At the time of my being in Rome, said Luther, there died a Cardinal
very rich, and left behind him great store of money; shortly before
his death he made his will, and laid it in a chest where the money
was. After his death the chest was opened, and therein, by the
money, was found lying a bull, written on parchment, with these
words:
Dum potui, rapui; rapiatis, quando potestis.
(I extorted and oppressed as long as I was able; while ye have
power, get what you can.)
Oh! said Luther, how finely, think you, must this Cardinal have
departed and died?
The World is full of Dissemblers and Blasphemers: How many Sorts
there be.
Luther discoursing, in the presence of the Prince Elector of Saxony
and other Princes, of the many sorts and differences of wicked
persons, said: Colax, Sycophanta, Cacoethes; these sins and
blasphemies are almost alike the one to the other, only that they go
one after another, as a man going up the stairs and steps ascends
from one to another.
Colax, in my opinion, is he that in Terence they name Gnatho, an
ear-scratcher, a dissembler, a trencher-licker, one that talketh for
his belly's sake, and is altogether a man-pleaser. This is a sin of
mankind, whose intent is to get all they can though others are hurt
thereby.
Sycophanta is such a dissembler, traitor, and backbiter that would
earn a grey coat. This sin is nearer allied to the devil than to
mankind.
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