and I frayned wel ofte of folk þat I mette

ȝif ony wiste where . dowel was at inne .

And what man he myȝthe be . of meny man I frayned

was þer neuere wyȝth as I wene . þat me wisse cowde 

wher þis lede longeþ . lasse ne more

til hit fel on a fryday . two freres I mette .

Maysteres of þe menoures . men of gret wyt

and haylsed hem hendely . as I hadde lerned 

and prayde hem for cherite . er þei passed ferþer

ȝif þey knewe ony countre . or costes a-boute .

Wher þat do-wel duellyþ . doþ me to wisse

marie quod þo maystres . at hom with vs he duelleþ 

and euere haþ as I hope . and euere shal here-after

Contra . quod I as a clerk . and gan to disputen .

Sepcies in die . cadet iustus ⁊ / & cetera

Seuene sythes on þe day seyþ þe book . falleþ þe riȝtfulP

and who-so synnes he sayde . certes me thinkes 

þat dowel and do-euel . mow not duelle to-gederes

Ergo he is nowt al-way at hom . a-mong ȝou freres

He is oþer-while ellys-wher . to wissen þe peple

I shal sey þe my sawe . seyde þe frere þanne 

how vij / seuene syþes on þe dayT . þe sadde man synnes

by a fore-bysne quod þe frere . I shal þe fayre shewe .

Let brynge a man in a bot . a-myddes a brod water

þe wynd and þe water . and þe waggeng of þe bote 

makeþ þe man many tyme . to falle and to stande

for stonde he neuere so styf . he stumbleþ in þe wagging .

And ȝit he is saf and sound . and so him by-houes

For ȝif he ne a-rise raþer . and rauȝthe þe sterne 

þe wynd wolde with þe water . þe bot ouer-throwe

þer were þe mannys lyf y-lost . for lachesse of him-selue  .

Ryȝt þus hit fareþ quod þe frere . with folk here on erþe

þe water is lyk to þis word . þat waxeþ and wanyes 

þe godes of þe grounde . beþ lyk to þe wawes

and as wyndes and wateres . wawes a-bowte .

The bot is lik to þe body . þat brotel is of kinde

and þow þe fend and þe flesh . and þe falce word 

syþen sy[nneþ] þe sadde man . seuene sithes on þe day

ac dedly synne doþ he not . for do-wel him helpeþ .

That is charite þe champioun . chef helpe of alle T

a-ȝen vij. / seuene T to stonde . he steryȝt þe soule

þat þey þe body bowe . as a bot doþ on þe water

ay is the soule saf . but þou thi-self wilt .

Folwe þi fleschly wil . and þe fend after

and do dedly synne . and drenche þy soule 

god wil suffre þe to deye so . for þou hast þe maystry

I haue no kinde knowyng quod I . to conseyue þi wordes .

And ȝif I may lyue and loke . I shal go lere ferþer

I by-kenne þe crist . þat on þe cros deyde 

and þei seyde þe same . saue þe fro myschauns

and gif þe grace on þis erþe . in goud lyf to ende  .

ThusC I wente wide-wher . dowel to seche

and as I wente by a wode . walkyng myn one 

blysse of þe bryddes . maden{i}e mad[e]P me to abyde

and vnder lynde vp-on a launde . lened I me a stounde .

To lyþen þe layes . þe louely bryddes madyn

blisse of þe bryddes . brouȝte me a-slepe 

þe meruelyouste metyng . mette me þanne

þat euere dryȝt in doute . drempte as I wene .

A meke man me thouȝþe . lyk to my-seluen

com C and calde me by my ryȝthe name 

what art þou quod I . that my name knowest

þat wost þou wel quod he . and no wyȝth betere .

Wot I quod I . who art þou . thoutȝ / thou[ȝt] þan he seyde

I haue serued þe þis .vij. / seuene ȝere . sey þou me no raþer 

art þou thout quod I . þou coudest me telle

wher do-wel dwelleþ . and do me to wisse .

Do-wel quod he and do-bet . and do-best þe thridde

are þre fayre vertues . and beþ not fer to fynde 

who-so is meke of his mouþ . and mylde of his speche

trewe of tounge . and of his two handis .

And þorw þe labour of his handes . his lyflode wynneþ .

and trost of his taylende . takeþ but his owyn 

and is not drunkelew ne denyous . do-wel him folwyþ

do-bet þus doþ . he doþ moche more .

He is as low as a lomb . and louely of speche

whil he haþ of his owyn . he delyþ þer most nede is 

þe bagges of þe bigerdelys . he haþ broke hem alle

þat erle auarous . hadde and his eyres .

And with mammonas mone . he haþ mad him frendes

and is ronne to þe relygious . and haþ rendred þe bible 

and precheþ þe peple . seynt powles wordes

Libenter suffertis ⁊ / & cetera  .

þe wise suffretȝ the onwise . with ȝou for to lybbe .

And with glad wil do hem good . for so god him hyȝte

do-best is a-boue hem boþe . and bereþ a bisshopes crose 

y-hoked at þat on ende . to holde him in good lyf

a pyk in þe potent . to pycche a-doun wickede  .

That haunteþ eny wickednesse . dowel to tene

and as do-wel and do-bet . don him to vnderstonde 

þey haue crouned a king . to kepin hem alle .

and ȝif do-wel and do-bet . dedyn a-ȝenst dobest

And were vnbuxoum at his biddyng . and bold to don ille

þan þe king shulde come . and caste hem in prisoun 

and putte hem þer in penauns . with-oute pite or grace

but ȝif do-best prey for hem . abyde þer for euere .

Thus de / d[o]-welT and do-bet . and do-best þe thridde

crouned on to be king . and by T his counseyl wrouȝthe 

and rewlen þe rewme . by red of hem alle

and oþer-wise and ellys not . but as þei þre asente  .

I þanked þouȝth þo . so þat he me tauȝthe

and ȝit sauoureþ me not þi seggyng . so me god helpe 

more kynde knowing . I coueyte to lerne

how dowel and dobet . and do-best don on þis erthe .

But wit counne wisse þe þe [quod] thouȝt . where þo þre duellyn

ellys wot T no man . þat now is on erthe 

þouȝt am / a[nd]C I þus . þre dayes we ȝede

disputyng on do-wel . day after oþer .

And er we war were . wit gan we mete

le / [h]e was long and lene . lyk to non oþer  T

sad of his sembland . and of a sad speche

I durste meue no matere . to make him to Iangle .

But as I bad þouȝt þo . be mene by-twynne

to putte furþ soum purpos . to prouen his wittes 

þanne þouȝth in þat tyme . sayde þese wordes

where þat dowel and dobet . ⁊̃ / & dobest were in londe .

here his wil wolde I wite ȝif wit coude teche .