DIGITISED MANUSCRIPTS

( 29 ) however, it must be said that, unlike Charles I. of England, he never would incur the reproach of shedding the blood of his subjects and provoking civil war. Lawlessness when unrepressed spreads like a foul contagion. It needed but the example set by the capital to hasten the fermentation in the provinces. Throughout the land the peasantry rose against their landlords, sacked and burnt their mansions, and tore up their title deeds. Riots— chiefly bread riots—broke out in the provincial cities ; the soldiery refused to act, and _ officers, officials, and bakers, were put to death by the mob. Then a great fear came over the people. They believed that brigands—mere phantoms of their fevered brains—were marching on every village and town bent on murder and plunder, and the most harrowing scenes ensued. As in Paris, the . citizens formed themselves into National Guards to enforce order. It was obvious that the ancient machinery of the State was no longer able to cope with the new-born forces of the democracy, and that anarchy was bound to result from the confu- sion of the administration and government of the country. Under these circumstances, at Versailles, in a single night, on the 4th of August, the Assembly abolished the entire privileges of the nobility and clergy, and proclaimed the equality