of pains to perswade us And whether this long and constant Succession in one Family were Anciently depending from a free choice or not will be worth our enquiring into Canute Surnamed the Hardy 1044. having no Issue had by Compact Resigned the Crown of Denmark after his death to Magnus King of Norwegan who by force of Arms taking Possession of the same was opposed by Sueno Canute's Sister Son till Magnus after a Reign of Eight Years coming to dye of a fall from his Horse He was declared King of Denmark tho' in no ways beloved of the Danish Nobility as having Waged continually War against them in the time of Magnus yet being the only one that was left of the Ancient Race of the Danish Kings was received as King of Denmark Afterwards when in the Year 1250. Abel had caused his Brother Eric V. King of Denmark to be murthered tho' the States abominated the Fact yet Eric having left no Children and he being the Eldest among the Brothers that were left was made King of Denmark being Preferred before his Younger Brother Christopher who Reigned after him How the States did promise the Crown to John the deposed Christiern II's Son after the death of Frederick I. has been said before and how in our Age the States of this Kingdom set Frederick III. the present King of Denmark Father upon the Throne in spite of a Faction that were for Advancing his Younger Brother begotten of another Mother and the Second Wife of Christiern the IV. to the Royal Dignity cannot be out of the Memory of such as are acquainted with the Transactions of these Countries Besides these undeniable Examples there are also obvious amongst the Historians Testimonies sufficient to convince any Body that is not prepossess'd with a vain conceit of his own opinion That the Succession was not Anciently depending from the will of the States but that their Kings had and did claim a Right to the same for themselves and their Heirs both Males and Females When after the death of Waldemar the States declared Olaus Haquin and Margarets King and Queen of Norway Son King of Denmark the Danish Historiographer gives this among others for a Reason because he was from his Mothers side the next to the Kingdom And in the same Book he has given us an Extract out of the Records wherein the said Margaret Mother to this Olaus and Daughter of King Waldemar is called Queen of Norway and Sweden and the true Heiress of Denmark That noted Historian Crantius speaks much to the same purpose both of Olaus and his Mother Margaret He says that the two Kingdoms of Denmark are Hereditary to Olaus and that after the Decease of him there being no Male Heirs left all was fall'n to Queen Margaret The same Author calls Siwald the First Heir and Successor to his Father King Ungrin in the Kingdom of Denmark and speaks much to the same purpose of Broderick Son of Yarmerick King of Denmark And truly the Name of Heir of Denmark is so frequent in the ancient Histories of Denmark especially before the Times of Charles the Great that it would be infinite to mention them here since even in latter Times the same has not been out of date there Meursius does not only call Christiern Son to Christiern Heir of that Kingdom but also bestows the same Title upon John the Son of the deposed Christiern the II. And here I cannot but insert the Reasons which were alledged by the States of Denmark among others in their Proclamation for the declaring Frederick I. King of Denmark after they had renounced all Obedience to Christiern II. Their Reasons are these Because he was the Heir of Norway and had his Off-spring out of the most glorious Family of the Danish Kings That He was born a Kings Christiern I's Son and that therefore this Honour did belong to him in his own Right before any other Prince and that he ought to have a Portion or Patrimonial Share out of his Fatherly Kingdom From hence I think may be easily understood that the States of Denmark even in latter Times did not assume to themselves the free disposal of the Crown and that the Succession was not precarious and as our Author would have it according to good Behaviour This will appear more clear to us if we consider that the same Right of Succession has not only in former but also latter Times ever since the Oldenburg Family has sway'd the Scepter in that Kingdom been deprived not only to the next Male Heirs though Minors but also to the Females and their Off-spring Of the Female Succession we have Two Instances since the Oldenburg Family came to the Crown The first is That it was agreed by Marriage Contract betwixt Christiern II. and Isabel Sister to the Emperor Charles V. That if they should leave no Male-Heirs behind them the eldest Daughter should suceed in the Throne of Denmark And when afterwards the same Isabella followed her Husband in his Exile after he was deposed the States did not only recall her but also promis'd her Obedience nay they did declare by a publick Proclamation That if she would return to the Kingdom they would acknowledge her for their Queen and Sovereign Lady Which Proffer however though never so advantageous she refused to accept of Of the Female Succession the Danish ancient History furnishes us with a remarkable Example in Margaret Daughter to King Waldemar IV. who being married to Haquin King of Norway after the Decease of her Husband and Son Olaus succeeded them in both the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway