a vacancy to be Stifts-Ampt-man of his Province provided his Estate and Interest there be some way correspondent The Grooms of the King's Bed chamber and other Officers of the Court upon their Marriage or retiring from Court are gratified with an Ampt and sent to live at home provided they have served long and be in any favour The King pays to each of these a yearly Salary out of his Treasury to a Stifts-Ampts man a thousand Crowns a year to an Ampt-man four hundred Crowns The principal Advantages they reap from these Employments are these First That being more considered and favoured at Court than others they escape better at the time of a Publick Tax and can often find means to ease the Burthen off their own Lands by inhancing it upon others neither will the Court willingly give ear to Complaints against them Secondly They are very much honoured and feared at home and have the Privilege to domineer over the Peasants and other their inferiours without control unless they do it too grosly and beyond measure Before I conclude this Chapter I think it very pertinent to take notice That in Denmark there are no Seditions Mutinies or Libels against the Government but all the People either are or appear to be Lovers of their King notwithstanding their ill Treatment and the hardships they groan under And I suppose one principal Reason of this to be the Equality of the Taxes and the manner of Taxing It is not to be imagined by those that see it not what a comfort it is to the Sufferers to be ill used alike for Poverty and Riches being only such in proportion provided men be treated like their Neighbours they grumble not that which vexes the Oppressed in most Countries especially the Common People who are more than ordinary envious is to see their County their Parish or their House taxed more in proportion than their Neighbours and they have reason to be discontented at this for it brings real Poverty upon those that are over-taxed it does not diminish the general Stock of the Subjects Money which would keep all Commodities and Necessaries at equal and moderate Rates but picks particular mens Pockets whilst it leaves others rich and able to profit by the Necessities of the Poor 'T is a certain sign of an ill Government where there are abundance of Laws but 't is no certain sign of a good one where there are but a few as is plain in the case of Denmark However this Blessing of few and good Laws is like a Grain of Consolation to sweeten a World of Bitterness and enables them to bear their other Hardships with more Ease and Patience CHAP. XVI The State of Religion of the Clergy and Learning c. WHEN the Corruptions of the Roman Church grew so intolerable to many Nations in Europe that an Universal Reformation became necessary Denmark among the rest of the Northern Countries which had been less managed and more abused by the Priests than the Southern shook off that yoke and instead of the Roman-Catholick embraced the Doctrine and Opinions of Martin Luther King Frederick the First about one hundred and fifty years since brought these in and established them so generally in his Dominions that at this day there is no other Religion here professed than the Lutheran if we will except the little Reformed French Church of Copenhagen set up by the Queen and one Popish Chappel at Glucstadt permitted about ten years ago to a few Popish Families in those parts which is the first that has been since the Reformation This great Unity in belief in the North for Sweden has it as well as Denmark is owing to the Sincerity of those Princes that began the Reformation there for it is likely they did it upon a pure religious account and therefore went effectually to work in the Conversion of all their Subjects using proper means for such a purpose whereas in England and elsewhere Reasons of State and other by-By-ends had at least as great a share in it as Conviction of Conscience so that the business was done by halves through the unsettledness of our Princes in their Opinions who encouraged or connived at a dissenting Party according as their worldly Interests led them The vast convenience to any Prince of having all his Subjects of one Opinion is visible in Denmark where there are no Factions nor Disputes about Religion which usually have a great influence on any Government but all are of one Mind as to the way of Salvation and as to the Duty they owe their Soveraign This cuts off occasion of Rebellion and Mutiny from many who otherwise would desire it and seem to have reason enough because of the heavy pressures they lye under As long as the Priests are entirely dependant upon the Crown and the People absolutely governed by the Priests in Matters of Conscience as they are here the Prince may be as Arbitrary as he pleases without running any risque from his Subjects in due consideration of which benefit the Clergy are very much favoured and have full scope given them to be as bigotted as they please which indeed they are to a very great degree having no common Charity for any that differ from them in Opinion except the Church of England and to that they are very kind often saying That there is no Essential Difference between it and theirs and wishing that therewere an union of them projected and perfected wherein their Design is not so much to reduce our Ecclesiasticks to the low estate theirs are in as to raise their own to the Splendor and Revenues of ours which are the principal Vertues they admire in us They have cast off the Opinions of Rome in the Supremacy of the Pope and other Points but they would retain the Grandeur belonging to that Church and applaud us for doing both so dexterously so that I am confident