The French troops are going on here in a way to utterly ruin us.

Schmidt, their President of Justice, whom they set up in Cleve, has got orders to change all the Magistracies of the Country [Protestant by nature], so as that half the members shall be Catholic.

Bielefeld was openly plundered by the French for three hours long.

You cannot by possibility represent to yourself what the actual state of misery in these Countries is.

A SCHEFFEL of rye costs three thalers sixteen groschen [who knows how many times its natural price!].
And now we are to be forced to eat the spoiled meal those French troops brought with them; which is gone to such a state no animal would have it.