which shall set open Foreign Trade and consequently spoil all the Advantages that his Country enjoys at present I cannot see what will become of the Publick Affairs here for the Soldiers when disbanded being most of them Strangers will return to their respective Homes and the Revenues of these Kingdoms must sink extreamly through the want of People and their Poverty It seems therefore no less than madness for the least and poorest Kingdom of Europe to think of emulating with Success the richest greatest and the most populous and to take its Measures from thence as if there were no difference between King and King So have I heard that the little Republick of St. Marino in Italy which consists but of one small Town with the Mountain it stands upon and is scarce taken notice of by Travellers takes occasion to write to the Republick of Venice sometimes and to stile it Our Sister with as much Gravity and Pride as if it equalled the other in Power But the vanity of these poor Italians proceeds no farther than words which does them no harm But the true Reasons which renders it the Interest of Denmark to keep well with France and they are no weak ones are first because they look upon that Crown as the sole Ballance against the Grandeur of the Emperour and the House of Austria whose Power as I said before is looked on by all the Princes of Germany with a very jealous Eye the late Addition of the Crown of Hungary to it with its other Conquests on that side from the Turks the probability of the Spanish Dominions falling to some active Branch of it and the remembrance what havock the Emperour Charles the Fifth and his Successor made among the German Princes when possess'd of the like Advantages makes the Danes as well as the others reflect seriously upon what may happen hereafter should France be reduced to too low an ebb A second reason is because they know no other Naval Force able to contest the intire Dominion of the Seas with the English and Dutch and they are willing to keep the dispute about that Dominion undetermin'd between the French and us that no Laws may be laid upon Traffick but that they may reap their share of the Trade of the World which they think would be but small should that Point be once finally decided to our Advantage A third Reason and the most forcible is the Subsidies which the King of Denmark draws from time to time from France a little ready money among a necessitous People carrying irresistable Charms with it And this has been the drift of the French Policy in advising that King to a greater Charge than he was able to bear under pretence that they consulted his Honour and Grandeur whereas they only consulted their own ends being sure after they had rendred him and his Countrey Poor that they could buy him when they pleased Yet whenever the French Treasure shall come so far to be exhausted that a fairer bidder appears this piece of Policy will not only fail the French but turn to their disadvantage With the Kings of Spain and Portugal the Dane is in a state of indifferency Their Dominions are so far asunder and the business so little which they have with each other that there happen few or no occasions either of a Quarrel or Friendship between them Yet the Danes have some small Trade for Salt and Wine with each of these Princes Subjects and during this War make some benefit of their Neutrality by transporting in their Ships the Effects of French English and Dutch from one Port to another They have indeed some Pretensions on the Spaniard for Arrears of Subsidies owing to them ever since the Danes took the part of the Confederates against France in the former War but they despair of obtaining them unless some unforeseen Accident put them in a way of getting that Debt the Accompts of which have hardly ever been adjusted between them With the late Elector of Saxony the King of Denmark kept a very good correspondence the Elector having married one of the King's Sisters that Affinity produced as amicable effects as could be desired insomuch that it begat a Resolution of a nearer Union of the two Families in a Match between the present Elector then Prince and the King 's only Daughter this proceeded as far as a formal Contract and the usual Marriage presents were Solemnly exchanged in order to Consummation when on a sudden the old Elector died last year as he was leading an Army towards the Rhine against the French for the common cause of Europe the Death of this Prince among other Alterations produced this that his Successor the present Elector being thereby become at his own disposal and having been formerly very much in love with another Lady who is the present Electress refused to compleat his Marriage with the