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the origins of contemporary france-2-第85章

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miscreants add terror to compulsion。  They erect gibbets for any one

that pays casual duties or annual dues; while the parishes of Quercy

threaten their neighbors of Perigord with fire and sword in a week's

time if they do not do in Perigord as they have done in Quercy。  …

The tocsin rings; the drums beat; and 〃the ceremony 〃 is performed

from commune to commune。  The keys of the church are forcibly taken

from the curé the seats are burned; and; frequently; the woodwork

marked with the seigneur's arms。  They march to the seigneur's

mansion; tear down his weathercocks; and compel him to furnish his

finest tree; together with feathers and ribbons with which to deck

it; without omitting the three measures which he uses in the

collection of his dues in grain or flour。  The maypole is planted in

the village square; and the weathercocks; ribbons; and feathers are

attached to its top; together with the three measures and this

inscription; 〃By order of the King and National Assembly; the final

quittance for all rentals。〃 When this is done it is evident that the

seigneur; who no longer possesses weathercocks; or a seat in the

church; or measures to rate his dues by; is no longer a seigneur;

and can no longer put forth claims of any kind。  Huzzahs and

acclamations accordingly burst forth; and there is a revel and an

orgy on the public square。  All who can pay  …  the seigneur; the

curé; and the rich  …  are put under contribution for the festival;

while the people eat and drink 〃without any interval of sobriety。〃

…  In this condition; being armed; they strike; and when resistance

is offered; they burn。  In Agénois; a chateau belonging to M。 de

Lameth; and another of M。 d'Aiguillon; in Upper Languedoc; that of

M。 de Bournazel; and in Perigord that of M。 de Bar; are burnt down:



M。 de Bar is almost beaten to death; while six others are killed in

Quercy。  A number of chateaux in the environs of Montauban and in

Limousin are assaulted with firearms; and several are pillaged。  …

Bands of twelve hundred men swarm the country; 〃they have a spite

against every estate;〃 they redress wrongs; 〃they try over again

cases disposed of thirty years ago; and give judgments which they

put into execution。〃  …  If anybody fails to conform to the new code

he is punished; and to the advantage of the new sovereigns。  In

Agénois; a gentleman having paid the rent which was associated with

his fief the people take his receipt from him; mulct him in a sum

equal to that which he paid; and come under his windows to spend the

money on good cheer; in triumph and with derision。



Many of the National Guards who still possess some degree of energy;

several of the municipalities which still preserve some love of

order; and a number of the resident gentry; employ their arms

against these excited swarms of brutal usurpers。  Some of the

ruffians; taken in the act; are judged somewhat after the fashion of

a drum…head court…martial; and immediately executed as examples。

Everybody in the country sees that the peril to society is great and

urgent; and that if such acts go unpunished; there will be no such

thing as law and property in France。  The Bordeaux parliament;

moreover; insists upon prosecutions。  Eighty…three boroughs and

cities sign addresses; and send a special deputation to the National

Assembly to urge on prosecutions already commenced; the punishment

of criminals under arrest; and; above all; the maintenance of the

prév?tés。'65' In reply to this; the Assembly inflicts upon the

parliament of Bordeaux its disapprobation in the rudest manner; and

enters upon the demolition of every judicial corporation。'66'  After

this; the execution of all prévotal decisions is adjourned。  A few

months later the Assembly will oblige the King to declare that the

proceedings begun against the jacquerie of Brittany shall be

regarded as null and void; and that the arrested insurgents shall be

set free。  For repressive purposes; it dispatches a sentimental

exhortation to the French people; consisting of twelve pages of

literary insipidity; which Florian might have composed for his

Estilles and his Nemorins。'67'  …  New conflagrations; as an

inevitable consequence; kindle around live coals which have been

imperfectly extinguished。  In the district of Saintes;'68' M。

Dupaty; counselor of the parliament of Bordeaux; after having

exhausted mild resources; and having concluded by issuing writs

against those of his tenantry who would not pay their rents; the

parish of Saint…Thomas de Cosnac; combined with five or six others;