the business of Consubstantiation would make no difference did Princes think it worth their while to promote this Union On the other side the Calvinist is hated by them as much as the Papist and the reason they give is because he is against absolute Monarchy and has a resisting Principle Notwithstanding this Flattery of the Court they are not admitted into civil Affairs nor have any thing to do in the Government neither are they encouraged to appear about Court or on Publick Occasions the Pulpit is their Province and it is left free to them Here they take a vast Liberty of Reprehending not only Vices but particular persons of the highest quality which no body takes notice of as long as they keep to their own Trade The common People admire them for this boldness and the best Subsistence of the Priests in Cities and Towns being voluntary Benevolence they take care to cultivate the good Opinion of the Mobb whom they keep likewise in awe by the practice of Confession before they Administer the Sacrament which every one that receives is obliged
We send them abroad Children and bring them home great Boys and the returns they make for the Expences laid out by their Parents are suitable to their Age That of the Languages is the very best but the most common is an affected Foppishness or a filthy Disease for which they sometimes exchange their Religion Besides the Pageantry Luxury and Licentiousness of the more Arbitrary Courts have bribed them into an Opinion of that very Form of Government Like Ideots who part with their Bread for a glittering piece of Tinsel they prefer gilded Slavery to coarse domestick Liberty and exclaim against their old fashion'd Country-men who will not reform their Constitution according to the new foreign Mode But the Travelling recommended here is that of Men who set out so well stock'd with the Knowledge of their own Country as to be able to compare it with others whereby they may both supply it where they find it wanting and set a true value on 't where it excels with this help such Travellers could not fail of becoming serviceable to the Publick in contributing daily towards the bettering of our Constitution though without doubt it be already one of the best in the World For it were as fond to imagine we need not go abroad and learn of others because we have perhaps better Laws and Customs already then Forreigners as it were not to Trade abroad because we dwell in one of the plentifullest Parts of the World But as our Merchants bring every day from barren Countries many useful things which our own good one does not produce so if the same care were taken to supply us with exact Accounts of the Constitutions Manners and Condition of other Nations we might without doubt find out many things for our purpose which now our meer Ignorance keeps us from being sensible that we want The Athenians Spartans and Romans did not think themselves too wise to follow this Method they were at great Expence to procure the Laws of other Nations thereby to improve their own and we know they throve by it since few Governments are so ill constituted as not to have some good Customs We find admirable Regulations in Denmark and we read of others among the Savage Americans fit to serve for Models to the most civilized Europeans But although the Constitution of our Government were too perfect already to receive any Improvement yet the best Methods conducing to the peaceable Conservation of its present Form are well worth every English Man's enquiry neither are these so easily to be found in this Age which were judged so difficult if not altogether impracticable by the greatest of Politicians in his time 'T is true the Wisdom of our Ancestors or their good Fortune has hitherto made these our Kingdoms an Exception to his general Maxim yet we all know how many grievous Tempests which as often threatned Shipwrack this Vessel of our Commonwealth has undergone The perpetual Contests between the Kings and the People whilst those endeavour'd to acquire a greater Power than was legally due and these to preserve or recover their just Liberties have been the contending Billows that have kept it afloat so that all we pretended to by the late Revolution bought with so great Expence yet not too dearly paid for was to be as we were and that every one should have his own again the effecting of which may be called a piece of good Luck and that 's the best can be said of it But must frequent Blood-lettings be indispensibly necessary to preserve our Constitution Is it not possible for us to render vain and untrue that Sarcasm of Forreigners who object to us that our English Kings have either too little Power or too much and that therefore we must expect no settled or lasting Peace Shall we for ever retain the ill Character they give us of the most mutable and inconstant Nation of the World Which however we do not deserve no more than England does that of Regnum Diabolorum so common in unconsidering Forreigners Mouths Methinks a Method to preserve our Commonwealth in its legal State of Freedom without the necessity of a Civil War once or twice every Age were a benefit worth searching for though we went to the furthest Corners of the World in quest of it Besides the Knowledge of the present State of our Neighbour Nations which is best acquired by Travel is more incumbent on the Gentlemen of England than any others since they make so considerable a part of our Government in Parliament where foreign Business comes frequently under Consideration and at present more then ever 'T is none of the smallest Advantages which his Majesty has procured us by his accession to the Crown that we make a greater Figure