Daughter of Denmark and sent back the Presents which were given at the time of the Contract This Action of his highly disgusted the King Queen and the whole Danish Court however there was no Remedy but patience the Elector was too remote to fear any Effects of the Danes displeasure and resolved to pursue his own Inclinations in the choice of a Wife let the World say and do what it would Accordingly he presently courted and married where he fancied leaving the Danes to digest this Affront as well as they could which they will scarce forget this great while So that it is to be supposed the ancient Knot between the King and the Electoral Family of Saxe is hereby very much loosened yet not so far as to proceed to any open Breach the Elector's Excuses for this Action having been received and acccepted of as some sort of satisfaction With the Bishop of Munster the King of Denmark lives in good Amity by reason of his Neighbourhood to the Counties of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst and for the most part has a Minister residing in that Court The like Friendship is between him and the other Princes of Germany particularly with the Landtgrave of Hesse Cassel who is Brother to his Queen and extreamly beloved by her The King of Denmark has one Brother viz. Prince George born 1653. and married to her Royal Highness the Princess Ann Sister to her Majesty of England And four Sisters viz. Anna Sophia the Widow of the late Elector of Saxony Frederica Emilia the Wife of the Duke of Holstein Guillimetta Ernestina Widow of the Palatine of the Rhine Ulrica Eleonora Sabina the Queen of Sweden CHAP. XV. Of the Laws Courts of Justice c. SOME Naturalists observe that there is no Plant or Insect how venomous or mean soever but is good for something towards the use of man if rightly applied in like manner it may be said That several useful Lessons may be learnt conducing to the benefit of Mankind from this Account of Denmark provided things be taken by the right handle Hitherto we have indeed met
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
to tear out of the Book of Motto's in the King's Library this Verse which Mr. Sydney according to the liberty allowed to all noble Strangers had written in it manus haec inimica tyrannis Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem though Monsieur Terlon understood not a word of Latin he was told by others the Meaning of that Sentence which he considered as a Libel upon the French Government and upon such as was then a setting up in Denmark by French Assistance or Example To conclude A considering English Traveller will find by experience that at present nothing is so generally studied by the Sovereign Princes of the World as the Arts of War and the keeping of their own Countries in the desired Subjection The Arts of Peace whereby the Encrease and Prosperity of their Subjects might be promoted being either intirely neglected or faintly prosecuted he will further be convinced what great reason he has to bless Providence for his being born and continuing yet a Freeman He will find that the securing this inestimable Blessing to himself and transmitting it to late Posterity is a Duty he owes to his Country the right performance of which does in a great measure depend upon a good Education of our Youth and the Preservation of our Constitution upon its true and natural Basis The Original Contract All other Foundations being false nonsensical and rotten derogatory to the present Government and absolutely destructive to the legal Liberties of the English Nation Salus populi suprema lex esto AN ACCOUNT OF Denmark AS It was in the Year 1692. CHAP. I. Of the Territories belonging to the King of Denmark and their Situation IF we consider the Extent of the King of Denmark's Dominions he may with Justice be reckoned among the greatest Princes of Europe but if we have regard to the importance and value of them he may be put in Ballance with the King of Portugal and possibly be found lighter His Stile is King of Denmark and Norway of the Goths and Vandals Duke of Sleswick and Holstein Stormar and Ditmarsh Earl in Oldenburg and Delmenhorst all which Countries he actually possesses either in whole or in part so that except that of the Goths and Vandals which Title both he and the King of Sweden use and which the Crown of Denmark has retained ever since it was Master of Sweden as we in England do that of France all the rest are substantial and not empty Titles My design is to acquaint you with the present State of these Countries and to offer nothing but what I have either Collected from sensible grave Persons or what my own Knowledge and Experience has confirm'd to be Truth Since the late