And if I may live and look, I shall go learne better;
I beken[15] the Christ, that on the crosse died;'
And I said, 'The same save you from mischance,
And give you grace on this ground good me to worth.'
And thus I went wide where, walking mine one
By a wide wilderness, and by a woode's side,
Bliss of the birdes brought me on sleep,
And under a lind[16] on a land, leaned I a stound[17]
To lyth[18] the layes, those lovely fowles made,
Mirth of their mouthes made me there to sleep.
The marvellousest metelles mette[19] me then
That ever dreamed wight, in world as I went.
A much man as me thought, and like to myself,
Came and called me, by my kinde[20] name.
'What art thou,' quod I then, 'thou that my name knowest?'
'That thou wottest well,' quod he, 'and no wight better.'
'Wot I what thou art?' Thought said he then,
'I have sued[21] thee this seven years, see ye me no rather?'
'Art thou Thought?' quoth I then, 'thou couldest me wyssh[22]
Where that Dowell dwelleth, and do me that to know.'
'Dowell, and Dobetter, and Dobest the third,' quod he,
'Are three fair virtues, and be not far to find,
Whoso is true of his tongue, and of his two handes,
And through his labour or his lod, his livelod winneth,
And is trusty of his tayling,[23] taketh but his own,
And is no drunkelow ne dedigious, Dowell him followeth;
Dobet doth right thus, and he doth much more,
He is as low as a lamb, and lovely of speech,
And helpeth all men, after that them needeth;
The bagges and the bigirdles, he hath to-broke them all,