"That courtesy rewards no deed If all be true that thou dost say;
Our life not two years didst thou lead
Nor learned to please God, nor to pray,
No Paternoster knew nor ,
And made a queen on the first day!
I may not think, so God me speed!
That God from right would away;
As a countess, damsel, by my fay!
To live in heaven were a fair ,
Or like a lady of less array,
But a queen! Ah, no! it is too soon."
"With Him there is no soon nor late,"
Replied to me that wight;
"True always is His high ;
He doth no evil, day nor night.
Hear Matthew in the mass ,
In the Gospel of the God of might,
His the state
Of the Kingdom of Heaven, clear as light:
'My servants,' saith He, 'I
As a lord who will his vineyard ;
The season of the year is right,
And labourers must be hired soon.'"
"Right soon the hirelings all may see
How the master with the dawn arose;
To hire his labourers went he,
And workmen and strong he chose.
For a penny a day they all agree,
............