Wars between that famous Captain Charles Gustavus of Sweden and Frederic the Third which ended in a Peace Anno 1660. Denmark has been forced to sit down with the loss of all its Territories which lay on the other side of the Baltick Sea Schonen Halland and Bleking remaining to the Swedes notwithstanding frequent Struggles to recover them These three especially Schonen were the best Provinces belonging to Denmark and therefore are still looked upon with a very envious Eye by the Danes And for this very reason 't is reported that the Windows of Cronenburgh Castle whose Prospect lay towards Schonen were wall'd up that so hateful an Object might not cause continual heart-burnings Denmark therefore as it is thus clipp'd is at present bounded on all sides with the Sea except one small Neck of Land where it joins to Holstein the German Ocean washes it on the West and North-west the entrance into the Baltick called the Categate on the North and North-East the Baltick on the East and the River Eyder on the South which having its source very near the East Sea takes his course Westward and falls into the Ocean at Toningen a strong Town of the Duke of Holstein Gottorp's So that if a Channel were made of about three Danish Miles from that River to Kiel 't would be a perfect Island I include in this Account the Dutchy of Sleswick as part of Denmark but not the Dutchy of Holstein because the former was a Fief of that Crown the latter of the Empire All Denmark therefore comprehending its Islands as I have thus bounded it lyes in length between the degrees of 54 gr 45 min. and 58 gr 15 min. North Latitude the breadth not being proportionable and may at a large Computation be reckoned to amount to the bigness of two thirds of the Kingdom of Ireland Norway which lies North from Denmark and is separated from it by that Sea which is usually called the Categate is a vast and barren Countrey full of Mountains and Firr-trees it reaches from 59 to 71 degrees of North Latitude but is very narrow in respect to its length It is bounded on the West and North by the Ocean on the East by Sweden and the Territories belonging to it on the South by the Sea lying between it and Denmark The Sea is so deep about it that there is no Anchorage for Ships and therefore its Coasts are accounted the most dangerous of any in Europe to run with in the Night or in a Storm on which if you chance to be driven there is no scaping the Shoar being all along high Rocks at the very foot of which one may find 200 Fathom Water Holstein which includes Ditmarsh and Stormar is bounded by the Dutchy of Sleswick on the North the Dutchy of Saxe Lawenburg on the South-East the River Elbe on the South-West the rest of it is washed by the Ocean and Baltick Sea It lies between the 54th and 55th degrees of North Latitude Oldenburg and Delmenhorst are two Counties in Germany that lye together detached from all the rest of the King of Denmark's Countries the two Rivers Elb and Weser and the Dutchy of Bremen interposing between them and Holstein They are bounded on the North-East by the Weser on the West by East-Friesland and the County of Embden on the South by part of the Bishoprick of Munster They are a small Territory of about 35 English Miles in Diameter the middle of which is in the Latitude of 53 degrees and a half The rest of the King of Denmark's Territories not mentioned in the enumeration of his Titles are the Islands of Feroe and Iseland in the Northern Ocean St. Thomas one of the Caribbe Islands in the West-Indies A Fort upon the Coast of Guinea call'd Christiansburg and another in the East-Indies call'd Tranquebar He has likewise a Toll at Elfleet upon the River Weser Thus much may serve in general touching the Dominions of that King which have this great inconveniency that they are mightily disjoined and separated from each other it being certain that a State which is confined by many Principalities is weak exposed to many dangers and requires a more than ordinary Expence as well as Prudence to preserve it entire And it is to this principally that the