and reigned for about Thirty Years about the Year 1400. And of several Kings of Denmark who came to that Crown by Right of the Female Succession there are several Examples in their Histories Sueno III. about the Year 1155 succeeded Canute IV. he being born from Margaret the Sister of Canute surnamed The Great and not much beloved by the Danes as having to his Father one Ulpho an Englishman yet being the only One that was left of the Royal Family was therefore declared King of Denmark So was Olaus Son to Haquiâ—â— and Margaret King and Queen of Norway declared King of Denmark because from his Mother's side he came from the Race of the Danish Kings she being Daughter to Waldemar IV. King of Denmark This was about the Year 1340. And not long after viz. about the Year 1417. Eric the same Margaret's Sister's Son succeeded here in the Kingdom upon the same Pretensions having been by her recieved as a Consort in the Danish Empire before As for the Succession of the next Heirs of the Royal Family in their Minority several Instances also may be found in the ancient Histories of Denmark as well as these of latter times Eric about the Year 855. succeeded his Father Siward in the Kingdom of Denmark being a very Child from whence he was surnamed Barn which
and that they had advanced a Cruel Vicious Tyrannical Covetous or Wasteful Person they frequently Deposed him oftentimes Banished sometimes Destroyed him and this either Formally by making him Answer before the Representative Body of the People Or if by ill Practices such as making of Parties Levying of Souldiers contracting of Alliances to support himself in Opposition to the Peoples Rights he was grown too Powerful to be legally Contended with they dispatched him without any more Ceremony the best way they could and Elected presently a better Man in his Room sometimes the next of Kin to him sometimes the Valiant Man that had exposed himself so far as to undertake the Expulsion or the Killing of the Tyrant at other times a Private Person of Good Reputation who possibly least dream't of such an Advancement Frequent meetings of the Estates was a part of the very Fundamental Constitution In those meetings all matters relating to Good Government were Transacted Good Laws were Enacted all Affairs belonging to Peace or War Alliances disposal of great Offices Contracts of Marriages for the Royal Family c. were debated c. This was the Ancient Form of Goverment in this Kingdom which continued with very little variation excepting that the Power of the Nobles encreased too much till about 32 years ago when at one instant the whole Face of Affairs was changed c. It is easie for any considering Person to guess the Consequences of this which are Frequent and Arbitrary Taxes and commonly very Excessive ones even in times of Peace little regard being had to the occasion of them So that the value of Estates in most parts of the Kingdom is fallen three fourths And it is worse near the Capital City under the Eye and Hand of the Government than in Remoter Provinces Poverty in the Gentry which â—ecessarily causes extremities of misery in the Peasants Partiality in the distribution of Justice when Favorites are concerned with many other mischiefs which shall be hereafter more particularly mentioned being the constant Effects of Arbitrary Rule in this and all other Countries wherein it has prevailed This Description or Form of Government it is likely the Author has given us in imitation of some old Fashion Romance or other for I am sure out of History he can bring none that were ever like it I must confess that I could scarce Read without some Indignation how he had abused in a most unanswerable manner the Laudable Ancient Constitutions of the Danes not only but also by so doing had taken an Opportunity to put his Fictitious Suppositions the conceits of his own Brains or some States Mountebanks Chimerical Notions for Truth upon the English Nation What he says concerning the Election of their Princes How the Eldest were preferred before the Younger out of Courtesie if they were equal in Vertues as also their Adhering to a Line being at pleasure might be taken for a vulgar mistake such as does arise from the neglect of true History The Qualifications which he says were required in their Princes might be look'd upon as an Effect of a Poetical fancy But what he tells of frequently Deposing and Banishing nay even Destroying their Kings either Formally or without Ceremony by some Valiant Hand who for his Meritorious Act of Killing or Expelling the Tyrant used to Succeed in the Kingdom Is so much against the Practice of the Ancient Danes described in True History that these Extravagancies cannot be look'd upon by Judicious Persons otherwise than self-invented Notions fitted to the Humour of some self-conceited Politicians but always esteemed by the more Understanding sort as most pernicious to Human Society To make this appear the better what if we should endeavour to show that the Ancient Government of the Danes was so far from Adhering to such Barbarous Practices or choosing their Kings by Courtesie that the Laws of Succession were so Sacred with them that that Kingdom ought rather to be called Hereditary if any one ever was in this Gentleman's Opinion to be esteemed as such in Europe than Elective Not to mention here the times before Charles the Great the History of those Countries