afterwards by Bernardine the Monk with the Eucharist 27. Eric Glipping the Son of King Christopher being possessed of his Fathers Scepter Lived one of the most Leudest and Debauchest Lives Imaginable committing all manner of Sacriledges Murders Oppressions and Whoredoms till he was Assassinated with Fifty six some say Seventy Wounds as he was Sleeping one Night in a Barn at Findetorp a small Vilage in the Bishoprick of Wiberg by seven Ruffians hired to Kill him by Andrew Soiget Marshal of Denmark whose Wife he had Ravished and some others of the Nobility in the year 1286. and was Succeeded by 28. Eric Menved Glippings Son who was as good and Pious a Prince as his Father was Impious and Wicked being preserved by Providence from the Death and Murder which was Plotted by the Conspiraters against his Fathers Life He Dyed peaceably as he had Lived in the year 1319. was Buryed at Ringstad and Succeeded by his Brother 29. Christopher the Second much unlike his Predecessor being a Cruel Perfidious Unfortunate and Sloathful Prince a Hater of all and Hated by all Having lingred out a Reign of Thirteen years in 1333 he Dyed at Niccoping in the Isle of Falster being forsaken of all neglected and unpittyed After this Princes Death there was an Inter-regnum of fifteen years but the Danes growing Sensible of the confusions they lay under for want of a Head resolved to Settle 30. Waldemar the Third King King Christophers Son upon the Throne of his Father He pull'd down the Usurpers and Recollected the scatter'd Members of the Realm without much Molestation He is said to have been a Prince endued with all those Great Qualities that can adorn a Throne When Pope Gregory the 11th threatned to Excommunicate him for his saucy Behaviour in the Stile of the See of Rome he returned this Answer Waldemar King of Denmark c. To the Bishop of Rome Sendeth Greeting We hold our Life from God our Kingdom from our Subjects our Riches from our Parents and our Faith from thy Predecessor which if thou wilt not Grant us any longer We do by these Presents Resigne Farewell He Dyed in the year 1378. and was Buryed by his Father at Sora and Succeeded by his Daughter 31. Margaret who was Crowned Queen of Denmark upon the Death of her Father and Sway'd the Scepter with more Prudence and Conduct than any of her Predecessors she taking in one Campaign Albert King of Sweeden Rodulph Arch-Bishop of Scharen the Duke of Mecklenburg and the Earl of Holstein and Reppin Prisoners she Dyed a great Friend to Religion and Patroness to the Clergy and was Buryed at Roschild in the year 1412. Her Father was used to say That Nature intended her for a Man but Spoiled her in the making She left the Crown to 32. Eric the Son of Vratislaw the Seventh Duke of Pomeren her Great Nephew who having Reigned many years like a cruel Tyrant was at length constrained to abandon his Throne and Fly from the Fury of his Incens'd Nobility into Gothland taking with him a vast Treasure and one Cicilia his Miss who by the Influence she had over him brought him to that wretched condition 33. Christopher Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine another of King Waldemars great Grand Children succeeding Eric in the Kingdoms of Denmark Norway and Sweeden His sway was short but Glorious and successful more especially prosperous in his Warrs against the Rebells in Juitland and the Hans-Towns He died without Issue at Helsingburg in the year 1447. 34. Christian 1. Theodoric Count of Oldenburgs Son was chosen King of Denmark upon the Death of King Christopher he had all the Royal Quallities that can Illustrate a Throne He reduced the Sweeds to their Allegiance who had Revolted from the Crown of Denmark in the begining of His Reign added Holstein to His Dominions made Himself Duke of Dithmars and Stormar and having swayed the Scepter Three and Thirty years He Died in Peace in the year 1481. and was Buried a in Chappel of his own Building at Roschild leaving his Scepture to 35. John his Son who was a Generous Valiant and Pious Prince and very prosperous in almost all His undertakings He Died of the Plague at Olburg in the year 1513. 