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they form bands of two thousand men。 They close churches； drive
away nonjuring priests； remove clappers from the bells； eat and
drink what they please at the expense of the inhabitants； and often；
in the houses of the mayor or tax…registrar； indulge in the pleasure
of breaking everything to pieces。 Should any public officer
remonstrate with them they shout； 〃At the aristocrat！〃 One of these
unlucky counselors is struck on the back with the but…end of a
musket； and two others have guns aimed at them； the chiefs of the
expedition are in no better predicament； and； according to their own
admission； if they are at the head of the mob it is to make sure
they themselves will not be pillaged or hung。 The same spectacle
presents itself in Mayenne； in Orne； in Moselle； and in the
Landes。＇65＇ … These； however； are but isolated irruptions； and
very mild； in the south and in the center； the plague is apparent in
an immense leprous spot； which extending from Avignon to Perigueux；
and from Aurillac to Toulouse； suddenly covers； nearly without with
any discontinuity； ten departments； Vaucluse； Ardèche； Gard； Cantal；
Corrèze； Lot； Dordogne； Gers； Haute…Garonne； and Hérault。 Vast
rural masses are set in motion at the same time； on all sides and
owing to the same causes： the approach of war and the coming of
Easter。 … In Cantal； at the assembly of the canton held at
Aurillac for the recruitment of the army；＇66＇ the commander of a
village National Guard demands vengeance 〃against those who are not
patriots；〃 and the report is spread that an order has come from
Paris to destroy the chateaux。 Moreover； the insurgents allege that
the priests； through their refusal to take the oath； are bringing
the nation into civil war： 〃we are tired of not having peace on
their account； let them become good citizens； so that everybody may
go to mass。〃 On the strength of this； the insurgents enter houses；
put the inhabitants to ransom； not only priests and former nobles；
〃but also those who are suspected of being their partisans； those
who do not attend the mass of the constitutional priest；〃 and even
poor people； artisans and tillers of the ground； whom they tax five；
ten； twenty； and forty francs； and whose cellars and bread…bins they
empty。 Eighteen chateaux are pillaged； burnt； or demolished； and
among others； those of several gentlemen and ladies who have not
left the country。 One of these； M。 d'Humières； is an old officer of
eighty years； Madame de Peyronenc saves her son only by disguising
him as a peasant； Madame de Beauclerc； who flies across the
mountain； sees her sick child die in her arms。 At Aurillac； gibbets
are set up before the principal houses； M。 de Niossel； a former
lieutenant of a criminal court； put in prison for his safety； is
dragged out； and his severed head is thrown on a dunghill； M。
Collinet； just arrived from Malta； and suspected of being an
aristocrat； is ripped open； cut to pieces； and his head is carried
about on the end of a pike。 Finally； when the municipal officers；
judges； and royal commissioner commence proceedings against the
assassins； they find themselves in such great danger that they are
obliged to resign or to run away。 In like manner； in Haute…
Garonne；＇67＇ it is also 〃against non…jurors and their followers〃
that the insurrection has begun。 This is promoted by the fact that
in various parishes the constitutional curé belongs to the club； and
demands the riddance of his adversaries。 One of them at Saint…Jean…
Lorne； 〃mounted on a cart； preaches pillage to a mob of eight
hundred persons。〃 Each band； consequently； begins by expelling
refractory priests； and by forcing their supporters to attend the
mass of the sworn priest。 … ？But such success； wholly abstract and
barren； is of little advantage； and peasants in a state of revolt
are not satisfied so easily。 When parishes march forth by the dozen
and devote their day to the service of the public； they must have
some compensation in wood； wheat； wine； or money；＇68＇ and the
expense of the expedition may be defrayed by the aristocrats。 Not
merely the upholders of non…jurors are aristocrats； as； for example；
an old lady here and there； 〃very fanatical； and who for forty years
has devoted all her income to acts of philanthropy；〃 〃but well…to…do
persons； peasants or gentlemen；〃 for； 〃by keeping their wine and
grain unsold in their cellars and barns； and by not undertaking more
work than they need； so as to deprive workmen in the country of
their means of subsistence；〃 they design 〃to starve out〃 the poor
folk。 Thus； the greater the pillage； the greater the service to the
public。 According to the insurgents； it is important 〃to diminish
revenues enjoyed by the enemies of the nation； in order that they
may not send their revenues to Coblentz and other places out of the
kingdom。〃 Consequently； bands of six or eight hundred or a thousand
men overrun the districts of Toulouse and Castelsarrasin。 All
proprietors； aristocrats； and patriots are put under contribution。
Here； in the house of 〃the philanthropic but fanatical old maid；
they break open everything； destroy the furniture； taking away
eighty…two bushels of wheat and sixteen hogsheads of wine。〃
Elsewhere； at Roqueferrière； feudal title…deeds are burnt； and a
chateau is pillaged。 Farther on； at Lasserre； thirty thousand
francs are exacted and the ready money is all carried off。 Almost
everywhere the municipal officers； willingly or unwillingly；
authorize pillaging。 Moreover； 〃they cut down provisions to a price
in assignats very much less than their current rate in silver；〃 and
they double the price of a day's work。 In the meantime； other bands
devastate the national forests； and the gendarmes； in order not to
be called aristocrats； have no idea but of paying court to the
pillagers。
After all this； it is manifest that property no longer exists for
anybody except for paupers and robbers。 … In effect； in
Dordogne；＇69＇ under the pretext of driving away nonjuring priests；
frequently mobs gather to pillage and rob whatever comes in their
way。 。 。 。 All the grain that is found in houses with
weathercocks is sequestrated。〃 The rustics exploit； as communal
property； all the forests； all the possessions of the emigrants； and
this operation is radical； for example； a band； on finding a new
barn of which the materials strike them as good； demolish it so as
to share with each other the tiles and timber。 … In Corrèze；
fifteen thousand armed peasants； who have come to Tulle to disarm
and drive off the supporters of the non…jurors； break everything in
suspected houses； and a good deal of difficulty is found in sending
them off empty…handed。 As soon as they get back home； they sack the
chateaux of Saint…Gal； Seilhac； Gourdon； Saint…Basile； and La
Rochette； besides a number of country…houses； even of absent
plebeians。 They have found a quarry； and never was the removal of
property more comple