FOUR Bloody Murders Lately Committed by a ZEALOT in FRANCE.  
Viz. On an ancient Gentlewoman, a Colonel, and two young Scholars.  
WITH An ACCOUNT of his Attempt to strangle a Gentleman, wherein failing he was seized on, and upon Examination and the Rack, he Confessed, was sentenced and burnt at Chalons.  
Translated out of French.  
With Allowance. March 17. 1672.  
LONDON: Printed for Jonathan Edwin at the Three Roses in Ludgate-street. 1673.   

FOUR Bloody Murders Lately Committed By a ZEALOT in FRANCE.  
A Certain Citizen of Champagne, born of a very honest Family, and who was of all esteemed an exceeding godly and religious man, because he always lived very recluse and reserved, and had never suffered his eyes to wander to receive the Allurements and Temptations of wanton Women to the violence of his Chastity, for which he was so eminently observed in his Country, that he was called and known by the Name of Virgette, for they all believed him a godly Man and a true Virgin.  
This Hypocrite being on a day with one of his Aunts who was truly devout, saw her receive a Sum of Money that was a Debt; and when they that brought it had taken their leave and were gone, he asked her for some to dispose of in Charitable Uses: The good Gentlewoman frankly gave him an hundred Livres, and locked up the remainder in a Trunk, where she had a great deal more, which was not slightly regarded by her good Nephew, whose Affections that could withstand the beauties of the most fair, were not a little surprised herewith.  
Two days after this Visit, Virgette meeting his Aunt at Church, according to her Custom, importuned her to come home and dine with him, to which after he had very vehemently pressed her, she at last consented. There he made her an Entertainment, as handsomely as one could that kept neither Maid nor Men-Servants about him, for he was served with Necessaries by such as lived abroad. He gave her of some very excellent Wines which he had in his Cellar, and after Dinner invited her to walk down stairs to see it, and was urgent with her to do it upon some account or other, which I shall omit: But let this suffice for the knowledge of the Story, that having her there, he had an Opportunity to act his design, and with a great Beetle he knocked out her Brains, and then took from her the Keys of her Lodgings. 'Tis remarkable that he had made choice of a time for this bloody Murder, when the Servant of this good old Gentlewoman, who no less devour than her Mistress, was gone on a Pilgrimage which would detain her eight days; which gave him an opportunity to his hearts desire, to take away from his Aunt all she had, or what he pleased. He came not into the House but in the Evening, that he might be the less discovered by the Neighbours; where he readily sound the way to the trunk, which he opened, and took thence all the Money, and went away with it in the dark without being observed by any. As soon as he reached home with his treasure, he went into the Cellar where he had left the Body of his murdered Aunt, which he mangled into four parts, and cast into the Town Ditch which went behind his House.  
The old Gentle woman being missing, she was enquired and sought for every where, and after five or six days search, they found the Parts of her Body in the Ditch, where Virgette had disposed of them. No one was accused for this Action, nor indeed could any tell what to think of it. At last a Son in law of hers was accused, because some time before he had used to complain of her for not making advantage of her Money as she should. This man after Examination was sentenced to be put upon the Wrack, on which Sentence he appealed to Paris, where the former was confirmed, whereupon he underwent it without making any Confession, and therefore was quitted.  
Six months after a Gentleman that was his Friend being to take a Journey, was enquiring for some Gold that he wanted for his convenience; Virgette told him he could help him to two hundred Pieces for Silver; the Gentleman whereupon went to him and carried with him so much Silver. Which this Hypocrite perceiving, and being willing that nothing to his advantage might escape him, fell discoursing to him of a certain new sort of a Pigeon-House that he had, and persuaded the Gentleman to a desire of seeing it: In short he led him in, and there while the Gentleman was considering something that he saw there, he from behind him threw a Cord about his Neck, and with an intent to have strangled him, immediately set his Knee to his Back, and fell a girding it with as much violence as his strength could afford. He presumed he had cast the Cord right to have dispatched him, but to his misfortune it had fallen no lower than his Nose. The Gentleman perceiving this, made what resistance he was able to be disengaged from him, and in the bustle made a shift to throw this Villain to the ground, and in the fall to wound him with a Dagger that he had in his hand, which he took from him, crying out Murder, but this being in a by place, the noise was not easily heard, but only to one man, who came in thereupon, forcing open the Door, and immediately demanded the reason of the Disorder that occasioned the Outcry: this Bigot replies presently, that that Gentleman (pointing to him) had had a wicked intent to have strangled himself, and to that end had got himself into his Pigeon-House, where he found him in a desperate manner endeavouring to commit a violence upon his own Body, being upon the point of hanging himself; But he coming in by chance and finding him in the Attempt, endeavoured what in him lay to prevent him from making such a miserable end; for which only he fell to practise first upon him, and had proceeded so far as to wound him (as he saw) which made him cry out and this was the true occasion.  