36. Christian the 2d his Son succeeded Him who was the greatest Tyrant not only that ever swayed the Scepter of Denmark but perhaps that ever any other Nation did produce He is said to have been Born with one Hand grasp'd which when the Midwife open'd she found full of Blood Thus when by the Barbarity and Cruelty of his Reign He had been compelled to abandon the possession of Three Kingdoms and had underwent the Miseries of Banishment and Imprisonment for six and Thirty years He Died wretchedly in the Castle of Kallenburg in Zealand in the year 1559. and was succeeded by his Uncle 37. Federic the 1. King John's Brother Immediately after his Coronation He began to Introduce the Augsburg Confession into all the Churches of Denmark He swayed the Septer almost Ten years in Peace and quietness and Died at Sleswig in the year 1533. 38. Christian the Third Fredericks Son Succeeded his Father He compleated the Reformation which his Father had begun in the Church is celebrated for all the Christian and Royal Vertues that a Prince can stand possessed off His Reign having been exceeding Happy both to himself and his Subjects he left the Scepter to his Son 39. Frederick the II. who was a Religious Observer of the Steps of his Father and after a prosperous Reign of Nine and Twenty Years Died in his Pallace at Anderscow in the year 1587. and had for his Successor 40. Christian the IV. who before his Fathers Burial was chosen and soon after Crowned King of Denmark During his Reign Ferdinand the II. Emperour of Germany over-run the greatest part of the Cimbrian Chersonese and had almost Subdued the whole Kingdom of Denmark but King Christian using his last efforts constrained the Imperalists to retire and made an Honourable Peace he Died in the year 1648. and was Succeeded by 41. Frederick the Third his Son About the middle of this Princes Reign his Crown had like to have been taken of his Head by the Victorious Charles Gustave King of Sweeden who had reduced him to that Extremity as that he had nothing more left then his Town of Copenhaguen but the Emperonr King of Poland and other Nothern Princes confederating together the King of Sweeden was compelled to the Treaty at Roschild which nevertheless stripped Denmark of many of it's best holds and Provinces Yet the Crown received this advantage as to be made Heriditary in the present Family and the People instead of many Tyrants which they had in the Nobles no more one Master He Dyed of a Feaver the twenty fifth day of February 1669. and that Night the Nobility Swore Allegiance to the New King 42. Chrstian Fifth now Reigning Anactive and Valiant Prince was Born on the 18th of
and Distributing it where due and Inviolable observers of their Words and Contracts The Bulck and Stature of the Bodies of the Danes does in somewise suit with the Grandure of their minds and tho the Luxury of the Age has so far prevailed in Denmark as to quash the growth of their Modern Danes in respect of their Ancestors yet they be still more Large Strong Vigorous and long Liv'd than most or any of their Neighbours They are generally fair Complexion'd their Hair something inclined to Yellow Their common Food is on Corn Fish and all manner of Tame and Wild Beasts that are Mans Meat which they have in great abundance And amongst their many kind of Fowl they have greater store of Wood-Cocks than any other Countrey whatsoever The Old Liquor of Denmark was Oel Ale or Beer made of Malt and Water and is still their common and most general Drink And tho Wine has now obtain'd much among them yet perhaps their excess therein has Curtailed much of their pristine Vigour and that had they kept constant and solely to their Oel it might have spirited them to as great Actions as those of their Predecessors As for the Danish Language it is only a distinct Dialogue of the Teutonick the High-Dutch Sweedish Norwegion Flandrian and English being no more and all Derived from one Mother Tongue As for the Government of Denmark without dwelling upon the Fabulous stories of King Dan it is Evidently to be made out that it was a Monarchy in the Consultship of Catulus and Marius near a hundred years before Christ after which we have an account of one Gothrick King of the Danes in the time of the Emperour Charles Magne from whom the present King of Denmark is Descended in a Lineal Succession though some Authors do affirm that the Ancient Line failed in the Death of King Christopher the 3d. The Crown of Denmark it self was Elective untill the year 1660. Nevertheless the Senatours generally chose the Eldest Son of their Soveraign who from that time forth was Stiled the Prince and the other of the Kings Sons the Dukes and Heirs of Norway Now their Election in former times was performed after a very Solemn manner for as many of the Nobles as were Senatours and had Power of Voting and giving their suffrages having pitcht upon some Commodious