had to deal with or according to their Friendship or Discontent with those Princes and States to whom the several Ships belonged Therefore the Emperor Charles the Fifth to ascertain this Toll concluded a Treaty with the King of Denmark which was signed at Spire on the Rhine and was in behalf of his Subjects of the Seventeen Provinces of the Low Countries who had great Traffick in the Baltick and agreed that as a Toll-Custom in the Sound every Ship of 200 Tuns and under should pay two Rose Nobles at its Entrance or Return from the Baltick and every Ship above 200 Tuns three Rose Nobles This Agreement remained in force till such time as the United Provinces shook off the Spanish Yoak and then the Danes taking the advantage of those Wars raised their Toll to an extravagant height the troublesome Times not affording leisure to the Dutch to mind the redressing of such a Mischief However about the Year 1600. they joined themselves with the City of Lubeck in opposition to such an exorbitant Toll as was taken from both of them so that from thenceforth the Dutch paid more or less according as Fortune was favourable or adverse to them but generally little Anno 1647. the first Treaty was made between Denmark and the United Provinces as Soveraigns for this Toll and they were obliged to pay a certain Sum for each Ship this Treaty was to last Forty years after the expiration of which if in the mean time no new Treaty were made that of Spire was to be in force This Treaty of 1647. expired 1687. and the Danes agreed to make an interim Treaty till such time as the many Differences between them and the Hollanders in this and other Matters could be adjusted at leisure and concluded in a more lasting and solemn one This interim Treaty which was but for Four years expired in the Year 1691. so that no new Treaty being made and finished during that time it is evident that only the ancient Treaty of Spire remains in force and no other The English Treaties with Denmark are grounded on those between the Dutch and that Kingdom and have reference to them with a Covenant that we shall be treated tanquam gens amicissima excepting always Sweden whose Ships pay no Toll at all So that at present both the English and Dutch have occasion for new Treaties with Denmark in this and other Affairs of Trade unless it be agreed by all Parties that the Treaty of Spire shall for so much remain in vigour hereafter From this short History of the Original of this Imposition it appears how slightly grounded the King of Denmark's Title is to this Right of exacting the Toll of the Sound which from an easie Contribution which Merchants chose to pay for their own Convenience and whereof the King of Denmark was only Treasurer or Trustee to see it fairly laid out for the common use is grown to be a heavy Imposition upon Trade as well as a kind of servile acknowledgment of his Sovereignty of those Seas and is purely owing to his taking an Advantage of the Difficulties of the Hollanders during their Wars with Spain and the Connivance of King James the First in prejudice of the English who favoured the Danes upon account of his Marriage to a Daughter of that Crown upon whose two Examples all the lesser States were forced to submit Nor can it be conceived how it could be otherwise brought about since it is very well known that the Passage of the Sound is not the only one to the Baltick Sea there being two others called the Greater and Lesser Belts and that of the Greater Belt so commodious and large that during the late Wars the whole Dutch Fleet chose to pass through it and continue in it for four or five Months together and the Danish Strength at Sea never appeared yet so formidable as to be able to oblige the English and Dutch to choose which Passage it pleased Besides the breadth of the Sound in the narrowest part is four English Miles over and every where of a sufficient depth so that his Castles could not Command the Channel when he was Master of both sides much less now that he has but one So that it is plain this pretended Sovereignty is very precarious being partly founded on a Breach of Trust as well as the Carelesness of some of the Princes concerned in it to the great Injury of Trade And the Spaniards may with as much right lay claim to the Sovereignty of the Streights of Gibralter where there is but one Passage or the Swede who is now Master of one of the Castles on the Sound demand another Toll of all Ships since both are better able to support their Claims For the further clearing of this Point and to shew how it agrees with the Account I have already given I have thought fit to insert in this place the Copy of a Letter from a very understanding Person March 31. 