puts itself in motion and assails his two chateaux of Bois…Roche and

Saint…George…des…Agouts; these are plundered and then set on fire;

his son escaping through a volley of musket…balls。  They visit

Martin; the notary and steward; in the same fashion; his furniture

is pillaged and his money is taken; and 〃his daughter undergoes the

most frightful outrages。〃 Another detachment pushes on to the house

of…the Marquis de Cumont; and forces him; under the penalty of

having his house burnt down; to give a discharge for all the claims

he has upon them。  At the head of these incendiaries are the

municipal officers of Saint…Thomas; except the mayor; who has taken

to flight。



The electoral system organized by the Constituent Assembly is

beginning to take effect。  〃Almost everywhere;〃 writes the royal

commissioner; 〃the large proprietors have been eliminated; and the

offices have been filled by men who strictly fulfill the conditions

of eligibility。  The result is a sort of rage of the petty rich to

annoy those who enjoy large heritages。〃  …  Six months later; the

National Guards and village authorities in this same department at

Aujean; Migron; and Varaise; decide that no more tithes; agriers or

champarts; nor any of the dues which are retained; shall be paid。

In vain does the department annul the decision; and send its

commissioners; gendarmes; and law…officers。  The commissioners are

driven away; and the officers and gendarmes are fired upon; the

vice…president of the district; who was on his way to make his

report to the department; is seized on the road and forced to give

in his resignation。  Seven parishes have coalesced with Aujean and

ten with Migron; Varaise has sounded the tocsin; and the villages

for four leagues round have risen; fifteen hundred men; armed with

guns; scythes; hatchets and pitchforks; lend their aid。  The object

is to set free the principal leader at Varaise; one Planche; who was

arrested; and to punish the mayor of Varaise; Latierce; who is

suspected of having denounced Planche。  Latierce is unmercifully

beaten; and 〃forced to undergo a thousand torments during thirty

hours;〃 then they set out with him to Saint…Jean…d'Angely; and

demand the release of Planche。  The municipality at first refuses;

but finally consents on the condition that Latierce be given up in

exchange for him。  Planche; consequently; is set at liberty and

welcomed with shouts of triumph。  Latierce; however; is not given

up; on the contrary; he is tormented for an hour and then massacred;

while the directory of the district; which is less submissive than

the municipal body; is forced to fly。  …  Symptoms of this kind are

not to be mistaken; and similar ones exist in Brittany。  It is

evident that the minds of the people are permanently in revolt。

Instead of the social abscess being relieved by the discharge; it is

always filling up and getting more inflamed。  It will burst a second

time in the same places; in 1791 as in 1790; the jacquerie spreads

throughout Brittany as it has spread over Limousin。



This is because the determination of the peasant is of another

nature than ours; his will being more firm and tenacious。  When an

idea obtains a hold on him it takes root in an obscure and profound

conviction upon which neither discussion nor argument have any

effect; once planted; it vegetates according to his notions; not

according to ours; and no legislative text; no judicial verdict; no

administrative remonstrance can change in any respect the fruit it

produces。  This fruit; developed during centuries; is the feeling of

an excessive plunder; and; consequently; the need of an absolute

release。  Too much having been paid to everybody; the peasant now is

not disposed to pay anything to anybody; and this idea; vainly

repressed; always rises up in the manner of an instinct。  …  In the

month of January; 1791;'69' bands again form in Brittany; owing to

the proprietors of the ancient fiefs having insisted on the payment

of their rents。  At first the coalesced parishes refuse to pay the

stewards; and after this the rustic National Guards enter the

chateaux to constrain the proprietors。  Generally; it is the

commander of the National Guard; and sometimes the communal

attorney; who dictates to the lord of the manor the renunciation of

his claims; they oblige him; moreover; to sign notes for the b
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