place in the Fields where having placed themselves in a Circle upon so many great Stones they past their Votes and having Seated their new Elected Soveraign in the middle upon a Stone Higher than the Rest they Saluted Him King There being to this Day in Zealand such a company of Stones which bear the Name of King-Seat But after the Crown of Denmark had been thus Elective for above Two Hundred years in the present Oldenburg Family the chief Power of Election as I said being in the Nobility those Nobles took this means and occasion to Capitulate advantages to themselves as Previous and Preliminary Conditions to the Election which every succeeding King was forced to comply with to the Curtailing Dispoiling and Weakning of the Crown and to the prejudice and disadvantage of the other Orders of the Kingdom insomuch that none but a Noble Man could Buy Purchase or possess in his own Right any Seigniory or Mannour A Cittizen or Burgher was not capable of purchasing more than a House and perhaps a Guarden and an Orchard or some such slender business The Lands and Revenues of the Crown were let our to Noble Men it may be not to the Third often not to the Fourth part of what they were really worth and yet the King could not raise the Old Rents tho the Nobles in the mean while kept the under-tennents Chewing upon a rack Rent The Pesants in the Danish Island were Villains Reguardant to the Mannors of Noble Men. All publick Offices and advancements were Monopolized by the Nobility And meer merit without the Circumstances of Nobility of Extraction and Grandure of State was excluded all Countenance Protection and Preferment Thus the Crown of Denmark which shown with so much Lustre Renown and Glory in former Ages was Dwindled almost into an Aristocrasie and hardly the shaddow of what it had been some Centuries before But upon the Occasion of a Warr between Carolus Gustavus King of Sweeden and Frederick the 3d. King of Denmark in the Year 1660. Great Priviledges were proposed and conferred upon the Burgers of Copenhagen the better to Encourage them to stand the more Valiantly in Defence of their King and Countrey least the Prospect of mending their Circumstances under a new Master should prevail with them to abandon their Old Now the Priviledges Established in that juncture were an equal admission to Offices and Honours according to the Deserts and Capacities of them and their Children a Power of Purchasing Lands and Lordships with the same Rights as the Nobles Copenhagen to be one of the Estates of the Kingdom and to have a Suffrage in all publick Councels and Resolves and the Crown turn'd from Elective to Hereditary and so freed from the Guardianship of the Nobility Thus that juncture how Menacing soever it seemed to the whole Realm of Denmark yet proved of such advantage as to rein-state the King in all that Power that was necessary for the Defending of His Dominions against the Invasions and Insults of Forreigners and the Oppressions and Usurpations of one fellow Subject upon an other Thus the Complexion of that Government is much more Vigorous and there is a better Circulation of the Blessings to be Enjoyed under a happy Sway since this Reformation than had been for some Ages before under several Reigns together The account of the Kings of Denmark before the Planting of Christianity in that Country will be found a difficult matter to be Stated their Chronicles before that time being for the most part feign'd and fabulous as well as that of other Nations But according to the most careful Judicious and Modestest Relations of that matter we shall set down the following Catalogue 1. Harald being forced to Fly his Kingdom by the Accomplices of his Brother Reinferd had recourse to the Emperour Ludowick for Succour who Furnished him with Forces for the Reinstating him in his Kingdom but upon Condition he would abandon his Heathenisme and be Converted to Christianity Accordingly he was Baptized in the year 826 and was forthwith set again upon his Throne But not long after he turn'd Idolater again adn so remained till he was prevailed with to Renounce it by St. Angchar 2. Eric Succeeded his Brother Harald and though he had been Baptized with him at the Emperours Court yet he persecuted the Christians with the same Cruelty as his Brother had done in the time of his Relapse During his Reign namely about the year 853. the Danes are said to have first Invaded France under the Conduct of their General Rollo though others would have Gotfrid to have made the first Eruption into that Kingdom and that Rollo did not
