Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/313

THINGS AND WORDS. 309 often the whole. Be. They love thieving, but hate the name of it. Bo. It is true. Be. What do collectors and coiners of public money do, who either coin it with too great an alloy, or too light ? or they who raise and fall the exchange of money for private ends 1 Though we do not very well understand the reason of it, yet we may speak of what we ex- perience daily. He that borrows or runs in debt with design never to pay, although he be able, differs very little from a thief. Bo. He may probably be said to be more wary, but not more honest. Be. But notwithstanding there is so great a number, yet none of them can endure the name of a thief. Bo. God alone knows the heart ; and for that reason, among men those that run themselves over head and ears in debt are not called thieves. Be. What signifies what men call them, if God accounts them thieves 1 Surely every one knows his own mind.

And besides, he that owes a great deal of money, and yet dis- honestly lavishes away what money he gets, and after he has broke, and cheated his creditors in one city, runs into another, hunting about for people to cheat ; the oftener he does so, does not he declare the more plainly what he is at heart? Bo. Ay, too plainly; but they oftentimes gloss over the matter. Be. How] Bo. They pretend that this is a common practice with great men and kings to owe a great deal of money, and to a great many persons ; and therefore they that are of this disposition more resemble great men. Be. What use would they make of that 1 Bo. It is admirable what great liberty they would have allowed to knights. Be. But by what right or by what law ] Bo. Just the same that the lord of the manor shall claim to himself whatsoever is cast ashore from a shipwreck, although there be a right owner of it ; or by which other persons would keep to their own use what they take from a highwayman after he has been apprehended. Be. Robbers themselves might make such laws. Bo. Ay, and they would too, if they knew how to maintain them ; and they would have enough to plead in excuse of them if they did but denounce war before they committed the robbery.

Be. Who gave knights this privilege above the commons 1 Bo. The law of arms; for thus they are trained up for war, that they may be more expert at plundering the enemy. Be. I believe it was after this manner that Pyrrhus trained his soldiers up to war. Bo. No, but the Lacedemonians did. Be. A mischief take them and their whole army too. But how came this title to have so great a pre- rogative 1 Bo. Some have it by descent, some purchase it with money, and some take it to themselves. Be. And may anybody have it that will ? Bo. Yes, he may, if his manners be but answerable to theirs. Be. What are they ? Bo. Never to be guilty of doing a good action, to go fine, wear a diamond ring, whore stoutly, game continually, spend his life in drinking and diversion, speak of nothing that is mean, be continually cracking of castles, duels, battles, and everything that looks great. They take the liberty of quarrelling with whom they have a mind, although they have not a foot of land of their own to set their feet upon. Be. Such knights as these deserve to be mounted upon, the wooden horse. But there are a great many such knights in, Gelderland. 