Here endith a compendiouse treetise dyalogue. of Diues [and] paup[er]. that is to say. the riche [and] the pore fructuously tretyng vpon the x. co[m]man̄mentes ...

¶The ix. chaptre.

DIues.

Thy speche is skil¦fulle / but nat moche ple∣saūt to many riche folk I pray the what is thy name.

Pauper

Why askyst thou.

DIues.

Twenty yere a goo I spake with a mā of thyn astate / that was fulle lyke the in spech and persone But he spa¦ke of so high perfection as thou nowe begynnest to do / that vn∣to this day I coude neuir ateyn therto And he tolde me the same tale of that yonge mā that thou toldest me nowe

Pauper.

Of whiche yonge man

Diues.

Of hym that asked Criste what he shulde do to haue the blisse with outen ende. To whom Cryste.

taught him that {per}fection / that thou spekest of And yit he dyd it not no more than I do.

Pau{per}

Ther is two maner of {per}fectōns of whiche Criste spake & taught that yonge riche man / Ther is perfection lesse. and perfection more The firste is nedeful and sufficient The secoūde is a pas¦synge holynesse and fulle excel∣lent. Of the firste god sayth. Perfect{us} eris ••ine macula. Glo¦••a. Criminali. deut. xviii. Thou shalt sayth he be parfyte without spotte of dedely synne Of this parfection spake Cryst to that yong riche man whanne he badde him kepe the cōmaūde¦mentes Of the secounde parf••c∣tion that is so excellent / he sayd to him. Si vis perfect{us} elle. &c. If thou wylt be parfyte go and selle alle that thou haste and ye∣ue it to the pore folke and come folowe me.

Diues▪

The same tale tolde me thy broder twenty yere ••aste. But we spake than moste of the highe parfection of excellencie I praye the let vs nowe speke a while of the lesse {per}¦fection that is nedefulle to alle. For sithen I may nat atteyn to the more parfection. I wold as me muste / kepe and holde wele the lesse parfection /

Pauper.

Do thanne as Criste taughte y^t yonge riche man. Serua man∣data. Kepe wele the commaūde¦mētes Haue one god in worship Take nat his name in ydelnes / Halowe thyne holidaye. Fadre and moder worshippe and paye Sle no man / Doo no folye by no woman / Loke that thou nat stele. And no false wytnesse that thou bere Coueyte thou nat thy neighboures gode with wronge house ne londe Desire nat his wyf ne his childe / ne his seruaūt ne his beest / ne ony thinge that to him longith. ¶These ben the .x. commaundementes whi¦che god wrote in two tables of stone / and toke theym to Moy¦ses / for to teche theym to the pe∣ople. The thre firste preceptes were wryten by theym self in the firste table / For tho principally teche vs howe we shuld worship oure god / and loue hym aboue al thinge And therfore they ben clepyd the thre preceptes / of the firste table. The other vii. been clepyd of the secounde table / for they were writen in the secound table And they teche vs how we shulde worshyppe and loue our euyn cristen as oure self. And so alle the ten commaunde¦mentes been comprehendyd. in the two preceptes of charite.

Diues.

Whiche been tho.

Pau¦per.

The first is that thou shalt loue thy lord god w^t al thyn hert

with alle thy mynde. With alle thy might: The secoūde is that thou shalt loue thy neighboure as thy self / that is to saye. thou shalt loue him to the same blisse that thou louest to thy self / and do to him as thou woldest men dyde to the / and nat do to hym but as thou woldest men dyde. to the / as longe as he kepith the lawe of charite For and if he for¦fete and do ayenste charite / it is charite to chastise hym and pu∣nysshe him. tyl he wyl amende him / for saluacion of his soule. and ensample of other In these ii. cōmaundementes as Cryste sayth in the gospel / hangith al the lawe and alle the prophecy. And therfore seint poule saith y^t loue and charite is fulfillyng of alle the lawe.