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 xxvii. chapter:

Also leue frend ye shal vn∣derstonde y^t god sayth the∣se wordys not only to euery per∣sone by himsilfe: but he sayd thē to al the peple & to euery people as to one {per}sone not onli for wor¦shiping of ther fleshly fader and moder: but also for worshiping of ther souereyins ī ther degre as I sayd bifore / For why as lōge as any peple is buxū & meke to ther souereyns: & wyl folowe her gode gouernaunce. and worship men after ther degre: & euery mā be payde w^t his owne degre & do the dute of his degre: so lōge the peple is able to kepe y^t lond that god hath youen them to lyue go de lyfe / But whanne they wyll rebelle ayens ther souereins and wyl not stond to ther ordinaūce but euery man wyl be hys owne man: and folowe hys owne fan∣tasies: despice hys souereīs ther dome & gouernaūce: ne yeue no tale of goddis lawe ne of londis lawe ne of holy chyrchys law: ne haue men of v̄tue & of dignyte ī worship: but for pryde haue thē in despite and be besi to worship thēsilfe ī hindering of other that peple is able to the swerde: & a∣ble to lese his londe / For as ye se at the iye ī tyme of tēpest: thow the bowys of the tre bete thēsilfe togydre & altobrest & full doune as long as ye rote of y^e tre kepeth him fast in hys place and ryseth not: so lōg ye tre shal not fal But whā the rote beginne to rise oute of his place: anon the tre begyn to fal / Right thus it fareth by ye peple of a lond / Thow tempest of pride of couetise: of enuie: of lechery fal sūtime ī the croppe of the tre: y^t is to say a mongis lor∣des & souereins & the grete mē. if the pore peple y^t is rote of the tre & of al the comonte kepe thē styl ī lownes: & do mekely ther dwte to god kepīge hys cōmaūdemē∣tys & the good preceptys of ther souereins: so lōge is hope y^t ye pe¦ple shall fare wel after y^e tēpeste & not be destroied / But if they ri∣se ayens god by customable ded¦ly synnes: & ayens ther worldly souereins: & wil entermete them of euery cause of that londe & of holy church: & termine eūy cause by ther wyt body & crop of y^e tree shal falle / For it is not possyble that the rote shuld be so highe as the crop of the tre: but the tre fell Ne y^t the fote shuld be aboue the hede: but the body felle

Diues.

This is ful soth we se it at ye iye For p̄de & rebellion of ye pore pe¦ple is cause of destruccōn of this lōd / For sythe they aresen ayens ther souereīs: was there neu{er} sta∣bilite ī this lōd: but alwey syth̄e ye tre of ye peple of this lōd & the realme: hathe stond in fallynge

Pauper.

Vnbuxūnesse & pride was principal cause of lesing of londys and of realmys / And prī¦cipaly the cause of saluacion of realmes londys and comontees is obedience and buxūnesse: y^t e∣che man in his degre obey to his souereyn & worship hī as fader / & therfore leue frende I pray you for goddes sake that ye worship al youre faders and moders: in ther degre: as I haue sayde And haue ye old folke & feble ī wor∣ship: while ye be in yonge age: & worship ye the age that ye draw to and haue no scorne of the old folke for feblenes and vnclēnes that ye se them in / But thenk ye that suche shall ye be if ye abyde ther age: feble vnourne and loth to the syght / For suche as ye be nowe: such were they sūtime It fareth bi age of man and womā as it doth by a precyous stone y^t is cleped crisolitus / Thys stone as saythe the mayster of kīdes ī the begynnyng of the day it shy∣neth bright as any gold / But as the day passeth so passeth his bri∣ghtnesse / And the nyer euen the more it fadeth: so that bi euen it is like a clot of erth / Thus it fa∣reth by man and woman in this world / For in ther youthe and ī ther begynnynge they be fayre: rede and rody and fresshe as rose in may: ful lusty to the iye But as youthe passeth so passeth ther bewte / And as they olde: so they fade: tyl at the laste the daye of ther lyfe cometh to an ende / And than be theye but a clott of erthe ful vnourne & gastly to the sight