Notes for the Siècle de Louis XIV said to pertain to ‘page 184’ and ‘page 187’ (See OCV, vol.13C, ch.29, p.131, l.657-64, and ch.30, p.138-40, l.102-46). Voltaire writes that they are emigrants who prefer the religion of their country and who go elsewhere to seek misery or fortune, following the example of their fathers driven from France by the fatal insult done to Henry IV in the destruction of his law called the Edict of Nantes. He then turns to officers dissatisfied with the ministry, accused persons who have escaped rigorous forms of sometimes badly administered justice, and states that this is what happens in all of the countries of the earth.  The second section of the text then considers wheat. The parliament of Paris, Voltaire notes, issued a disastrous decree which forbade merchants from contracting any association for this trade and all individuals from making a heap of grain. This discouraged farmers and Monsieur [Jean-Baptiste] Colbert had no option but to buy from foreign merchants at high prices. Voltaire notes that the people were fed but the cost to the State was high. The fear of scarcity prevented the export of wheat and some intendants also boasted of inhibiting trade with neighbouring provinces. In good years, grain could only be sold by petition to the council and labourers turned away from growing corn as they knew   they could not expect a great profit from it. Voltaire claims that this was the only stain on Colbert’s ministry. The issue was not rectified until 1764 when trade in grain was made free, with only a few restrictions, similar to those used in England.