enter France till the year 876. and was not Established peaceably in Normandy till 889. or 890. 3. Eric Barn or the Child being the only Male left alive of the Royal Family after the Bloody Wars between Eric and Guthorn King of Norway But he had not been long upon the Throne before he Renewed the Persecution upon the Christians with more Cruelty then his Prodecessors had done destroying more Churches Bishops and Religious Houses then all the other Danish Kings put together He Prosecuted his Wars in Germany with great Gallantry and Conduct Slaying with his own Hands Bruno Duke of Saxony and Twelve Counts He Departed this Life in the year 902. 4. Canutus Lodneknut or the Hairy Succeeded his Father Eric In his time every Third Man in Denmark went to seek his Fortune and those who went away thus upon these Expeditions over-run all Prusia Courland Semgal and other Countries where they Established themselves and where their Posterity remain unto this day He Dyed a Pagan in the year 912. And was Succeeded by 5. Frotho his Son though some say Sueno his Brother Reigned Nine years He was twenty years King of England and Denmark being Converted to Christianity in England and Dyed a zealous Christian his next Successors was 6. Gormo Gormund or Guthram Surnaned Hartesnute and Engelander because Born in England He with his Attendants was Baptized at Aalâ—e in Somersetshire our Learned and Pious King Alfred being his Godfather and gave him the Name of Athelstanes and the Kingdom of the East-Angles 7. Harald Surnamed Blaat and Succeeded his Father Gormo In his days did the Danes make that Famous Trench between Gottorp and Sleswick called Dannewerk 8. Sueno or Suenotho Surnamed Tuiskeg that is Fork'd Beard Succeeded Harald At his first coming to the Crown he was a Pagan and Exercised great Cruelty upon the Christians but was afterwards Converted to Christianity and Erected three Bishopricks at Sleswick Ripen and Arhusen He is by some said to have Dyed in the year 1012. and was Buryed at York Others in 1014. and Intombed in Denmark 9. Canutus the Great Son to Sueno He was at once King of England Denmark Sweeden Norway Slavonia and Sambland some say too King or Duke of Normandy He was Buryed at Winchester in the year 1036. after he had been Seaven and twenty years King of Denmark twenty four of England and Seaven of Norway and was Suoceeded in the Crown of Denmark by his Son 10. Hardi-Cnute who within four years obtained the Kingdom of England upon the Death of his Brother Harald He Dyed in England in the year 1041. and was Buryed by his Father in the Cathedral of Winchester 11. Magnus King of Norway possessed himself of the Crown of Denmark by main force upon the Death of Hardi-Cnute pretending a Contract that Entituled him to it but had it not long in possession He Dyed in the year 1048. and left the Crown to 12. Sueno Esthret Son of one Vlf an English Earl He Departed this Life in the year 1074. and left behind him five Sons who all of them Enjoyed Successively their Fathers Crown 13. Harald Sueno's Eldest Son Swayed the Scepter no longer then two years being an easie efferninate timerous Prince So that the English laid hold of the Juncture shook off the Danish Yoak without any great trouble 14. St. Canutus the Second Son of King Swain in the year 1088. was Inhumanly Murdered by his own Subject at St. Albans Church in Odensee a City in the Isle of Funen which he had made his Sanctuary Now his Brother Olaf longing for the Crown Fomented a Rebellion against Canutus and effected his designs by the means of the Kings commanding his Subjects to pay Tyths according to the Custom of other Nations And this Fomented the People into such a Rage by Olafs practises that nothing could appease but their Soveraigns Martyrdome 15. Olaf the Third Son of Swain upon the Assassination of St. Canutus was Unanimously Declared King by his Partizans But he and the whole Kingdom were not long before they received their just Punishment for that Execrable Crime of Murdering their Prince for Heaven was pleas'd to send so great a Famine over all Denmark that the Kings own Family wanted Bread Olaf well knowing his Crimes had brought that Judgment upon the Realm offered up his Prayers to God that he would be pleased to divert the Stream of his Vengeance from off the People upon his Head that had offended Whereupon the very same Night he Dyed Hungry and Wretched in the year 1096 and the Famine forthwith abated 16. Eric Swains Fourth Son