before that time being infected with many Fabulous Relations we will begin with the Year 804 P. C. N. When Gotricus Brother to his Predecessor Sigifrid being declared King of Denmark left that Crown to his Son Olaus from whom it always descended in the same Line to the next Heir till after the Death of Margaret Queen of Denmark Sweden and Norway which was about the Year 1414. Thus the Crown of Denmark having been in a perpetual Lineal Succession of one Family for above 600 Years and the said Margaret having no Issue she had in her Life time Crowned Eric VIII her Sisters Son who having left Denmark and resigned the Crown after an Anarchy of Six Years in his Place was Constituted Christopher III. Eric's Sister's Son who 's Mother was also Niece to the above named Queen Margaret This Christopher dying without Heirs as did also his Sister before him the most Ancient Race of the Danish Kings was then extinguished about the Year 1448. Only that there was left Adolph VIII Duke of Sleswick and Count of Holstein being Son to a Nephew of Woldemar IV. to whom the Crown of Denmark being offered by the States he refused the same as having no Children The Crown being thus fallen into the Hands of the States yet were they so Religious in observing their Ancient Right of Succession that they chose Christian Count of Oldenburg for their King as being Son of Hedwig Sister of Adolph Duke of Sleswick and consequently being Related to the Family of the Ancient Danish Kings his Son John Succeeding him Constituted with consent of the States his Son Christian II. King of Denmark who was afterwards Declared by the States who had now acquired a greater power incapable of the Crown as having Reigned very Tyrannically over them and in his stead Frederick I. Brother of John King of Denmark and Uncle to Christiern was made their King And I think it is a remarkable Instance that even at that time the States of Denmark did not esteem it belonging to themselves to alter the Succession of the Crown when they did not only choose Frederick I. who was Son of John King of Denmark but also afterwards in a publick Convention of the said Estates they did promise to John Son to the banished King Christiern the Restitution of his Fathers Kingdoms not only but also the immediate Succession after the Death of Frederick I. But John the Son of Christiern II. dying about the same time when Frederick I. dyed the Crown came to his Son Christiern III. whom in a direct Line have Succeeded Frederick II. Christiern IV. Frederick III. and Christiern V. the present King of Denmark Out of these Heads which I have thought fit to mention here it may be evident whether the Succession of Denmark was precarious as this Author has taken a great deal
in the Danish Tongue signifies a Child Waldemar I. being constituted King of Denmark about the Year 1157. when he was scarce nine Years of Age is another instance in this kind Eric VII also Son of King Christopher I. and Olaus Son of Queen Margaret were both declared and crowned Kings of Denmark before they were come to the Age of Eleven the first about the Year 1260. the second about the Year 1340. And Eric Queen Margaret's Sister's Son was by her made Consort in the Government when he was a Child Neither has the Succession and Declaration of the next Heirs though Minors ceased since the Oldenburg Family had the Government of this Kingdom Christiern I. had his Son John declared King in his Life time when he was about the Age of Twelve Likewise had King John his Son Christiern declared his Successor when he was not above Six Years of Age. And Christiern IV. was at the Age of Seven declared Successor to his Father King Frederick then living and having received Homage from the States actually succeeded him after his Death before he was quite Eleven Out of the History of the continual Succession of the next Heirs belonging to the Royal Family of Denmark both Males and Females and that also in their Minority it will be no difficult matter to judge how great the Rights were of the Danish Royal Family in the Succession of the Crown but when I shall have demonstrated that they also had a right of adopting not only but also by Testament to appoint their Successor and even dividing the Kingdom among their Heirs it will then I think be evident that scarce ever any Kings in these very Kingdoms which have been esteemed ways heredittry could pretend to a greater prerogative An Example of Adoption for the Danish Crown we have in the often before mentioned Queen Margaret who after the Death of her Son Olaus being without Heirs did not only constitute Eric her Sisters Son her Consort and Successor in the Danish Empire but also to make his Title the more firm did adopt him and he was as such receiveâ— after her Death by the Estates of Denmark An Example of disposing of thâ— Crown by Testament Albert Krantâ— that Ancient and Celebrated Historian has given us in the Danish King Haldan who left by his last Will the Kingdom to Unguin which being confirmed by the Estates is mentioned by this Author as an Act without a Precedent in Denmark at that time As for the Division of the Kingdom of Denmark there are several Examples extant in their Histories Canute I. sirnamed the great being King of England Denmark and Norway divided in his Life-time about the Year 1030 the three Kingdoms without consulting the Estates between his three Sons giving to