1691. SIR THE Duties or Customs in the Sound were of old times no more than a Rose Noble for each Ship Loading included but within these hundred Years some say since King James of Scotland came to the Crown of England and winked at it the Kings of Denmark having the Lands on both sides the Passage began to impose Taxes on the Merchandize and raise higher those which were formerly on the Ships which the Lubeckers who were then powerful refused to pay Anno 1640. the King caused a Book of Rates to be printed whereof I have one according to which a Ship of 100 Lasts or 200 Tuns which is the same thing did pay as followeth For 100 Last of Salt to the East 300 Rix Dollars for the Ship and petty Charges on the Salt 34 Rix Dollars 24 Stivers and for 100 Last of Rye from the East 150 R. D. for Ship and petty Charges as above 34 R. D. 24 Stivers So that the Charges of a Ship of this Burden with its Lading forward and backward was 519 Rix Dollars Hereupon the Hollanders made an Alliance with the Swedes who Anno 1643. by the way of Germany invaded Denmark and the Dutch lent them Ships then the King Prints another Book of Rates more favourable demanding for 100 Last of Spanish Salt 100 Rix Dollars for 100 Last of Rye 75 R. D. Ships Charges in and out as above 69 R. D. the whole amounting to 244 R. D. But this was neither done time enough nor the Rates lowered enough The Hollanders by their Treaty with Denmark of 1646. or thereabouts brought them thus The 100 Last of Salt to 50 Rix Dollars 100 Last of Rye to 50 R. D. Ships and other petty Charges nothing in all for each Ship 100 Rix Dollars And by reason of this untimely heightning of their Customs it is that the Kings of Denmark have lost so many Territories to the Swedes But to Answer your Demand more fully it was in those days that is about the Year 1640. that the
and began to waver very much in his Resolutions so that their Liberties seem purely lost for want of some to appear for them From the Theatre those that had done Homage went to the Council-House where the Nobles were called over by Name and ordered to Subscribe the above-mentioned Declaration which they all did Thus this great Affair was finished and the Kingdom of Denmark in Four Days time changed from an Estate little differing from Aristocracy to as absolute a Monarchy as any is at present in the World The Commons have since experienced that the little Finger of an Absolute Prince can be heavier than the Loins of many Nobles Theonly comfort they have left them being to see their former Oppressors in almost as miserable a Condition as themselves whilst all the Citizens of Copenhagen have by it obtained the insignificant Priviledge of wearing Swords So that at this day not a Cobler or Barber stirs abroad without a Tilter at his side let his Purse be never so empty The Clergy who always make sure Bargains were the only Gainers in this Point and are still much encouraged by the Court as the Instruments that first promoted and now keep the People in a due Temper of Slavery the Passive Obedience Principle riding Triumphant in this unhappy Kingdom It was but Justice that the Court should pay well the principal Contrivers of this great Revolution and therefore notwithstanding the general want of Money Hannibal Seestede had a Present of 200000 Crowns Swan the Superintendent or Bishop was made Archbishop and had 30000 Crowns The President or Speaker Nanson 20000 Crowns And to the People remained the Glory of having forged their own Chains and the Advantage of Obeying without reserve A happiness which I suppose no English Man will ever envy them CHAP. VIII The Condition Customs and Temper of the People ALL these do so necessarily depend upon and are influenced by the Nature and Change of Government that 't is easily imagined the present Condition of these People of all Ranks must be most deplorable at least it appears so to an English Man who sees it possibly more than to them that suffer it For Slavery like a sickly Constitution grows in time so habitual that it seems no Burden nor Disease it creates a kind of laziness and idle despondency which puts Men beyond hopes and fears It mortifies Ambition Emulation and other troublesome as well as active qualities which Liberty and Freedom beget and instead of them affords only a dull kind of Pleasure of being careless and insensible In former Times and even till the late Alteration in the Government the Nobility or Gentry for they are here the same thing lived in great Affluence and Prosperity their Country Seats were large and magnificent their Hospitality extraordinary because their Plenty was so too they lived for the most part at home and spent their Revenues among their Neighbours and Tenants by whom they were considered and respected as so many petty Princes In times of Convention of the Estates which ordinarily happened once a year they met their King with Retinues almost as large as his they frequently eat and drank at the same Table with him and in the debate of Publick Affairs their Suffrages were of greatest weight and usually carried the Point For the Commons were willing in a great measure to be directed by them because they much depended on them In process of time this Excess of Power as you have heard made most of them grow insolent which was the chief occasion of their fall together with the loss of