Surnamed the Good for his Religious Zeal and Piety Dyed in his Pilgrimage towards Jerusalem and was Buried in the Isle of Cyprus in the year 1106. during his Reign Lunden in Schonen was made an Arch-Bishops See all the Danish Bishops being before that time under the Jurisdiction of the Arch-Bishop of Brement 17. Nicholas Suenos's youngest Son Succeeded his Brother but was Slain in the year 1135. by the Jutes in Revenge of the Death of Chute Duke of Flanders whom he had caused to be Assassinated in the Church 18. Eric Emund a good Religious Prince Succeeded his Uncle Nicarlus in the year 1130. was in his own Pallace Inhumanly Assassinated by one Plagsorte a Nobleman of Juitland 19. Eric Lamb Succeeded his Unckle Eric Emund But after a while laid down his Crown and retired into a Monastry at Odensce in Funen where he departed this Life in the year 1147. 20. Swain Gratenhede Eric Emunds Son got the Crown upon the Death of his Kinsman Eric Lamb. Three Kings of Denmark were at the same time in this Princes days One part of the People being for Cnute King Nicholas's Grand-Child another for Waldemar Son to Cnute Duke of Flanders After some Rancounters and Combates wherein both Swain and Cnute were Killed the whole Realm was Swayed by 21. Waldemar Surnamed the Great who was Soveraign of all the Countries on the North of the Elb and Departed this Life in the year 1182. Leaving the Crown to his Son 22. Cnutes who shewed great Conduct and Gallantry in his Wars with the German Emperour who demanded Homage of the Kings of Denmark He Dyed at Ringsted in the year 1202. 23. Waldemar the Second Succeeded his Brother He new Modelled the Danish Government Subdued Norway overcame and put to Flight the Emperour Otto who meant to render himself Master of Holstein and having Sway'd the Scepter Victoriously for Thirty Nine Years he Dyed Anno Dom. 1241. and was Succeeded by 24. Eric Plog-penning his Son who was taken at Sleswick and Slain by his Brother 25. Abel who having Reigned two years after a Wicked manner was then Assassinated by Rebels in the year 1252. and was Succeeded by his Brother 26. Christophers who having Lived in a continual War with his own Rebellious Subjects is said to have been Poysoned in the year 1259. by Arnefast Bishop of Arhusen as the Emperour Henry the Seventh was
Ancient Danes were so Zealous to have their Estates enjoyed by the right Heirs that they punished Adultery with Death which Law is still in force in Sweeden Saxony and many other Parts of Germany The Danes used formerly and do still in some parts of Juitland to Assemble every Parish by themselves once a Year in the Fields to Determine all Controversies by Twelve Select Men from whom an Appeal lay to the Judge of the Province upon the inreconciliation of the Parties and thence to the Supream Court of Justices and this custome of a Jury of Twelve Men was undoubtedly derived to the English from the Danes But the Heathen Danes did likewise determine Controversies by Duels wherein the Justice of the Cause was Demonstrated by the success But Christianity Abolished this Custome when one Loppo upon its first Planting for the confirming the truth of His Doctrine took up with his bare Hands Glowing-Hot Barrs of Iron without the least Harm to the Admiration of all the Beholders This Miracle wrought a change both in the Religion and Laws of the Realm for King Sweno Ordered that thence forward all Persons accused of any Hainous Crime should clear themselves by carrying in their Hands a Glowing Plow-share or some other piece of Hot Iron This kind of purging is called by some of the Danish Writers Jerntegn i. e. Iron-token by others Ordale Our Saxon Ancestours borrowed from the Danes several kinds of Ordale as by carrying a Barr of Hot Iron up to the High Alter Bare-Hand by Treading Bare-foot and Blindfold over a certain number of Glowing Barrs laid on the ground at unequal distance by thrusting the Naked Arm into a pot of Boyling Water and lastly as they use to try Witches by throwing the accused Party into a River or deep Vessel of cold Water The First that throughly Abolished all kinds of Ordale in Denmark was King Waldemar the Second about the year 1240. at the request of Pope Innocent the Third The Coines in use in Denmark are Duccates of Gold of the value of two Rixdollers or Crowns of Gold of the value either of Eighteen or Nineteen Marks or the double of these The lesser Danish Coyns are 1. Huide whereof three make one of their Shillings 2. Soslinger whereof two make one Shilling 