in the World than formerly we have more foreign Alliances are become the Head of more than a Protestant League and have a right to intermeddle in the Affairs of Europe beyond what we ever pretended to in any of the preceding Reigns For 't is a true though but a Melancholy Reflexion that our late Kings half undid us and bred us up as narrow spirited as they could made us consider our selves as proscribed from the World in every sence toto divisos orbe Britannos And indeed they had withdrawn us from the World so long till the World had almost overlooked us we seldom were permitted to cast an Eye farther than France or Holland and then too we were carefully watched But at present Matters are otherwise we have a Prince that has raised us to our natural Station the Eyes of most part of the World are now upon us and take their Measures from our Councils We find every day occasion to inform our selves of the Strength and Interests of the several Princes of Europe And perhaps one great reason why we live up no better to the mighty Post we are advanced to nor maintain our Character in it with great Reputation is because our Education has been below it and we have been too much lock'd up at home when we should have been acquainting our selves with the Affairs of the World abroad We have lately bought the Experience of this Truth too dear not to be now sensible of it 'T is not very long ago since nothing was more generally believed even by Men of the best Sence then that the Power of England was so unquestionably establish'd at Sea that no Force could possibly shake it that the English Valour and Manner of Fighting was so far beyond all others that nothing was more desirable than a French War Should any one have been so regardless of his Reputation as at that time to have represented the French an overmatch for the united Forces of England and Holland or have said that we should live to see our selves insulted on our own Coasts and our Trade indanger'd by them that we should be in Apprehensions every Year of an Invasion and a French Conquest such a venturesome Man must have expected
500 Col. Habercas 500 Total 1500 FOOT Regiment of Guards Duke of Wirtemberg Collonel 1400 Queen's Regiment Col. Passaw 1200 Prince Royal's Regiment Col. Crage 1200 Prince George's Regiment Count Alefeldt 1100 Prince Christian's Regiment Brig Elemberg 1000 Zealand Regiment Col Tramp 1200 Funen Regiment Col. Browne 1100 Lieutenant General Schack's Regiment 1800 Lamsdorf's Regiment 1200 Regiment of Curlanders Col. Pottcamer 1000 Marine Regiment Col. Gersdorf 1000 Oldenburg Regiment Col. Bieulo 2000 Total 15200 Note That by virtue of a Treaty concluded with the Emperor there were sent lately into Hungary part of the fore-named Troops under the Command of Col. Rantzaw Viz. One Battalion of Lieutenant-General Schack's Regiment One Battalion of Col. Pottcamer's Regiment One Regiment of Horse taken from the former Collonel and given to one Collonel Wyer Collonel Bee's Regiment of Dragoons which may be deducted from the Sum Total at the end Men. Fuzeliers Canoniers and Bombardiers in Denmark Norway Holstein c. 1800 Sum Total of the Foot besides Officers 17000 A List of the Forces in Norway One Regiment of Horse consisting of 9 Troops Commanded by Col. Rechle 456 One Regiment of Dragoons Commanded by Col. Marshal 800 FOOT Bergen Regiment Col. Ed. Ken 1200 Aggerhuy's Regiment Col. Housman 1000 Smaland Regiment Brigadier Tritstaw 1000 Upland Regiment Col. Brockenhuysen 1000 Westland Regiment Col. Arnauld 1100 Drontheim Regiment Col. Schults 1200 A Marine Regiment 600 Two new raised Regiments one Commanded by Col. Bunenberg the other by 2000 Two free Companies as Drontheim 200 9300 Reserves 5000 These Reserves are such as receive no Pay in time of Peace but are like our Militia only they have Clothes given them once in two years and are obliged to meet and Exercise every Sunday if the Weather be fair So that the King of Denmark's Land-Forces consisting of Horse and Dragoons in Denmark Holstein c. 6950 Foot in the same 17000 Horse and Dragoons in Norway 1256 Foot in Norway including the Reserves 14300 In all are 39506 But if you exclude the Reserves with about 2500 men that were sent to Hungary the Sum total will amount to besides Officers of the Foot 32006 A great Regiment of Foot before the Battalions were drawn out of them for the King of England's Service consisted of Nineteen Companies and so it will be again when these Forces return to Denmark In the Guards were a great many more The charge of one of these great Regiments of Foot amounts to 90000 Rix Dollars a Year thus    R.D. St. 1 Captain's pay per Month 20 00 2 Lieutenants 11 Rix Dollars each 22 00 3 Serjeants pay 4 R.D. bread 32 st to each in all 18 32 1 Fourier   3 Corporals pay and bread 3 R. D. 32 Stivers each 11 00 2 Carpenters   10 Gefreiders 3 R.D. 8 St. each 44 16 2 Drummers   88 Common Soldiers 2 R.D. 32 Stivers each 234 32    350 32 For nineteen Companies 6662 32 The Granadiers have half a Rix Dollar per Man more 54 24 This is per Month 6717 08 And per Year 80606 00 Each Captain hath per Month for recruiting 8 R.D. which for 19 Companies in 12 Months amounts to 1824 00 The Collonel hath more then his Captain 's pay per Month 30 R.D. R.D. Stiv. 2 Lieut. Collonels per Month more 40 2 Majors per Month more 20 in a year 1680 00 And to a Regiment are 5 Ensigns 50 per Month 140     Total 84110 00 The Remainder of the 90 thousand Rix Dollars runs up for the other Officers Auditor Quartermaster Surgeon Powder Shot and other necessary Expences The Common Soldier receives but 17 Stivers a week the rest goes for Bread Quarters and Cloaths which they have once in three