Here after ensueth a proper treatise of good worksHere after ensueth a propre treatyse of good workes

For we be ever taught more by examples ⟨image 127⟩and stories, than by laws, decrees, & constitutions, because that in such examples & histories / sure experience teacheth us, and here bare words teach us.¹ All princes, noble men and lords, should have three special works / which they may do, specially in our country. The first that they annul the horrible abusage of eating & drinking / not only for the unmeasurablenesse of it / but for love and charity. For by sweet meats and sauces, without the which a man may live well enough / no little loss of temporal goods is crept and daily entereth into this land. In taking away of the which two hurts / the temporal power should have enough to do / for they be deeply rotted. Howe should the princes serve god better, than ⟨image 127⟩to make their own regions more plenteous? The second is to take away the unmeasurable wast of apparel and raiment, in the which so much good is wasted / and that only for the pleasure of the world and the flesh / that it is fearful to think on it / that there should be such mysuse foū de amonges the people, given & sworn to Christ / baptised and dedicate to bear his cross with him / and daily preparing our self to death. If this were done unadvised, it might the better be suffered. But now when it is done so boldly, so unpunished, so unshamefastly / and so that no man letteth it, gain sayeth it, nor resisteth it: yea rather glory and praise is gotten by it / it is an ungodly, & an unholy thing, not becoming christen men. ⟨image 128⟩The third is to expel and put away all pensions and fairs of usury / by the which all men, countries, and cities, through out all the world / be corrupt, wasted, destroyed, and lost / and that by the ungracious cloak and colour which they make to the end that it should not be called usury / as to resign a benefice upon a pension, & than redeem it for money / & yet it is in deed worse than usury, because it is not eschewed, as usury is before. These ben the three Jews which (according to the common proverb) suck up, waste, and consume all the whole world. In this point therefore ye princes, noble men, & lords ought not to sleep nor be slothful, if they will give a good account of their office before god.