the Liberties of the whole Country So that now they are sunk to a very low Condition and diminish daily both in Number and Credit their Estates scarce paying the Taxes imposed on them Which makes them grind the Faces of their poor Tenants to get an Overplus for their own Subsistance Nay I have been assured by some Gentlemen of good Repute who formerly were Masters of great Estates that they have offered to make an absolute Surrender to the King of large Possessions in the Island of Zealand rather than pay the Taxes which offer though pressed with earnestness would by no means be accepted And upon my further enquiry into the Reason of it I have been informed that Estates belonging to those Gentlemen who made this offer lying in other places which had the good Fortune to be taxed less than the full value of the Income were liable to pay the Taxes of any other Estate appertaining to the same Person in case that other Estate were not able so that some have been seen with a great deal of joy declaring that the King had been so gracious as to take their Estates from them Through these and several other means many of the ancient Families are fallen to decay their Country Habitations which were like Palaces being ruinous they are forced to live meanly and obscurely in some corner of them Unless it be their good Fortune to procure an Employment Civil or Military at Court which is the thing they are most Ambitious of it being indeed necessary to secure to their Families any tolerable Subsistance or to afford them some shelter from the Exactions and Injustices of the Collectors The Civil Employments are in no great number nor of great value as they seldom are in a poor Country governed by an Army so that few are provided for this way The greatest part patiently enduring their Poverty at home where in a short time their Spirits as well as their Estates grow so mean that you would scarce believe them to be Gentlemen either by Discourse or Garb. Ancient Riches and Valour were the only Title to Nobility formerly in this Country the Nobles and Gentry being as I said before the same thing None took either their Degree or Patents of Honour from the King But of late years to supply the want of Riches some few Titles of Baron or Count and nothing higher have been given to Favourites who enjoy not the same Priviledges by those Titles as our Lords in England do but content themselves with a few Airy insignificant ones which distingush them from the Common People there are not many even of this kind of Nobility I believe fifteen or twenty are the most these are such who are most easie in their Fortunes and are obliged that they may preserve them to keep in with the Court by all manner of ways as indeed all are who have a mind to live and eat Bread 'T is only this kind of Nobility with Titles that have liberty to make a Will or Testament and thereby to dispose of any Estate otherwise than as the Law has already determined that it shall fall of course Unless such Will be during the Life of the Testator approved of and signed by the King and then it shall be of force and valid 'T is almost needless to mention that there is no buying or selling of Land here for where an Estate is a
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
les Admiraux le General Commissaire de l'Armée les Colonels des Gardes du Corps ou Trabans 2. Les Brigadiers 3. Le Maréchal de la Cour. VIII 1. Les Conseillers de la Chancellerie Les Envoyez Extraordinaires du Roy le Maistre des Ceremonies 2. Les Conseillers de la Chambre des Comptes le Procureur General 3. Les Conseillers de Guerre 4. Les Conseillers de l'Admirauté 5. Les Conseillers de Commerce IX 1. Le sur Intendant de Séelande 2. Le Confesseur du Roy. 3. Le Recteur de l'Accademie l'année qu'il est Recteur le President de la Ville de Copen X. 1. Les Colonels des Regimens des Gardes à Cheval à Pied les Vice-Admiraux les Colonels de l'Artillerie 2. Les autres Colonels de Cavalerie ou d'Infanterie 3. Les Lieutenans Colonels des Gardes du Corps ou Trabans apres eux les Bailliffs XI 1. Les Gentilshommes de la Chambre du Roy de la Reine 2. Le Maistre de l'Ecurie 3. Le Veneur du Roy. 4. Le Secretaire de la Chambre du Roy. 5. Le Secretaire de la Milice 6. Le Grand Payeur XII 1. Les assesseurs de la haute Justice les Conseillers d'Assistance en Norwegue les sur Intendans des autres Provinces 2. Les Juges Provinciaux XIII 1. Les Generaux Auditeurs les Maistres Generaux des quartiers 2. Les Lieutenans Colonels Scoutbynachts Maiors des Gardes du Corps a Trabans XIV 1. Les Assesseurs de la Chancelerie de la Justice de la Cour de Norwegue 2. Les Assesseurs du Consistoire les Bourgmeisters de Copenhague le Medicin du Roy. 3. Les