years from head to foot and in the midst of those three years Shooes Stockins Breeches Shirt and Cravat 'T is permitted to the Common Soldiers to work where they are quartered but then during this permission their Officers receive all the benefit of their pay The Foot both Officers and Soldiers are for the most part Strangers of all Countries whom Choice or Fortune brings thither Germans Poles Courlanders Dutch Swedes Scotch Irish and now and then an English Seaman whom they make drunk after a long Voyage and inveigle him by fair Promises in that humour to take some of the King's Money The Natives are through their dispirited temper thought very improper to make Soldiers and besides the Landlords whose Slaves they are can hinder them from entring into the King's Service and can remand them if any should offer so to do as has been frequently practised by them to avoid Misery at home and to exchange one Slavery for another The Officers of the Horse receive no more Pay in time of Peace than those of the Foot The Troopers who are generally Natives and none of the best Soldiers are maintained every one by his Peasant who is bound to give him and his Horse Meat Drink House-room c besides to the value of six shillings sterling a Month half of which Money goes to his Collonel towards his mounting The Dragoons are in somewhat a better condition because they are not obliged to keep Horses but in time of War besides in Holstein they have larger Pay than in Denmark In Norway the Forces cost but little in comparison of what they do elsewhere for besides the Pay of the Officers and the Clothing of the Soldiers not much Money is expended each single Soldier having Free Quarter amongst the Boors It is to be noted that the Officers of this Army are for the most part fourteen or eighteen Months in Arrear of Pay so that the best part of their Maintenance is out of the Common Soldiers Subsistence Money The Names of the General Officers Lieutenant-Generals Count Wedel Mareschal Count Guldenlieu Viceroy of Norway Duke of Wirtemberg Commandant Schack Monsieur Plessen of the Horse Monsieur Dumeny Major-Generals Monsieur De Cormaillon Monsieur Maspack of the Horse Master of the Ordnance is Coll. Monk Thus much shall suffice for the Land I come now to speak of the Sea-Forces The Names of the Admirals are Admiral General Monsieur Juel Vice-Admiral Bielk Vice-Admiral Spaan Vice-Admiral Gedde Rere-Admiral Hoppe Rere-Admiral Van Stucken There are in Copenhagen 3000 Seamen kept in constant Pay who go not to Sea unless in time of War but have a certain small allowance of Money with a constant weekly provision of Salt Flesh Stock-fish Meal Grout c. given them out of the Publick Store-Houses for the maintenance of themselves and Families They have moreover several Streets of small Houses like Baraques built regularly for them by King Christian the Fourth in one of the Out-skirts of Copenhagen within the Works where they live Rent-free and where they leave their Wives and Children when they go to Sea Their business in time of Peace is to work on the Holm which is a large
fifth at Hamburg by the weekly Advices of whom the others do for the most part regulate all their Deliberations The King in this Council determines all Affairs deliberates of Peace or War of Alliances and other Treaties of Taxes Fortifications Trade c. without the intervention of any other Person unless it be the Secretaries of State who are yet esteemed here rather as Ministerial Officers and Assistants than principal Counsellors There are four of these Secretaries that are not Secretaries of State in the sense that ours in England are that is to say Prime Ministers but carry the Pen and have the management of the business relating to their several Provinces the first is the Secretary for the Affairs of Denmark and is at present Monsieur The second for the Affairs of Norway is Monsieur Mote Brother to the King's Mistress the Countess of Samsoe The third for Foreign Affairs is Monsieur Jessen and the fourth who is Secretary at War is Monsieur Harboe When any thing which concerns the Province of any of these is debated at Council the Secretary it belongs to is to be present but Monsieur Jessen never misses because there is always business relating to Foreign Affairs and the usual times of the sitting of the Council being after the Posts come in his Employment is to read all the Letters and to make Remarks on them This renders his Office more considerable than that of the other Secretaries and makes him enter into the Secrets of the Cabinet which pass for the most part through his sole management He has also liberty to speak his Sentiments and because he has been bred a Latin Scholar that as well as his Employment entitles him to the penning of all Treaties with Foreign Ministers Therefore he is constantly one of the Commissioners appointed to treat with them and to whom they are to have recourse almost as necessarily as to the Prime Minister who suffers himself to be in a great measure guided by this Secretary He is about forty of a civil behaviour and humility even to affectation speaks four or five Languages very well and very much whereby he sometimes gives advantages to those that have business with him He has but a moderate reputation for Sincerity or Parts yet so much used to the Road of Publick Affairs that he cannot be wanted because they have no fitter Man to put in his place He is Son-in-Law to Monsieur Ehrenschild by whom he is much governed and of the same Inclinations as to France This Affinity is a great support to his Fortune as long as that old Gentleman lives and his diligence in his Employment if there were nothing else will