the Eldest Harald England to Canute Denmark and Norway to Sueno And having the two Crowns of England and Norway in his Possession by right of Conquest yet he used the same Power in appointing his Successor in the Kingdom of Denmark The second Instance of dividing the Kingdom is in the Reign of Waldemar about the Year 1170 Who having called together the Estates at Samsoâ— he had his Son Waldemar crowned King of Denmark After which another Son being born to him who 's Name was Eric he declared him Duke of Sleswick and to Canute another Son of his he assigned Laland But Waldemar the younger not long after his Coronation happening to die by a Mischance which he got in Hunting King Waldemar made a new Division among the rest of his Sons and before he died exhorted them to Unity alledging that to the best of his Power he had equitably divided the Kingdom among them And the several Provinces so assigned by King Waldemar to his Son were afterwards devolved to their Children and Grandchildren before they were reunited into one Kingdom There is one remarkable Instance more in the Danish History of this Kingdom being divided into three Parts betwixt Waldemar Canute and Sueno For aftere the Death of Eric sirnamed the Lamb during the Minority of Waldemar I. who was declared King before contended for the Crown of Denmark Sueno and Canute the first having on his side the Zealanders and Inhabitants of Schonen the latter the Jutlanders being at last tired by the Wars the Decision was referred to Waldemar I. who dividing the Kingdom into three Parts assigned to himself Jutland to Canute Zealand and Funen and to Sueno Schonen Halland and Blekingen and that all three should be called Kings And even since that time that the Family of Oldenburg has ruled in Denmark Christiern I dying Anno 1482. at Copenhagen divided the Kingdom and that by Testament betwixt his two Sons John and Frederick giving to the Eldest the Kingdoms and to the Youngest the Dukedoms And it is remarkable that when afterwards both Frederick and the Holsteiners urged the Execution of Christiern I's Will it was alledged for a reason by them that since John the Eldest had for his share two Kingdoms it was no more than reason that the Dukedom should come to Frederick in recompensation of what John had obtained Truly if the Succession of Denmark had been precarious Sweedland being then already faln off from Denmark this would have been a foolish reason since the Dukedoms being hereditary and very considerable in themselves the Younger would have had much the better share And that the said Christiern I had a right of disposing the same among his Children the States afterwards did confess themselves in their Proclamation wherein having published their reasons for refusing to obey Christiern II and receiving Frederick I. for their King they alledged as one main reason for Frederick that there was due unto him his patrimonial share out of his Father's Kingdom As out of what I have related here it will easily appear how ill grounded our Author's Assertions are concerning the Danish Government so he that will be so curious as to make a thorough search into the Danish History will be the better convinced that the Ancient Kings enjoyed and exercised the same Prerogatives which are acknowledged to appertain to other hereditary Kingdoms in Europe It is not to be denied that in this as well as other Kingdoms either during the Minority of some Kings or else by the Division of the Kingdom betwixt several Heirs and other Accidents many Irregularities Contests Wars and Slaughters have happened but to draw these into Consequence and to attribute the villanous Acts of exasperated Parties to the whole Government is to overturn the whole frame of History and at once to charge all Governments with the blackest Villanies that can be imagined since none have been free of them And I verily believe if a due Comparison were made there would be as few to be found of this Kind in the Danish History as in any in Christendom Let but any Body who is not byass'd by his own Opinions look into
Allowance must be given to this Gentleman 's Romantick Expressions wherewith he has all along endeavoured to ensnare the ignorant sort of People into a belief of his own Suppositions Yet is it not to be wondred at that the value of the Estates should be less now when so considerable Taxes are paid out of them than they were formerly when the Gentry being the sole Possessors of Lands and having the chief Sway in the Kingdom used to be sure to exempt themselves as much as was possible The same Reason may be given why the Gentry or Nobility in Denmark in general do not live up to that Splendor as they did in former times since having in those Days all plaecs of Profit and Trust in their Hands and paying very small Taxes it is evident that at this time when to these Places others are admitted as well as they and are also obliged to bear a proportionable share in all Taxes their Revenues cannot be so great now as they were formerly Of the Peasants we shall be obliged to say something hereafter wherefore we will go to the next Chapter which describes the manner how the Kingdom of Denmark became Hereditary and absolute After the Conclusion of the Peace saysthe Author between the Two Northern Crowns Anno 1660 Some considerable care and time was necessary to redress the Disorders occasioned by so terrible a War