se ye wele all oure lyve Es betakned be oures fyve Be pryme, undrone, myddaie, and none, And ovrenone that passis sone. Sithen all this life es bot a daie, Agayne the life that lastis aye, Than rede I we oure lyfe amende With penaunce or oure lyves ende. For God es of so grete suffraunce That he abydes oure penaunce Fra daie to daie, fra tyde to tyme; And biddis us come and wirk with hyme, And hightis us a peny to oure laye: That es the joye that lastis aye. For a penye es rounde and hase nane ende Swa es the blisse where we sall lende If we be lymes of Hali Kirk And Goddes will therin will wirk. And in oure Gospell may we se That yof we all oure life be Ydile, and we will att oure ende With penaunce fight agaynes the fende, Redi es God at that last tyme To hyre us for to wirk with hyme, And gife to us that rounde penye, If we do his werke lely. Man aght to witte that ydilnes Full mikil agayne the saule es. Forthi if we sitte tome at pryme, God will us hyre att undrone tyme; That es to saie if we wende wede And lye in synne in oure barnhede, In youthe he callis us him to To fande if we his dede will do. And if we serve noght than oure laie Yitt will he hyre us att middaye, That es to saye att oure myddil elde, If we will to his will than helde. And thof we than forworthin be Att none gladdli hyre us will he; That es to saye in stabilnes Will he call us in rightwisnes. And thofe we stand ydil that tyme, He callis us eftir none to hyme, That es to saye in oure last elde, If we forsake werldes belde, And torne us than to his servyse And wirk wele eftir his avyse. Now se ye wele that Cristen man Att the dede when tyme of werk is gan Assoyne agayne God may last nane If he in dedelye synne be tane. For God has given him gude abade, Bot all his tyme he ovir slade In ydilnes, for wald he noght Wirk for his saule that Criste boght. Forthi maye he that Criste noght wyte Thof he make him of heven qwite; For he drave God lange to hethinge Whyles God abade lange his tornynge, And lokid aie when and when he walde Come to him and with him halde; Bot when he wald noght come him to With right behovid God with him do Als with man that his lorde forsakes, And of his lorde his enemy makes. Forthi es gude we do penaunce And ovresitt noght Goddis suffraunce. To do penaunce than es to late When the wayne es atte gate. This wayne the dede I may wele call That beres awaie oure mightis all. Yitt will I of that grucchynge tell That Criste schewid in oure Gospell Thare he sais werkmen hyre takand, Grucchid to this forsayde husbande,4 That he gave thaim als mikil that come last Als thaim that all daie grubbid fast. The gude clerk Saynte Gregorye Saise that tha men that come arely Betaknes folk of the Alde Lawe, That tholid many a hard thrawe To gete that joye that lastis aye. And before Cristen men come thaie, And forthi thai dwellid lange, When thai ware dede in prisone strange. And now rightwise men that dyes, To blisse withouten dwellinge flyes, And takes als mikil blisse als thai That come before thaim many a daie. Forthi thai that before thaime come May think apon the Daie o Dome, That thai ware worthi to take mare mede For thaire werk and thaire lange dede Than thai that come late and dyed, And na payne eftir thaire dede thare dryed. For in the Alde Lawe was nane So rightwise ne so hali begane, That thai ne dwellid in prisoune, When thai ware dede als kinges feloune;5 Aye to Criste gave thaire rawnsoune, And boght thaim with his passyoune. And forthi es that lange dwellinge In oure Gospell callid grucchinge; For gruche burd thaim full sare, For of all blisse ware thai bare. And forthi the Jewis in dede Was first and sall be last in mede. Forthi er thai on the Daie of Dome Betaknid be thaim that first come To thaire werke, and toke na mare laie Than thai that laste come on the daie. And thus es Cristis wordes sothefaste Thare he sais: the first men sall be last For Jewis come first to thaire dede, Bot Cristen men bese first in mede. And so sall first men be last, Bot wickid men bese aye outecast For parte of hevene gete thai nane With God, ne yitte with Cristen mane. Bot the laste worde of oure Gospell Burd make all men full ferde of hell: That Criste saide many men er callde To hevene, bot chosin thynne falde. Many er callid bot fewe er chosen, For mikel Cristen folk bese losen. For Criste callid us to do his werk When we atte fontestane toke his merk. His merk beres ilk a Cristen man That Cristendome hase on him tane. Bot als ye herd me langare tell Mikil deppare bese he in hell If he be Cristen man untrewe Than a Sarzyne that Criste never knewe. Forthi thof we to Criste be calld, Be we noght therof to balde; For we may noght witte here whether we Be chosin in his blisse to be. For he sayse many menne er callde Bot foue for chosen men er talde. And be this a worde maye we se That here maye na man sikir be: Bot doute God and on him crye For we er all in his mercye. We wote that we to Criste er callde, Bot foue for chosen men er talde Ymange the blissid folk that he Hase chosen in his blsse to be. Tharefore aye the unsikerere That we erre of his chesinge here, The bettir yeme than buse us take That we noght fall in dedeli sake; And be aie radde als foule on twiste For God duse with us als him list. For we may se many man beginne Full wele, and sithen ende in synne; And so did Salamon the wyse That endid noght in Goddes servyse. And the whethir beganne he wele And endid in schame and unsele, For wymmen gert him God forsake And to mawmetes wirschipe make.    