He need not live, but his taxes must be paid.

It required three days' work out of each week to do that; and if he had not the money when the dreaded day arrived, the tax-collector might sell his corn, his cattle, his farming implements, and his house.

But reducing whole communities to beggary was not wise, so a better way was discovered, and one which entailed no disastrous economic results.

He was flogged.

The time selected for this settling of accounts was when the busy season was over; and Stepniak tells us it was not an unusual thing for more than one thousand peasants in the winter--in a single commune--to be seen awaiting their turn to have their taxes "flogged out." Of course, before this was endured all means had been exhausted for raising the required amount.