Denmark had been most violently shaken and although the Fury of the Tempest was overâ— the Agitation caused by it still continued The Army was not yet disbanded nor could be for want of Money to discharge Arrears This caused frequent Insolencies in the Soldiers with a further Oppression of the Burghers and poor Country People who had been in a manner already ruined by the Miseries attendingthe War the Nobility and Gentry tho' Lords and Masters were full of Discontents and the Clergy not in the condition they wished c. Here the Author gives us some hints rather than reasons which induced the Estates of Denmark to make so remarkable a Change in the Government But since from hence does depend the understanding of the true nature of this Change he ought I think to have been a little more circumstantial in this Point if he intended to prove to us what he said in the conclusion of the last Chapter That it was astonishing to consider how a free and rich People should be perswaded intirely to part with their Liberties Astonishing indeed But if this Gentleman by the People does understand all the Estates of the Kingdom as he ought to do and has done so in other places when he alledged that famous Law of the Romans Salus populi supremae Lex esto he has not hit the mark right in this assertion since by his own words it may be proved that the Nobility mere Lords and Masters and all the rest depending on them It will not be a very difficult task to find out by what steps the Nobility in Denmark did acquire this Power over all the rest if we consider how the Nobility first clipt the Royal Prerogatives after that Crown was transferred to the Oldenburg Family and more especially after the deposing of Christiern the II. How after the Reformation the Power of the Bishops and Prelates who were chosen commonly out of the Citizens being fall'n together with their Revenues the Nobility made thereby the greatest step that could be towards the advancing their own Power above the Citizens and Peasants not only but also the Clergy who now were no more in a capacity to keep up the ballance as they used to do formerly The King's Prerogatives being thus brought into narrow bounds and the Clergy's Authority and Power quite abolished the Citizens alone were not able to resist long against those who sitting at the Helm had the chief management of all affairs of moment and the Peasants being most of them depending from the Nobility by being partly their Tenants partly their Vassals were not in a condition of making so much as a shew of resistance against the Power of their Lords and Masters Thus the name of the four ancient Estates of Denmark viz. the Nobility Clergy Citizens and Peasants remaining the Power was effectually lodged in the first which from time to time did encrease to that degree that not only the whole Senate of the Kingdom and all the great Offices of the Court were in their possession but also they did claim a right to all the rest of any moment and a priviledge to be consulted withall in the disposing of any Office of moment even to be given to a Nobleman They did claim a Prerogative and actually exercised the same of nominating the Magistrates in the Cities and had so eneroached upon the rest of the Estates that neither Clergyman Citizen or Peasant could purchase any Lands and if by Mortgaging or other wise any Lands happened to fall into their hands they were obliged by a yearly publick Proclamation to proffer the same to sale to the Nobility upon the same condition as they were possessed of it From hence came the dependancy of the Citizens from them and the entire subjection of the Peasants to their Will and by possessing most all the Lands in the Kingdom and thereby having the Rights of Patronages in a great measure in their own hands the Clergy was also for the most part fain to dance after their Pipe It is easie I think to imagine the natural consequence of this to have been That they exempting themselves as much as could be done from Taxes and other burdens the same did fall more heavy upon the rest and these not being able alone to provide sufficiently for the security of the Kingdom this was one main reason why the Kingdom was so surprized by the Swedes and did contribute as much as any thing towards the Miseries which these Countries endured in this War There was another great reason yet which as it contributed greatly to the miseries and misfortunes this Kingdom was fain to undergo in this War so questionless was it partly the Occasion of the great Change afterwards made by the States After the Death of Christiern IV. a certain Party of the Nobility were for excluding Frederick III. second Son of the said King Christiern IV. after the death of Christiern his elder brother and for setting up Wolmar his younger Son by a second Wife whose Sisters were married to several noble Men which though they could not effect yet were before Frederick III. this present King of Denmark's Father was received by them as King the royal prerogatives more streightned than ever and thereby the power of some of the Nobility mightily increased which did give occasion to a great many Dissensions in that Kingdom afterwards And it is very remarkable that when Charles the King of Sweden surprised the Kingdom of Denmark the second time viz. Anno 1658. He used it for a Pretence that he came to compose the Differences arisen betwixt the King