Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

The dangerous effects of Riches, being not well used. [ 526]

THere was in the King of Denmarks Court,* 1.1 one that played on the Harp so exceeding well that it was said, He could put men into what passion he listed, though it were into fury and madness; One desirous to make the tryal, would needs hear him, but so that divers Gentlemen standing aloof off out of the hearing, should be ready to come in and stay the Musick, if they saw him in any dis∣temper: Things thus ordered, the Musitian began to play, and first he struck so deep and sweet a note, that he put the man into dumps, so that he stood like one ••orlorne, his Hat in his eyes, his arms across, sighing and lamenting; Then the Musitian began a new Note, and played nothing but mirth, and devices, that the man be∣gan to lose his dumps, and fell a dancing: But in the third place, the Harper so varied his Notes, and by degrees so wrought upon the Man according as he saw him incline, that from dancing, he brought him to showting, untill he grew fran∣tick, and slew four of his friends that came to stay him:* 1.2 And thus it is with Ri∣ches, if not used the wiselier, they will play such feats as the Harper did; first in the beginning, when a man is gathering of them together, they fill him with care and and restlessness, that nothing is more miserable then a man carking after the world:

Then in the second place,* 1.3 when he hath tasted the sweetness of them, and is got∣ten through his travel, when he comes to be Master, then he falls a dancing, shews the vanity of his mind, speaks high, looks big, and his apparel is excessive, and usually in this fit his Wife fetches a frisk or two with him: But when this merry fit is over, the third passion is phrensie, killing and slaying all that come in his way, he becomes a rapacious griping Usurer, grinds the face of the poor, breaks the backs, and cuts the throat of many a Man, and is so strong and boysterous, that no Man can tell how to get within him, and come off with safety.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohn Whites Serm. at St. Pauls, 1616.
• * 1.2

  Divitiarum se∣quela est luxu∣ria, ira intem∣perans, furor in∣justus, &c.
• * 1.3

  Chrysost. lib. 1. quod nemo laedi∣tur, &c.