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his claims； they oblige him； moreover； to sign notes for the benefit
of the parish； or for that of various private individuals。 This is
considered by them to be compensation for damages； all feudal dues
being abolished； he must return what he received from them during
the past year； and as they have been put to inconvenience he must
indemnify them by 〃paying them for their time and journey。〃 Such are
the operations of two of the principal bands； one of them numbering
fifteen hundred men； around Dinan and St。 Malo； for greater
security they burn title…deeds in the chateaux of Saint…Tual； Besso；
Beaumanoir； La Rivière； La Bellière； Chateauneuf； Chenay；
Chausavoir； Tourdelon； and Chalonge； and as a climax they set fire
to Chateauneuf just before the arrival of the regular troops。 … In
the beginning； a dim conception of legal and social order seems to
be floating in their brains； at Saint…Tual； before taking 2；000
livres from the steward； they oblige the mayor to give them his
consent in writing； at Yvignac； their chief； called upon to show the
authority under which he acted； declares that 〃he is authorized by
the general will of the populace of the nation。〃＇70＇ … But when； at
the end of a month； they are beaten by the regular troops； made
furious by the blows given and taken； and excited by the weakness of
the municipal authorities who release their prisoners； they then
become bandits of the worst species。 During the night of the 22nd
of February； the chateau of Villefranche； three leagues from
Malestroit； is attacked。 Thirty…two rascals with their faces
masked； and led by a chief in the national uniform； break open the
door。 The domestics are strangled。 The proprietor； M。 de la
Bourdonnaie； an old man； with his wife aged sixty； are half killed
by blows and tied fast to their bed； and after this a fire is
applied to their feet and they are warmed （chauffé）。 In the
meantime the plate； linen； stuffs； jewelry； two thousand francs in
silver； and even watches； buckles； and rings； … everything is
pillaged； piled on the backs of the eleven horses in the stables；
and carried off。 … ？When property is concerned； one sort of
outrage provokes another； the narrow cupidity of the lease…holder
being completed by the unlimited rapacity of the brigand。
Meanwhile； in the south…western provinces； the same causes have
produced the same results； and towards the end of autumn； when the
crops are gathered in and the proprietors demand their dues in money
or in produce； the peasant； immovably fixed in his idea； again
refuses。＇71＇ In his eyes； any law that may be against him is not
that of the National Assembly； but of the so…called seigneurs； who
have extorted or manufactured it； and therefore it is null。 The
department and district administrators may promulgate it as much as
they please： it does not concern him； and if the opportunity occurs；
he knows how to make them smart for it。 The village National
Guards； who are lease…holders like himself； side with him； and
instead of repressing him give him their support。 As a
commencement； he replants the maypoles； as a sign of emancipation；
and erects the gibbet by way of a threat。 … In the district of
Gourdon； the regulars and the police having been sent to put them
down； the tocsin is at once sounded： a crowd of peasants； amounting
to four or five thousand； arrives from every surrounding parish；
armed with scythes and guns； the soldiers； forming a body of one
hundred； retire into a church； where they capitulate after a siege
of twenty…four hours； being obliged to give the names of the
proprietors who demanded their intervention of the district； and who
are Messrs。 Hébray； de Fontange； and many others。 All their houses
are destroyed from top to bottom； and they effect their escape in
order not to be hung。 The chateaux of Repaire and Salviat are
burned。 At the expiration of eight days Quercy is in flames and
thirty chateaux are destroyed。 … The leader of a band of rustic
National Guards； Joseph Linard； at the head of a village army；
penetrates into Gourdon； installs himself in the H？tel…de…Ville；
declares himself the people's protector against the directory of the
district； writes to the department in the name of his 〃companions in
arms；〃 and vaunts his patriotism。 Meanwhile he commands as a
conqueror； throws open the prisons； and promises that； if the
regular troops and police be sent off； he and his companions will