3. Shilling whereof sixteen make a Mark. 4. A mark which is the fourth part of a Slet Dollar 5. A Rix-Dollar which is Six Marks or ninety fix Shillings At the Solemnization of Weddings Christnings and Buryals in Denmark they spare no expences to seem Noble and Magnificent sometimes rather than want a Splendid Funeral for their Relations they keep the 〈◊〉 Corps for several years and in the mean while scrape and heap up as much Money as will maintain the pomp of its Funeral And now I shall proceed to the Topographical Description of each particular Place and Province of the King of Denmarks Dominions The Cimbrick Chersonese hath on the East the Baltick Sea on the West the main German Ocean on the North a part of the bending into the narrow Streight called the Delt on the South with the great River of Albis on the South-East with the small River of Trave it was so called from the Kempers Men of Vast Bodies and Strength and whom the Romans called Cimbri the Greeks Cimmeri and their Country Chersonesus Cimbrica which Name was given to the whole Tract of Land beyond the Elb the latter Historians confine it to that part only which now goeth under the Name of Juitland It is in length about 100 Italian Miles and 80 in Breadth and comprehendeth in that extent of Ground 33 Walled Towns six Episcopal Sees besides those of Hamburg and Lubeck which are under the Arch Bishops of Bremen and 20 Royal Castles and Pallaces It is at present divided into the Dukedom of Holstein and the Province of Juitland The Dukedome of Holstein went under the General Name of Nortablingia or the Country beyond the Elb Northwards and containeth those four Provinces 1. Wagerland 2. Diâ—marse 3. Stormar 4. Holest or Holstein Specially so called from the Dutch word Holst which signifies a Wood or Forrest according to the Nature of the Country Wagerland is that part of Holstein which lyes on the South-East of this Chersonesus and so called from the Wagriane a Tribe or Nation of the Selaves who possessed this tract The Chief Towns are 1. Lubeck pleasantly Seated on the Confluence of the Trave and the Billow the River being capable of Ships of a Thousand Tun This is an Imperial and Hanse Town driving a vast Trade being Reckoned to have about 600 Ships of all sorts some of a Thousand Tun and upwards it is one of the best Built and most Beautiful Cities of all Germany being in compass about six Miles Fortified with a double Wall deep Ditches and unfordable Rivers It was made so Head-strong by the Priviledges conferred upon it by the Dukes of Holstein that it bid defiance to its Soveraign and became a Dukedom of its self Tho the Kings of Denmark have ever continued their Claim and it 's thought the present Prince has now a designe of Vigorously Executing his Pretentions 2. Segeburg on the River Trave four Dutch Miles from Lubeck and near the Head of that River 3. Oldeslo on the same River in the midst betwixt both 4. Gronneberg and 5. Newkirk on the Baltick-Shore And 6. Stendorp more within the Land near the Edge of a Lake out of which runs the River Suentin 7. Ploen an Ancient City exceedingly well fortified In the furthest Corner of Wagerland lyes the Ancient and Famous County of Oldenburg divided from the rest of this Province by the River Brochaw It 's principal City Oldenburg was formerly the Metropolis of the Wagrians and Venedi a Town of great Trade and exceeding Populous but since the Port was stopt up by the command of Queen Margaret its Splendour has daily lessened and by the late dreadful Desolation caused by Thunder and Lightning which laid wast the best and greatest part of the City 't is become now much less considerable than it was before from the Princes of this Country is derived the Present Royal Family of Denmark The Province of Ditmarsh lyes along the German Ocean Inhabited by People of the Saxon Race who never could be brought under the Dukes of Holstein until Holstein it self was annexed to the Crown of Denmark The Chief Towns are Meldorp upon the Ocean the chief of the Province 2. Lunden opposite to Tonningen near the mouth of the Eyder 3. Heyde a large but poor City Stormar so called from the Marshy Ground lying along the River Stoer The Principal Cities are Hamburg upon the Bille where it falls into the Elb an Ancient Town Built in the time of the Saxons being one of the largest best Built most Beautiful and Richest Cities of Europe Upon the Right the Dukes of Holstein had to this City it Swore Allegiance to Christian the First King of Denmark which pretentions