Als we find writen of ane hermite That lived lange withouten wyte. He servid God in rightwisnes, And als he woned in wyldirnes, Sathanas full oftsythe Agayne him gon his maystrie kythe. He come to him in knave liknes, And haylsid him with myldenes. And sayde, “Thi modir and thi frendes Hidir to thee now me sendes, And wele thee gretes and prayes thee That thow will come to thaim with me, To luke to thi fadir thinge That he thee left att his endinge. For whyles he lived yern prayed he That thow his sectoure suld be." “That daye," he sayde, “thi fadir dyed." Bot that foule fende falsli lyed. Thir wordes saide the Devyl of hell To bringe this ermyte oute of his cell. This ermite wende that all sothe ware That this messanger talde him thare, And hamwarde with him gon he wende, Bot he wist noght it was the fende. When he come hame his fadir he fande In stallworthe state and wele lyvande; And sone when he his fadir sawe, Oute of his sight was his felawe. And his fadir full fayre him callde; Than to his fadir all he talde, How the fende gert him come hame, And therof thoght him than grete schame. Bot werldes welthe full sone him gert Putte sorowe and schame oute of his hert. For swa lange in his fadir howse Was he that he thoght wife to spouse. He toke him wife als wight unwise, And dyed in the devyles servyse. Be this tale that I have talde Maye we se, thof we be callde To religyoune, noghtforthie Maye we noght witte witirlye, Whethir we er chosin in blisse to be. Als we maie be this hermite se, For he was callid bot never chosene, For his dedes gert him be losene. Forthi unsiker er we aye Whether we be chosen or than naye, Therfore the Mekere behoves us be, And praye oure Lorde Criste that he Have of us his grete pité And late us of his chosen be. For he says many men er calde Bot thai er chosin thin falde. Thow swete Jhesu that us boght We praye thee that thou tyne us noght Bot bringe us, Lorde, unto that blisse That to thi chosen graythid is That we maye thare in joye endeles Looue thee als Lorde that us chees Amen, amen, all we saye, For thare es endeles gamen and playe. Amen.	Listen the heavenly kingdom overseer; early went hire; work on told; dig; wages midmorning according to their strength what midafternoon loiter without a ready contract sought (went); found Idle at once idly no one; put goods; control penny wages begin with those earn to for wages more; desire worked hard as much wages complaining And responded to the request of all of them one [who] wages offense permission belongs to me as much certainly If; harms hurts; generous explanation firmly established before those Who were born first (see note) Judgment Day reward; diminish later judge one ought well; destroy Explicates; skillfully designates; directly all together plentifully end [their lives] (see note) early reveal (see note) midmorning; more make known heathen then vineyard Augustine brought to maturity the essence dross; (see note) In the evening; workmen are sent (t-note) amend Early; midmorning of the day makes cultivate in the evening time; (see note) Noah midmorning him [Noah] (see note) table one where idle hire neither Showed us how; cease Saracens pope; does wrong; (see note) find out; anything Judgment Day claim to forgiveness obedient wretches atone for pain; deeper words advise idly grant; (t-note) Either; rewards work discouraged certain; go; (t-note) Although If; old age cease always hire same as a whole every; different; (see note) As sunrise; childhood youth; by; midmorning sun; hot; (see note) quarrel by nature it causes also bad habits readily middle age afternoon middle age become Stable; are drawn comfort; become slow are inclined to sit down Where; comfortably; dinner evening; (t-note) we lack strength incline bend; lead death hours Since Compared to advise before patience waits for age to age tells us [to] promises; wages (see note) dwell limbs (see note) although; (t-note) Idle; if loyally know midmorning mad childhood find out do not work for our wages incline though; enfeebled afternoon in trustworthiness happiness judgment death No excuse may avail against God taken long time slid over would blame shut out from heaven long held God up to scorn awaited; turn looked always [to the moment] when remain Justly God had to do with him who forsakes his lord disobey; will (see note) cart death powers grumbling (see note) those who came last as much (see note) early old suffered many hard pains forever strong waiting a greater reward death; suffered under the Old Law endowed with holiness Forever until waiting For well might they grumble deprived death reward wages true are share (see note) Ought to; fearful small numbers (see note) lost baptismal font has taken upon himself earlier deeper is know few; accounted; (t-note) one certain fear know (t-note) less certain are; choosing heed; behooves us to take sin fearful as a bird on a branch; (see note) it pleases him (t-note) nevertheless unhappiness caused idols (see note) blame dwelled oftentimes began; power; show; (t-note) the likeness of a servant greeted see to; affairs executor; (see note) thought; true went healthy (t-note) marry unwise creature; (t-note) (t-note) know certainly (see note) lost not forget prepared praise; chose