Multitudes fled from those rural districts where bread cost five sous a pound to the happy place where bread was to be had for two sous a pound.

It was necessary to drive the famished crowds back by force from the barriers, and to denounce the most terrible punishments against all who should not go home and starve quietly.

[468] Lewis was sensible that the strength of France had been overstrained by the exertions of the last campaign.

Even if her harvest and her vintage had been abundant, she would not have been able to do in 1694 what she had done in 1693; and it was utterly impossible that, in a season of extreme distress, she should again send into the field armies superior in number on every point to the armies of the coalition.

New conquests were not to be expected.