secure to him his Post and his Princes Favour provided always that he keep fair with the Prime Minister as at present he does and act in concert with him The ordinary Diversions of the Court are Progresses which are made once a year at least to Sleswick or Holstein either to make a review of some Troops or to see the Fortifications at Rendsburg besides smaller Journies to Laland and elsewhere up and down the Countrey These are of no Expence to the Treasury because the travelling Wagons and Horses are found by the Boors who are also to pay their Personal Attendance and be ready for all necessary Services During five or six Weeks every Summer the Court removes to Jagersburg a small Hunting-House situated upon a little Lake within four English Miles of Copenhagen and not far from the Sea and for five or six Weeks more it resides at Fredericksburg the chief Countrey Palace of the Kings of Denmark about twenty English Miles from Copenhagen began by Christian the Fourth and finished by this King's Father Frederick the Third this is that House which the Danes boast so much of and tell wonders of the quantity of Money it cost in building It is seated in the midst of a Lake the Foundations of it being laid in the Water which probably occasioned the greatest part of the Expence you pass into it over several Draw Bridges This watry Situation is so moist and cold a Countrey cannot be approved by the Critical in Seats especially when the rising Grounds about this Lake which are clothed with fine Woods afforded much better places both for health and prospect but it is the humour of all this Kingdom to build in the midst of Lakes which I suppose was at first practised upon the score of Security This Palace notwithstanding the great cost they talk of is far from being magnificent or well contrived for the Rooms are low the Apartments ill disposed the fine Chappel much too long in proportion to its breadth and has a Gallery over it which has one of the worst contrived Entrances that can be imagined In fine it falls far short of many of our Noblemens Countrey-Houses in England yet is esteemed by the Danes as a None-such There is indeed a fine Park about it well filled with Red Deer having large Ponds high Trees in great quantity a good Bathing-House and other Countrey Embellishments so that it is by far to be preferred to all the rest of the King's Houses which except these two last mentioned are for the most part out of repair that of the Fortress of Cronenburg near Flsignor and of Coldingen in Jutland with others being scarce habitable even during one Fortnight in the Summer Quarter At Fredericksburg the Court spends most of its time in Stag-hunting for there are few Fallow-Deer in Denmark during which Sport the King allows great freedom to his Domesticks and Ministers who commonly do all accompany him whereever he goes insomuch that he seems to lay aside all Majesty and the Formalities of it for that Season they eat and drink together the latter sometimes to Excess after a hard days hunting when as soon as Dinner is done they adjourn to the Wine-Cellar About five or six in the Afternoon the Hunting-Assizes are solemnly held in the great Court before the Palace the Stag is drawn into the midst of it by the Huntsmen who are all cloathed in Red having their great Brass Hunting-horns about their Necks and 't is there broken up with great Ceremony whilst the Hounds attend with much Noise and Impatience One that is likeliest to give a good Gratuity to the Huntsmen is invited to take Essay and presented with the Deer's foot Then Proclamation is made if any can inform the King who is both Supreme Judge and Executioner of any Transgression against the known Laws of Hunting that day committed let him stand forth and accuse the accused is generally found guilty and then two of the Gentlemen lead him to the Stag and make him kneel down between the Horns turning down his Head with his Buttocks up and remove the Skirts of his Coat which might intercept the blows then comes his Majesty and with a small long Wand gives the Offender some Lashes on his Posteriors whilst in the mean time the Huntsmen with their
all this while at Copenhagen and as it was thought consented to all the Injustices acted against her Husband and Family was restored to him but he was in effect a Prisoner still for Guards were placed at all the Avenues every day some new severe Conditions were proposed to him and Articles offered him which he was forced to sign one of which was a Renunciation of his Supream and Independent Right over the Dukedom of Sleswick Being at last quite tired with so many Violences not knowing where they might end he began to think of his Escape so that one day taking the Advantage of his Dutchesses being sent for again by her Mother the Queen Dowager of Denmark he pretended to accompany her part of the way and by the means of some trusty Servants had re-lays of Horses placed in convenient stations After a few hours travelling with her he took his leave of her and pretending to hunt set Spurs to his Horse and rid away as fast as he could towards Hamburg The Allarm was presently given of the Duke's flight and many Horsemen were dispatched after him which he being aware of took not the direct Road but went about by Kiel so that after a narrow escape he arrived safely where he designed This mightily vexed the King who used all means to get him out of that City because Hamburg being so populous a Town the fame of the Barbarity exercised against him flew from thence all over Europe But the Duke had been taught by former Misfortunes not to trust his Enemy and as soon as he got to Hamburg solemnly protested against the validity