Assesseurs de la Chambre des Comptes aprés eux les Commissaires des Provinces 4. Les Assesseurs du College de Guerre 5. Les Assesseurs du College de l'Admirauté 6. Les Assesseurs du College du Commerce XV. Les Maistres de Cuisine les Gentilshommes de la Cour les Generaux Adjutans les Maiors les Capitains des Gardes a Cheval les Capitaines Commandeurs des Vaisseaux XVI 1. Les Secretaires de la Chancellerie de la Justice 2. Le Secretaire de la Chambre des Comptes 3. Le Secretaire du College de Guerre 4. Le Secretaire de l'Admirauté 5. Le Secretaire du Commerce Ilya à observer que quand plusiers charges sont nommées ensemble Et qu'elles ne sont pas distinguées de quelque numero à part Ils prendront le rang entre eux selon qu'ils sont premiers en charge Les Ministres du Roy qui possedent quelques charges qui ne sont pas nommées dans cette Ordonnance retiendront même rang qu'ils ont eu Jusques icy Ceux à qui le Roy a déja donné ou donnera le Rang deConseiller Privé jouiront du même Rang que s'ils l'Etoint effectivement Ceux qui possedent effectivement quelques charges auront le Rang avant ceux qui en ont seulement le titre ne font point de fonction Ceux que le Roy dispense de ne plus exercer leur charges retiendront pourtant le même Rang qu'ils avoient eu exercant leurs charges si quelqu'un prand une autre charge de moindre Rang que sa premiere n'étoit il retiendra pourtant le Rang de la premiere Les Femmes se regleront ainsi qu'apres les Comtesses suivront les Gouvernantes Demoiselles de la Chambre de la Cour pendant qu'elles sont en service aprez elles les Femmes de Conseillers Privez qui tiennent Rang avec eux ensuite les Baronesses autres Femmes selon la Condition de leurs maris tant de leur vivant qu'aprez leur mort pendant quelles demeurent veufves La Noblesse qui n'a point de charge les Capitaines de Cavalerie d'Infanterie autres Persones Ecclesiastiques Seculiers tiendront le pas entre eux comme ils ont fait auparavant Surquoy tous auront a se Régler souspeine de la perte de la faveur Royale Et si quelqu'n contre toute Esperance se trouve de propre Authorité qui face quelque chose contre cette Ordonnance payera tout aussitost qu'il sera Convaincu d'un tel Crime l'amande de mille Reicsthalers Et outre sera poursuive par le General fiscal du Roy comme violateur des Ordres Royaux fait à Copenhag le 31 Decembre 1680. CHAP. XII The Disposition and Inclinations of the King of Denmark towards his Neighbours THE Kingdoms and States which border upon the King of Denmark are towards the North and Northeast the Territories belonging to Sweden towards the South the Duke of Holstein's part of Sleswick and Holstein the City of Hamburg and the Dutchy of Bremen Towards the West and Southwest England and Scotland which are separated from them by the main Ocean Towards the South-east the Dukedoms of Saxe Lawenburg of Mecklenburg and of Lunenburg The Dominions of Brandenburgh c. lye also this way not far distant from them Between the King of Denmark and most of these Neighbours it may be said in general that there always is a reciprocal Jealousy and Distrust which often breaks out into open Hostilities with those nearer more frequently with the remoter more seldom according as the occasions of quarrel or revenge do happen The interposition of a vast Ocean has hitherto kept the Danes in pretty good terms with England and Scotland and the Trade they have with those Kingdoms is very considerable to them their Maritime Forces are in no measure sufficient to cope with us and others concern'd otherwise they have had a good mind to challenge the sole right of the Groenland Whale-fishing as pretending that Countrey to be a discovery of theirs and therefore to belong to them Since the present Wars with France and our strict Union with the Hollanders they have shown themselves extreme jealous of our Greatness at Sea fearing lest we should ingross and command the whole Trade of the World and therefore have favoured France on all occasions as much as they durst furnishing it with Naval Stores and other Commodities which it wants And for this reason notwithstanding their scarcity of Money they will hardly be persuaded either to lend or sell any more Forces to the Confederates Neither is it to be doubted but that as well to keep the balance of the Sea Power even as to secure the liberty of their Commerce which brings them in great Gains they will leave no Stone unturned to do us a Mischief in order to humble us to such a degree as may put them out of fears that we shall give law to the Ocean To this end they have entred into stricter Alliances with Sweden of late for a mutual Vindication of open Commerce
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