The water is likned to the world . that wanyeth and wexeth; The goodes of this grounde arn like . to the grete wawes, That as wyndes and wedres . walketh aboute; The boot is likned to oure body . that brotel[33] is of kynde, That thorough the fend and the flesshe . and the frele worlde Synneth the sadde man . a day seven sithes. Ac[34] dedly synne doth he noght, . for Do-wel hym kepeth; And that is Charite the champion, . chief help ayein Synne; For he strengtheth men to stonde, . and steereth mannes soule, And though the body bowe . as boot dooth in the watre, Ay is thi soul saaf, . but if thou wole thiselve Do a deedly synne, . and drenche so thi soule, God wole suffre wel thi sleuthe[35] . if thiself liketh. For he yaf thee a yeres-gyve,[36] . to yeme[37] wel thiselve, And that is wit and free-wil, . to every wight a porcion, To fleynge foweles, . to fisshes and to beastes: Ac man hath moost thereof, . and moost is to blame, But if he werch wel therwith, . as Do-wel hym techeth." "I have no kynde knowyng,"[38] quod I, . "to conceyven alle your wordes: Ac if I may lyve and loke, . I shall go lerne bettre." "I bikenne thee Christ,"[39] quod he, . "that on cros deyde!" And I seide "the same . save you fro myschaunce, And gyve you grace on this grounde . goode men to worthe!"[40] And thus I wente wide wher . walkyng myn one,[41] By a wilderness, . and by a wodes side: Blisse of the briddes.[42] . Broughte me a-slepe, And under a lynde upon a launde[43] . lened I a stounde[44], To lythe the layes . the lovely foweles made, Murthe of hire mowthes . made me ther to slepe; The merveillouseste metels[45] . mette me[46] thanne That ever dremed wight . in worlde, as I wene. A muche man, as me thoughte . and like to myselve, Cam and called me . by my kynde name. "What artow," quod I tho, . "that thow my name knowest." "That woost wel," quod he, . "and no wight bettre." "Woot I what thou art?" . "Thought," seide he thanne; "I have sued[47] thee this seven yeer, . seye[48] thou me no rather."[49] "Artow Thought," quod I thoo, . "thow koudest me wisse, Where that Do-wel dwelleth, . and do me that to knowe." "Do-wel and Do-bet, . and Do-best the thridde," quod he, "Arn thre fair vertues, . and ben noght fer to fynde. Who so is trewe of his tunge, . and of his two handes, And thorugh his labour or thorugh his land, . his liflode wynneth,[50] And is trusty of his tailende, . taketh but his owene, And is noght dronklewe[51] ne dedeynous,[52] . Do-wel hym folweth. Do-bet dooth ryght thus; . ac he dooth much more; He is as lowe as a lomb, . and lovelich of speche, And helpeth alle men . after that hem nedeth. The bagges and the bigirdles, . he hath to-broke hem alle That the Erl Avarous . heeld and hise heires. And thus with Mammonaes moneie . he hath maad hym frendes, And is ronne to religion, . and hath rendred the Bible, And precheth to the peple .