of all that he had been constrained to agree to whilst he was in Durance yet withal declared That he was as ready as ever to come to an amicable Composure of Differences with the King to prevent the ruin of his Subjects and other Mischiefs provided the King would redress some of the greatest Grievances This Proposition was so little regarded that instead of hearkning to it the King ordered the Fortress of Toningen to be demolished the Dukedom of Sleswick to be sequestred the Magistrates and People to be absolved from their Allegiance to the Duke and obliged to an Oath of Fidelity to the King all the Revenues of the Duke to be brought into his Treasury Garisons to be continued in the Duke's Forts and Mansion-house and unless the Duke came to accept of the King's terms in relation to that Fief that it should for ever be annexed to the Crown of Denmark For the more speedy publication of these new Orders Proclamations were made and affixed to that effect in all the Towns of the Dukedom The Duke on his part publishing others in opposition to this Usurpation together with a Solemn Protestation against all that had been done concluding with a Command to the States of the Dukedom and the rest of his Subjects to continue firm in their Loyalty and Obedience to their Natural Prince But the King who was resolved no longer to keep any Measures with him nor to preserve that Countrey in any tolerable condition which he knew not how long he might enjoy exacted vast Contributions from the poor Subjects to the value of many Millions of Gold and to the ruin of as flourishing a Province as any in the Circle of Lower Saxony thereby disabling the Duke's Subjects from contributing any thing towards the Subsistence of their Master who continued all this while at Hamburg in a state little befitting his high Quality whilst he sent his Son abroad to raise the Compassion and implore the Assistance of all all the Neighbouring German Princes on which Errand I had the Fortune to meet him at the Courts of Hannover and Wolfembuttel He made also strong Application to the Crown of England as Guarantee of the Northern Peace and caused a full Representation of his disconsolate Condition to be printed in English which contains at large most of the Particulars above-mentioned but all in vain the Duke continued a Sufferer notwithstanding his many Appeals to those who ought to have interessed themselves in his behalf until such time as the King of Sweden began in earnest to take his Cause in hand This King having at last brought the Affairs of his own Kingdom into such a Posture as permitted him to resent the Injuries done to his near Relation threatned the Dane with a War in case he delayed Restitution and to this effect in the Year 1689. set a Fleet to Sea with intention to second his Threats by Blows which he might the better then do because the chief Support of the Danes in their Injustice the French King was at that time attacked by the Forces of the Confederates and England by the Accession of his present Majesty to that Crown was become a principal Party in so just a War So that France was likely to have its Hands full at home Besides his Majesty of Great Brittain being become Guarantee of the Northern Peace thought himself obliged in honour to maintain it and in order to that end gave such Instructions to his Envoy Extraordinary then going to the Danish Court as might induce it to comply with Justice and prevent that Effusion of Blood which was threatned These Remonstrances had their due weight with the King of Denmark who at last yielded to the necessity of his Circumstances and to the Solicitations of the Elector of Brandenburg who pressed among the rest the Restoration of the Duke and had sent his Ministers to the Congress for the Accommodation to propose a Project to that end not so much out of kindness to the Family of Gottorp as for fear the Swedish Arms should by any just occasion be brought over the Baltick the event of which might be fatal to all the Neighbourhood and to the Brandenburgers in particular Thus the Danes with reluctancy consented at last to give up what they had unjustly detained above thirteen years from its right Owner after having raised vast Sums of Money from the Countrey for the Duke's part of the Dutchy of Sleswick only had about 28000 Ploughs in it each of which were taxed to pay four Crowns a Month besides innumerable other Extortions which filled the Purses of the Ministers of Denmark who shared the Revenues among them The Swedish and Danish Fleets had been about a Fortnight at Sea but no Action had happened between them After the Accommodation was published and the Duke restored yet without any reparation of Damages past the two Fleets returned to their several Ports and the Duke to his Habitation of Gottorp which he found in a desolate Condition compared to what he left it in The Dutch had a principal Hand in the Conclusion of this Agreement by the means of Myn Heer Heemskirk their Minister and his Majesty of Great Britain a large share of the Glory of redressing a Wrong which through so many years possession pleaded a kind of Prescription to warrant it the very first half year of his Reign
