A Spectacle for vsurers and succors of poore folkes bloud whereby they may see, Gods iust dislike and reuenge, vpon their vncharitable and vnciuill oppression, with a horrible murther committed by a young man, that hanged his owne mother in August last, 1606.

A Spectacle for Vsurers and Succers of poore folkes bloud .

Whereby they may see , Gods iust dislike and reuenge , vpon their vncharitable and Vnciuill oppression .

With a horrible murther committed by a young man , that hanged his owne Mother in August last . 1606.

depiction of usurer being devoured by rats

Imprinted at London for Iohn Wright , and are to be sold at his shop neere Christs-Church gate . 1606.

A true treatise , declaring how miraculously an Vsurer was deuoured by Rats , at Charret neere to the citty of Aix in Prouence , within the Kingdome of France , on the second day of August . 1606. According to the French Copie , printed at Lions , by Leger Bonhomme .

AH , what a world is this , when we must haue amongest vs , who are baptised in the name of Christ Jesus , and doe carry the names of Christians , men so voyde of all charity , and so without all humanity towards their neighbours , that they are not ashamed by all forts of greedy couetousnesse and extortions , as by vnreasonable enhaunsing the price of victualls , and all other cruell and vnkind meanes , to oppresse and vtterly vndoe their poore Christian brethren and sisters , without any remorse or pitty to the fatherlesse children , or distressed widowes , as I may say , that we seeme rather to liue among Jewes , than Christians ? Yea , it may be auouched , that the Turkes and Saracins , I had almost said , the very sauage and brutish Americanes , would be ashamed to plot and practise such horrible and accursed meanes , for the spoyling and pining of poore Christians , as is daily practised among vs , who make , profession to haue beene trayned in Christ his schoole . Which might iustly make to blush for shame our Vsurers , and vnsatiable greedy minded men , who care for nothing but inriching themselues : although it be with the ruine and vtter vndoing of infinite poore people , whom they suffer , yea cause to perish . Whose cries vndoubtedly do ascend vnto theeares of the Lord , and he being a iust Iudge , will be auenged thereon . And though he punish not visibly in this life alwayes the vnmercifulnesse of wicked worldlings : yet hath he sundry times shewed fearefull tokens of his displeasure against such dealings : Among which , marke this notable example following .

Vpon the second day of August last past , in the yeare of Grace 1606 , at Charret , a little towne nere to the Citty of Aix in Prouence , within the Kingdome of France , there dwelt a rich Vsurer , named George Rolet , of the age of about fifty yeares . Hee had three Graniers full of Corne , and two cellars full of wine , and much cattell of his owne , feeding on both sides of Aix : besides great store of money that was owing him . And he neuerlent any money , or money worth , to any , without sufficient pawnes , or else to men that were wealthy . And he so dealt by lending , as euery six moneths he would commonly double his principall : so vngraciously had he hardened his heart by wicked vsuryes and extortions to inrich himselfe .

His wife was dead , hauing left him no childe neyther had he any body , for whom he might thus miserably strape these goods together , but one Neece : for to inrich whom , and to fulfill his owne vnsatiable couetousnesse , hee omitted no vile , and abhominable practises of vsury vnassaied , neuer regarding how wretchedly his soule were left quite abandoned of charity and al piety , wherby it became a bondslaue to the Deuill , who as a hangman or executioner of Gods iust wrath against the wicked , pay those their hire in the ende , that are ruled by him .

Now it so fel out , that this wretched Vsurer had not sold any of his corne or wine that yeare , staying vntill a time should come when he might sell it deerer . but when he saw the yeare so farre past , as he could hope for no greater price , he thought it best to set open his Graniers , and to sell his corne : which he did vpon a Market day . And forthwith came hasting thether , manye people of sundry sexes & ages , for to buy Corne . Amongst others came a poore woman a Widow , from a Village called Montalien , beeing a little league distant from thence . The womans name was Claudia Balme : who meaning to buy corne , asked him , how hee sold a bushell ? He answered , fiue shillings . What ( sayd she ) fiue shillings ? Now that God bestoweth such plenty on vs , you might wel affoard it for three shillings . I had rather ( sayd he ) be eaten vp with Rats , then I would let it go for lesse then fiue .

