The bagges and the bigirdles, he hath to-broke them all, That the earl avarous helde and his heires, And thus to mammons many he hath made him friends, And is run to religion, and hath rend'red[24] the Bible And preached to the people Saint Paule's wordes, _Libenter suffertis insipientes, cum sitis ipsi sapientes_. * * * * * And suffereth the unwise with you for to live, And with glad will doth he good, for so God you hoteth.[25] Dobest is above both, and beareth a bishop's cross Is hooked on that one end to halye[26] men from hell; A pike is on the potent[27] to pull down the wicked That waiten any wickedness, Dowell to tene;[28] And Dowell and Dobet amongst them have ordained To crown one to be king, to rule them boeth, That if Dowell and Dobet are against Dobest, Then shall the king come, and cast them in irons, And but if Dobest bid for them, they be there for ever. Thus Dowell and Dobet, and Dobeste the third, Crowned one to be king, to keepen them all, And to rule the realme by their three wittes, And none otherwise but as they three assented.' I thanked Thought then, that he me thus taught, And yet favoureth me not thy suging, I covet to learn How Dowell, Dobest, and Dobetter do among the people. 'But Wit can wish[29] thee,' quoth Thought, 'where they three dwell, Else wot I none that can tell that now is alive.' Thought and I thus, three dayes we yeden[30] Disputing upon Dowell, daye after other. And ere we were 'ware, with Wit 'gan we meet. He was long and leane, like to none other, Was no pride on his apparel, nor poverty neither; Sad of his semblance, and of soft cheer; I durst not move no matter, to make him to laugh, But as I bade Thought then be mean between, And put forth some purpose to prevent his wits, What was Dowell from Dobet, and Dobest from them both? Then Thought in that time said these wordes; 'Whether Dowell, Dobet, and Dobest be in land, Here is well would wit, if Wit could teach him, And whether he be man or woman, this man fain would espy, And work as they three would, this is his intent.' 'Here Dowell dwelleth,' quod Wit, 'not a day hence, In a castle that kind[31] made, of four kinds things; Of earth and air is it made, mingled together With wind and with water, witterly[32] enjoined; Kinde hath closed therein, craftily withal, A leman[33] that he loveth, like to himself, Anima she hight, and Envy her hateth, A proud pricker of France, _princeps hujus mundi_, And would win her away with wiles and he might; And Kind knoweth this well, and keepeth her the better. And doth her with Sir Dowell is duke of these marches; Dobet is her damosel, Sir Dowell's daughter, To serve this lady lelly,[34] both late and rathe.[35] Dobest is above both, a bishop's pere; That he bids must be done; he ruleth them all. Anima, that lady, is led by his learning,