vindicating the Honour of the Crown of England which was engaged as Guarrantee and securing the Peace of the North in order to the procuring the Assistance of one or both of those Princes towards the humbling the common Enemy This he effectually did for the Danes immediately afterwards sent by Treaty seven thousand Soldiers which are yet in his Majesty's Pay and the Swedes remain at liberty to continue such of their Troops in the Dutch Service as formerly were stipulated for and which had a War broken out they might have been forced to recall CHAP. XIV The Interests of Denmark in relation to other Princes IN treating of the Interests of the King of Denmark in relation to other Princes or States which do not confine upon his Dominions and of his Affections towards them it will not be necessary to observe strictly the order and rank which those Princes hold in the World I shall therefore take them as they come indifferently With the Emperor the King of Denmark is obliged to keep always a good outward Correspondence he being himself a Prince of the Empire as Duke of Holstein and the Emperour having it often in his Power to do him several Kindnesses or Dis-kindnesses The King has a great desire to establish a Toll at Glucstadt upon the River Elb and although the Emperour's consent would not absolutely secure the business for him there being many other Princes together with all those who are concerned in the Trade of Hamburg that would obstruct it yet it would strike a great stroke and must always be a necessary Preliminary He keeps therefore very fair with his Imperial Majesty and when pressed by the Ministers sends for valuable considerations some Troops to serve in Hungary against the Turks notwithstanding which he is inwardly troubled at the Power of the House of Austria and the Increase of its Dominions being jealous as most of the other German Princes are that the Greatness of that Family may one day turn to the detriment of the Liberty of Germany and therefore is not displeased at the Successes of the French or of the Turks He has been heard to complain of the neglect which the Imperial Court shows of him and its partiality for the Swedes this occasioned the Emperour's sending a Minister lately to Reside at Copenhagen as well as at Stockholm since which he seems to be better satisfied But at the bottom it is to be supposed that the Dane is no true Friend of the Emperour's because he thinks his Imperial Majesty favours some Interests opposite to his in conniving at the Lunenburgers forcible possession of the Dukedom of Saxe-Lawenburg and bestowing the Electoral Dignity on that Family the confirmation of which the King of Denmark opposes with all his Power With Poland the King of Denmark has at present little occasion either of Friendship or Enmity there being but small Correspondence between them yet he will rather chuse to keep that Crown his Friend than otherwise because it may one day stand him in stead against the Swedes And for this reason it is that the Elector of Brandenburg whose Interest in that particular is much the same with Denmark's maintains a good Correspondence and Entertains a constant Minister at Warsaw Besides the Port of Dantzick is convenient for all that Trade in the Baltick and the Danes bring Corn as well as other Merchandize from thence They keep likewise good Amity with the other Hans Towns The King is upon fair terms with the Duke of Courland who has permitted him to raise Men in his Countrey the Commander of which one Poteamer is Brother to that Duke's prime Minister and the Soldiers are the best able to live hardily and to endure Fatigue of any in the World It is the Interest of Denmark to be well with the Dutch above all other Princes in Europe because of the great Revenue it receives from their Traffick and the Toll which they pay in the Sound Because also in case of a quarrel with Sweden or any other extremity the King of Denmark is certain of the Assistance of the Hollanders which is always sufficient and ready to protect him as has been experienced in the former Wars between the Northern Crowns for the Dutch will never suffer the Balance of the North to lean too much to one side their Interest in the Trade of the Baltick being so considerable but will take care to assist the weaker with proportionable Succours which the conveniency of their Situation and their Naval Force permits them to do with greater ease than any other Notwithstanding all which Considerations there are frequent Occasions of Quarrel between the Dutch and Danes and the Friendship which the latter have for the former especially since this War with France and the Convention made with England for the Interruption of all Commerce with that Kingdom is very weak and unstable for besides that an Absolute Monarchy for other Reasons can never throughly love a Republick the Danes are envious at the great Trade of the Dutch and count it a Disparagement that Merchants as they call them should have it in their Power to give Law to a Crowned Head However at the bottom Denmark would not be pleased that Holland should sink under the Force of its Enemies but would use its best Endeavours to prevent it though possibly not before Matters were reduced to so great an Extremity as it might be beyond the Ability of the Danes to afford a timely Remedy The King of Denmark loves the Alliance of France and keeps a stricter Correspondence with that Crown than with any other though it be most certain that the Maxims which he has learnt from thence and the Practices which followed those Maxims have been the principal Occasion of that Kingdom 's present ill condition But the King of France by fair Words large Promises and a little Money seasonably bestowed has had the knack to amuse this Court and to make it act as he pleases notwithstanding the many Affronts the ill Successes and the universal Misery which through his means have attended it The Emissaries of France are thick sown here nothing pleases that is not according to the French Pattern either in Dress Military Discipline or Politicks and it is certain that a fitter could not be followed by any Arbitrary Prince provided a due regard were had to the force and strength to perform in proportion to the Design undertaken But the want of this Consideration has been fatal to Denmark France had told this King that Soldiers are the only true Riches of Princes and this has made him raise more than he knows what to do with unless he disturb his Neighbours which generally he does for the Interests of France though at last it turns to his loss So that Denmark resembles in this point a Monster that is all Head and no Body all Soldiers and no Subjects and whenever a General Peace comes to be established in Europe
