Monstrous Avarice: Unrecorded new report. With a woodcut depicting the creature.

[Monstrosity] / [Ephemera]. Nuovo, e stupendo Caso occorso in Civita di Cheti, Città dell’ Abruzzo, ove sentiranno come la Divina Giustizia ha trasformato un’ Uomo in un’ orribil Mostro per pena della sua Avarizia, successo nel Mese di Febbrajo dell’ Anno Corrente 1760. Relazione. Naples: s.n., 1760. 4to [21.1 x 15.9 cm], [2] ff., with [1] full-page woodcut occupying the last page. Quarter bound in modern vellum and reused liturgical leaf over card. Reused leaf spotted, otherwise binding well preserved. Minor toning, a few minor stains, minor edge wear.
 
 
Unrecorded popular Italian news report, or relazione, relaying a frightful event that occurred in the city of Chieti (Abruzzo) in “February of this year 1760.” The work is notable for its evocative and highly vernacular full-page woodcut. 
 
The story goes like this: A rich man named Checco dalla Chiaucia (called “Il Rospo”) hoarded grain, causing famine in the region. He would accept no amount of money for his grain, and the pleas of the populace fell on deaf ears. Thankfully, the Lord transformed “Il Rospo” into a hideous monster, paralyzed, quivering, with an elongated neck, the head of a bull, and speechless apart from an incessant lowing. For eight days he was exhibited to the people. Then he died. One thus should avoid avarice. 
 
 
The wonderful full-page woodcut depicts the monster seated on his bags of grain.
 
OCLC, KVK, and OPAC/SBN/ICCU locate no copies of this work.