disturbance each one of them fills his pouch. Around Caux,[23] even
up to the environs of Rouen, at Roncherolles, Quévrevilly, Préaux,
Saint-Jacques, and in the entire surrounding neighborhood bands of
armed bandits force their way into the houses, particularly the
parsonages, and lay their hands on whatever they please. To the
south of Chartres "three or four hundred woodcutters, from the
forests of Bellème, chop away everything that opposes them, and
force grain to be given up to them at their own price." In the
vicinity of Étampes, fifteen bandits enter the farmhouses at night
and put the farmer to ransom, threatening him with a conflagration.
In Cambrésis they pillage the abbeys of Vauchelles, of Verger, and
of Guillemans, the château of the Marquis de Besselard, the estate
of M. Doisy, two farms, the wagons of wheat passing along the road
to Saint-Quentin, and, besides this, seven farms in Picardy. "The
seat of this revolt is in some villages bordering on Picardy and
Cambrésis, familiar with smuggling operations and to the license of
that pursuit." The peasants allow themselves to be enticed away by
the bandits. Man slips rapidly down the incline of dishonesty; one
who is half-honest, and takes part in a riot inadvertently or in
spite of himself; repeats the act, allured on by impunity or by
gain. In fact, "it is not dire necessity which impels them;" they
make a speculation of cupidity, a new sort of illicit trade. An old
soldier, saber in hand, a forest-keeper, and "about eight persons
sufficiently lax, put themselves at the head of four or five hundred
men, go off each day to three or four villages. Here they force
everybody who has any wheat to give it to them at 24 livres," and
even at 18 livres, the sack. Those among the band, who say that
they have no money, carry away their portion without payment.
Others, after having paid what they please, re-sell at a profit,
which amounts to even 45 livres the sack. This is a good business,