preferred before those sudden Accidents and brisk Traverses of Fortune which Commotions would occasion especially by a People naturally of an unactive Body and heavy Spirit depressed by their Misfortunes which are now group up with them and become their familiar Companions In the second place the Newness of the Alteration of the Government seems to have little or no influence at present upon the People for the King has taken such care by reducing Ancient and Rich Families to a low Estate by raising new ones by making all the People poor in Spirit as well as Purse that thirty two years has had an effect conducing to his purpose as much as three hundred could have done Insomuch that I verily believe the Danes do now really love Servitude and like the Cappadocians of old could not make use of Liberty if it were offered them but would throw it away if they had it and resume their Chains Possibly they would wish them less weighty but Chains they could not live without If there be one or two among so many thousands who are of contrary Sentiments they dare not so much as mutter them to their own Children nor would be heard with patience if they did Thirdly The Unity of Religion and the Opinions together with the Authority of the Priests seems to have cut away the root of Sedition from whence Alterations might proceed Fourthly A standing Army composed for the most part of Foreigners who have no value for the Natives nor any concern for their welfare The Court seems to have had this in its eye when it raised and maintained such an Army but in process of time the Army is become the People that is to say the only thing worth the King's Care and Affection and the People nothing so that no Designs tending to a Revolution are to be feared from them Fifthly The Swedes treat their own Subjects at such a rate as gives the Danes but little Prospect of benefit by a Change and besides there is such a fixed hatred between these two Nations by reason of the Injuries they have so often given and received that it is thought impossible that the Danes who have been for the most part the Aggressors as well as the sufferers can ever forgive them Many judicious Persons do think however that the Swede would find means to overcome these Difficulties did not the Discontents he has rais'd at home make War dangerous to him and the interest of almost all the other Princes of Europe concur in the Preservation of the Danes under the Domination of their own King by obstructing any further Accession of Power and Territories to the Swedes And this is certainly such a Bar as cannot be leaped over so that little of Alteration seems to be expected in Denmark from hence Lastly Those Jealousies which use to reign in the Families of Princes are not so common nor fatal in Germany as elsewhere The King of Denmark is a German Prince himself and 't is likely will find such Means of preferring his younger Sons as may content them either by breeding them up to the War which is the most ordinary way or by assigning them Appanages in convenient Places not liable to dispute besides it is no rare thing in Germany to see Princes satisfied with very moderate Revenues So that the commonness of the thing takes away the Discontent which might arise in high-born Spirits by reason of the lowness of their Fortunes and if any Wars be in Europe thither they all run to get Bread and Reputation What else should we do for a Stock of Generals in such Havock as the present Wars make of them therefore nothing of Intestine Commotions seems to be reasonably expected from hence that shall alter the Form of Government and from all these Reasons it may be concluded That the present State is fix'd and durable and that the People with great difficulty may perhaps change their Masters but never their Condition FINIS Cunctas Nationes Urbes populus aut primores aut singuli regunt delecta exhis constituta Reipublicae sorma laudari facilius quam evenire vel fi evenit haud diuturna esse potest Tacit. lib. 4. Annal. The Exportation of Oak-Timber is forbidden Furono veramente tutti i Re da principio Capi e non Re di Republiche e non di regni ma poi il lungo uso ha fatto che i popoli si siano disposti all habito dell ' intiera ubbidienza come apunte suole assuefarsi una pianta e un corpo humano a vivere in terreno e sotto clima diverso dal suo naturale Card. Bentivoglio Relatione delle Provincie Unite di Flandra lib. 3. This was once known in England when the Lord Dane or Danish Soldier quartered in the English Yeoman's House and domineer'd to purpose Whence came the Nick-name of Lazy Loydane Raised most in Norway Note that these 7 Regiments were greater before that Battalions were taken out of each of them which were sold to his Majesty and now serve under the Duke of Wirtemberg's Command in Flanders Hudib England Sweden Quae apud concordes vincula caritatis iâ—citamenta irarum apud infensos erant Tacit. Duke of Lunenburg Hamburg Brandenburg Duke of Holstein The Emperor Poland Duke of Courland Holland France Spain and Portugal Saxony Bishop of Munster Tacitus Corruptissima Republica plurimae leges