The sixteenth century gave birth to one of these men, who, before life assurance was understood, exercised great genius in granting and receiving annuities. The name of Audley is one of the earliest we possess in this line: he was originally a lawyer’s clerk, with a salary of 6_s._ a week; but his talent for saving was so well supported by his self-privation, that he lived upon half, keeping the other half as the superstructure of his future fortune. He was so great an adept in the tricks of law, that he was soon enabled to purchase his apprenticeship; and, with the first 600_l._ he had saved, bought of a nobleman an annuity of 96_l._ for nineteen years. The nobleman died; his heir neglected to pay the annuity, and Audley made him suffer for his neglect to the tune of 5000_l._ in fines and forfeitures. The usurer soon found money trading better than law writing. He became a procurer of bail; he compounded debts; he enticed easy landowners into granting well-secured annuities; he encouraged their extravagance, and, under pretence of ministering to their wants, became possessed of many a fine estate. The following story will illustrate his craft:--In the early part of his career, a draper of mean repute was arrested by his merchant for 200_l._ Audley bought the debt of the latter for 40_l._, and was immediately offered an advance on his bargain by the fraudulent tradesman. Audley refused the terms; and when the draper pressed, as if struck by a sudden whim, he consented to discharge the debt, if his creditor would sign a formal contract to pay within twenty years from that time one penny, to be progressively doubled on the first day of twenty consecutive months, under a penalty of 500_l._ The terms seemed easy, and the draper consented. The knave was one of those who “grow rich by breaking.” But here Audley had him in his net. Year after year he watched his prey; he saw him increase in wealth, and then made his first demand for one penny. As month succeeded month he continued his claim, progressively doubling the amount, until the draper took the alarm, used his pen, found that to carry out his agreement would cost him more than 4000_l._, and, to avoid it, paid the penalty of 500_l._; his only revenge being to abuse Audley as a usurer, probably anticipating the wish of Jaffier, that he could “kill with cursing.” Audley, like many of our own day, was equally ready to lend money to the gay gallants of the town on annuities, as he was to receive it from the thrifty poor who took, on “the security of the great Audley,” the savings of their youth to secure an annuity for their age. But needy as the youngsters of that day might be, the usurer was as willing as they were needy. He lent them, however, with grave remonstrances on their extravagance, and took the cash they paid him, with an air of paternal regret.