There withall , at the same instant , comes another poore woman , from another Village not far off , called Werre in , to whom this Vsurer had lent foure crownes-worth of cor●e , vppon condition , that she must pay him a third partmore then the price of the Market , and besides , to pay six pence a moneth vsury for euery crowne : for assistance whereof , he had receyued of the sayd woman , named Margaret Paschall , seuen rings in pawne . This foresaid day , came the said Margaret Paschall , and sayd vnto him , Mayster George Rolet , I haue brought you the money which I owe you , and I pray you giue mee my rings againe , He answered her , yes Gossip , you shall . Then she telling him out first the principall , and then the interest , demaundeth agayne ver rings . The Vsurer taketh her money and locketh it vp , & opening a cupbord ▪ taketh out a folded paper , and deliuereth it vnto her , saying : Lo Gossip , there be your goodes . She opening the paper , ands one of her rings wanting , where at being much grieued , she sayd vnto him . I haue payd you your full asking . and yet I misse here one of my rings : I beseech you deale not so hardly with met , as to keepe it , but let me haue it agayne . He denyed , that he had any mo of her then the sixe . The woman , contrariwise auouched , that shee had deliuered to him seuen , describing vnto him what manner of one it was , saying , that it was the first that euer her deceassed husband had giuen her . He still denyed it . The poore woman fell on weeping , and still affirmed , that he had her sayd ring . Hee after many other oathes and protestations , did in the ende ( according to his vsuall manner of swearing , or rather of cursing himselfe ) beseech God , for to suffer the Rats to eate and deuour him vp , if euer he had , or receiued any such ring . This poore woman sel on her knees , saying : I pray and most humbly beseech God Almighty , that it may so come to passe , and that he shew some wonderfull token vpon you or mee , to make manifest whether of vs doo sweare falsly : and I verily trust , that God who is most iust , will declare miraculously , which of vs holdeth the trueth , and which the contrary .

She had scarce made an ende of her prayer , but immediatly there came ( a wonderfull thing to the an innumerable sort of Rats , which set vpon this Vsurer , some on one part of him , some on another . And albeit his seruants sought by all meanes to driue them a way , they laboured in vaine : for the more they hunted them away , the mo in multitudes came still , more and more assayling him .

His friends and kinsfolke caused him to bee stripped , and so to bee wrapped in a cleane cloth , and to be carried a way into another lodging . But he was no sooner brought thether , but these vermin Rats ( as iust executors of Gods will ) came running thether in flockes , and gnawed his body , who had miserably sucked , gnawed and deuoured the goods of very many poore people . And apply what remedies those that were about him could doe by any meanes , yet could they not stay these Rats , but that in twenty & foure houres they had depriued him of his life . So he died the second of August , in the yeare of our Lord 1606. about foure of the clocke in the afternoone . His friends and kinsfolke thought to make some funerall or buriall of the remainder of his body , which these little creatures had left : whereof they were deceyued , for before midnight , they had scarfe left him the least shew of a body , but had carried all away : so as no man can tell what became thereof .

Thus may wee learne by this wicked mans miserable ende , that wee are not created for our selues alone , but to be helpers and comforters one to another : and that we ought not by vsury , oppression , and such vniust meanes , to catch away , from others vncharitably and vnconscionably , that which is not our owne . And much lesse , that we should in any wise sweare by his name rashly and falsely , who is a iust iudge and almighty . Neyther to curse our selues but rather to pray for Gods dayly blessing . God for his mercyes sake amend vs all .

A Treatise most true , of a cursed young youth of Remilly in Sauoy , who miserably and shamefully strangled and hanged his owne mother . With his punishment for the same , on Satterday the 19. of August . 1606.

According to the French Copie printed at Tholouse by Peter Chantenefue .

NOtwithstanding that the cruell murther , committed by that first murtherer Cain on the person of his brother , be left vnto all posterityes mentioned , as a haynous wickednesse much displeasing to God , and abhominable before men : yet haue there beene some found so inhumane and cruell , as they haue imitated , if not surpassed him in such villany . For what shall we say of Nero , who most vnnaturally caused his owne mother to bee slaine , and her wombe to be ripped vp , that he might see the place where he lay during the time that his mother bare him ? And not much lesse detestably performed , will this treatise shewe a parricide .

At Remilly , a little towne of Sauoy , there dwelt a woman named Gasparde Brisin , widow to one Anthony Moillon deceassed , and she had a sonne called George Moillon , now come to the age of neere twenty yeares . Her deceassed husband , knowing her to be a thrifty howswife , had by will certayne yeeres before , left her mistresse and gouernesse of all his goods , without yeelding account thereof to any , before her sonne were come to the age of twenty yeares : and then , if she and he did not like to dwell together any longer , she to haue her part of the land , with halfe of the goods , and a thousand Florins ouerplus .

The sonne now seeing himselfe almost twenty yeeres old , kept ruffian like & disordered company , which is too common a thing now a dayes . He then must haunt tauerns , play , dance , and ryot lustily . The mother , on the other side sought to bridle this young colt , and would not let him haue too much money , for feare hee should spoile himselfe , with voluptuousnes .