withdraw in good order。 … This species of tumultuous authority；
however； instituted by acclamation for attack； is powerless for
resistance。 Scarcely has Linard retired when savagery is let loose。
〃A price is set upon the heads of the administrators； their houses
are the first devastated； all the houses of wealthy citizens are
pillaged； and the same is the case with all chateaux and country
habitations which display any signs of luxury。〃 … Fifteen
gentlemen； assembled together at the house of M。 d'Escayrac； in
Castel； appeal to all good citizens to march to the assistance of
the proprietors who may be attacked in this jacquerie； which is
spreading everywhere；＇72＇ but there are too few proprietors in the
country； and none of the towns have too many of them for their own
protection。 M。 d'Escayrac； after a few skirmishes； abandoned by the
municipal officers of his village； and wounded； withdraws to the
house of the Comte de Clarac； a major…general； in Languedoc。 Here；
too； the chateau； is surrounded；＇73＇ blockaded； and besieged by the
local National Guard。 M。 de Clarac descends and tries to hold a
parley with the attacking party； and is fired upon。 He goes back
inside and throws money out of the window； the money is gathered up；
and he is again fired upon。 The chateau is set on fire； and M。
d'Escayrac receives five shots； and is killed。 M。 de Clarac； with
another person； having taken refuge in a subterranean vault； are
taken out almost stifled the next morning but one by the National
Guard of the vicinity； who conduct them to Toulouse； where they are
kept in prison and where the public prosecutor takes proceedings
against them。 The chateau of Bagat； near Montcuq； is demolished at
the same time。 The abbey of Espagnac； near Figeac； is assaulted
with fire…arms； the abbess is forced to refund all rents she has
collected； and to restore four thousand livres for the expenses of a
trial which the convent had gained twenty years before。
After such successes； the extension of the revolt is inevitable； and
at the end of some weeks and months it becomes permanent in the
three neighboring departments。 … In Creuse；＇74＇ the judges are
threatened with death if they order the payment of seignorial dues；
and the same fate awaits all proprietors who claim their rents。 In
many places； and especially in the mountains； the peasants；
〃considering that they form the nation； and that clerical
possessions are national；〃 want to have these divided amongst
themselves； instead of their being sold。 Fifty parishes around La
Souterraine receive incendiary letters inviting them to come in arms
to the town； in order to secure by force； and by staking their
lives； the production of all titles to rentals。 The peasants； in a
circle of eight leagues； are all stirred up by the sound of the
tocsin； and preceded by the municipal officers in their scarves；
there are four thousand of them； and they drag with them a wagon
full of arms： this is for the revision and re…constitution of the
ownership of the soil。 … In Dordogne；＇75＇ self…appointed
arbitrators interpose imperiously between the proprietor and the
small farmer； at the time of harvest； to prevent the proprietor from
claiming； and the farmer from paying； the tithes or the réve；＇76＇
any agreement to this end is forbidden； whoever shall transgress the
new order of things； proprietor or farmer； shall be hung。
Accordingly； the rural militia in the districts of Bergerac；
Excideuil； Ribérac； Mucidan； Montignac； and Perigueux； led by the
municipal officers； go from commune to commune in order to force the
proprietors to sign an act of withdrawal； and these visits 〃are
always accompanied with robberies； outrages； and ill…treatment from
which there is no escape but in absolute submission。〃 Moreover；
〃they demand the abolition of every species of tax and the partition
of the soil。 〃 … It is impossible for 〃proprietors moderately
rich 〃 to remain in the country； on all sides they take refuge in
Perigueux； and there； organizing in companies； along with the
gendarmerie and the National Guard of the town； overrun the cantons
to restore order。 But there is no way of persuading the peasantry
that it is order which they wish to restore。 With that stubbornness
of the imagination which no obstacle arrests； and which； like a
vigorous spring； always finds some outlet； the people declare that
〃the gendarmes and National Guard〃 who come to restrain them 〃are