The Gentleman surprised at the readiness of this Excuse and the method of this Raillery, replied (to him that came in) that he would fully pardon him and never be his Accuser for this wicked Prosecution, provided he would only confess all, declare his action and intention, and that before the person that was then present: He added moreover," that he ever believed him a very honest man, but that being overcome by a temptation that blinded him, at that time he was induced to undertake the Attempt upon him he had made. But notwithstanding all this, Virgette would neither acknowledge his Kindness, nor confess his own Crime, whereupon he was immediately committed into the hands of Justice.  
After that he was seized on, at first he discovered nothing but the signs and tokens of his astonishment, and wonder to see himself thus strangely abused for the performance of a Charitable Duty. But some time afterwards, deploring his Misfortune, and being passionately transported, he let fall some few words, which caused his Destruction: Does not one yet, saith he, accuse me too for murdering my Aunt. These words awakened the Spirits of those that were then by, and gave them to conjecture, that he being so bold to attempt upon a Gentleman, the Act for which he was committed; might probably be as villainous to commit the Murder upon his Aunt. Whereupon he was examined so very strictly, that in the Conclusion he confessed himself guilty of what the Gentleman laid to his charge, but of that alone and nothing else: And for which he was condemned to be hanged.  
Then he appealed to Paris, where the Gentleman that was Precedent at the Tournelle, took such cognizance of what light was given him in the matter, that he faithfully discharged his duty, to the applause of his Wisdom and Equity. For he no sooner heard what he had spoken concerning the Death of his Aunt, but he immediately commanded him to be put to the Wrack, where he presently and openly confessed the Murder of the latter and his Intent upon the other. He had no sooner discovered these with all their circumstances, but he was condemned to be burnt at Chalons.  
Being at the moment of his Execution, and past hopes of Pardon or Reprieve, he confessed as follows, That having made a resolution to job a Colonel that lay at his House, he found he could not compass it but by his Death, which he effected thus. The Colonel used constantly to come hometo his Lodgings very late, and sometimes very early about two or three a Clock in the morning, and not to disturb his Servants, he was wont to give them all leave to go to bed when they pleased, only leaving him a Candle lighted in his Chamber, and this was always punctually observed, which Custom gave Opportunity to Virgette according to his wish to execute his barbarous design; which in a little time he performed. After he had thus murdered the Colonel, he cast his Body into the Ditch where his Aunts was, and the next day sent out the Servants to go seek after their Master, who he said came not in that night.  
He likewise confessed the Murder of two young Scholars that were Sons to a Person of Quality. Their Father had sent them eight hundred Livres, which they had entrusted him withal, to lay up for them. These at an advantageous opportunity he murdered and buried them in his Garden, as he confessed, in such a place, where Search being made, they found the Bodies of two murdered Youths.  
And thus, Reader, you have here only a bare Translation of these four horrible Murders, and I leave it to your Ingenuity to make what Remarks the Circumstances of these Villainies can afford, which are the most barbarous and foul that I ever heard of, and all committed by one single person, whose Cruelty is scarce to be paralleled, it being so trascendently abominable, and therefore I think it not unworthy a communicating to the World.  
FINIS.   

An Advertisement of some BOOKS Printed for Jonathan Edwin at the Three Roses in Ludgate-street.  

THe bloody Murder or the Unnatural Son, his just Condemnation at the Assizes held at Monmouth, March 8, 1672. With the Suffering of his Sister and Servant for murdering his Mother Mrs Grace Jones, for which the said Son was pressed to death, his Sister burnt, and his Boy hanged, with a true Account of their Trials, penitent behaviours, Speeches and circumstances thereunto relating, with Letters of several worthy Divines. In octavo.  
The French way of exercising the Infantry, as it is now used in the Arms of his most Christian Majesty. In folio.  
The Mercury Gallant, containing many true and pleasant Relations of what hath passed at Paris from Jan. 1, 1672. till the King's departure thence. In octavo.  
The Dutch Usurpation or a brief View of the Behaviour of the State's General towards the Kings of Great Britain, with some of their Cruelties and Injustices exercised upon the Subjects of the English Nation. In two parts. In quarto.