He still was vrged by those that kept him company , to force his mother to feede him with money , or else to sel her yarne , linnen cloth , plate , or whatsoeuer else he could catch , & to make money therof . He , as pliable as waxe , to take any impression , following their counsayle , was dayly at his mother for money . She , ( though hardly ) would now and then giue him a little : which not so soone receiued , but it was presently spent . He then commeth for more , which not obtayning , he falls to threatning and to offer fowle speeches vnto her .

At whitsontide last , the wake being at that place then when many youthes should assemble , this yong man , among all other , would bee stored with money & spend prodigally among his companions , tooke sixe of the best wether sheepe that were in his mothers pasture , and sold them to the butcher . Then during the merriment , who but hee at dansing , banketting and play : so as the last of the three holidaies he had not a penny left him of sixe crownes that he had receiued , and of whatsoeuer else he could steale from his mother . The same day commeth the shepheard , and his mistris , enquiring of her sheepe , and the number of her wethers , vnderstood how her sonne had sold sixe of them , comming in an euening where they were Shee asked her sonne , what he had done with the money that he had receiued for the wethers . He answered , that he had what to doo therwith , & that he would sell many mo of them , giuing her sundry bad words . She takes vp a cudgell to strike him . But he , being wickedly bent , can to her , and did wring it out off her hands . Herevpon , shee being very angry , goeth out into the streete to his companions that brought him to disorder , willing them not to maintaine her sonne any more in his lewdnes , nor to cal him out to go with them henceforth , & to cause him so fondly to spend his money . Her son very angry to see that his mother had vttered his faults in the open street , and that before yong maides , who mocked him therewith , hatcheth within his mind a mische euous imagination , & being tempted by the Deuill who watcheth how he may allure vs to yeeld vnto that which may worke our endles wo , so possessed this yong mans mind , that he purposed one night to kil his own mother . He vsed to lie in a bed by himselfe in his mothers chamber . This poore mother being in bed , sighed much for grief at her sons ill husbandry & cariage . He then watcheth & attendeth his time vntil shee was a steep : & in the end perceiuing her fast a sleep , takes a cord , which hee had prepared of purpose , and hauing made a noose , hee comming neere his mothers bed , had at first some remorse of conscience , as he was about to put the cord about her neck : but remembring how the day before she had shamed him openly , and that before young wenches , whom he esteemed more then his mother , this accursed sonne , possessed with the Deuil puts the cord about her necke and strangleth her . And when he saw that she had no longer any breath left in her , he hoyseth her neck vp by the cord , making it fast to the vpper part of the bedsteed and so left her hanging . Then hee takes her keyes , which were vnder the boister of her bed , & opens all her chests , finding there about two hundred crownes , with rings , borders and other iewels : trusseth vp altogether , and assoone as the Cocke had crowed , he commaunded to haue a horse sadled , ryseth , putteth on his clothes , his boots and spurres , and hauing shut fast the chamber doore , where his mother was , goes to horsebacke , and told the man seruant that he had appointed with his mother to go to Chambery .

This new Orestes , or killer of his mother , being on his way , euery step that he set forward , seemeth to behold burning firebrands before him : feare followed him at the heeles , and a guilty conscience of that he had done affrighted him : the least noyse that he heard , was euer and anon as an alarum vnto him , so as he knew not which wayes to turne him .

In the meane time , when the morning was well vp , his mothers maydes , wondring that their mistresse rose not , knocked at her chamber doore , calling her , but in vaine , for no body answered . At length they call in the neighbours , and brea●e open the doore , and finde the woman there hanging . they fetch the Castle keeper of the place , and straight way it is suspected to bee her sonnes doing . Then he was sent after in hast , and beeing knowne all the way he went , was taken at Marches , and so carried safe to Chambery , where hee freely confessed this wicked and horrible fact , and was there condemned by the Senate , to bee pin●hed his flesh off vnder the paps in three places of the towne with pincers red hot , and afterward to be burned to death in the market called Vernay . And so was he executed on Satterday the nineteenth of August 1606. At his execution he willed all youth to take example by him , and to be obedient to their fathers and mothers , and to beware of haun●ing lewd company . When the fire was burning about him , he cryed vnto God for mercy vntill the last gaspe .

This may serue an example both for parents , to be carefull how they bring vp their children in the feare of God . and in good nurture betimes , while they are vnder their gouernement : and for youth , to take heed that they eschew riotous and lewd company , least thereby the Deuill procure them to the like desperate and damnable attempts . And so God guide vs in the right way .

FINIS .