Selected quad for the lemma: master_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
master_n	able_a	great_a	know_v	499	4	3.3321	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60030	A short account how the kingdom of Denmark became hereditary and absolute, by a difference betwixt the Lords and Commons Published as a warning to other nations.		1700 (1700)	Wing S3531A; ESTC R203712	9,732	8

A short Account how the Kingdom of Denmark became Hereditary and Absolute by a Difference betwixt the Lords and Commons Published as a Warning to other Nations Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum AFTER the Conclusion of the Peace 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 altho the Fury of the Tempest was over the Agitation caused by it still continued The Army was not yet disbanded nor could be for want of Mony to discharge its Arrears this caused frequent Insolencies in the Soldiers with a further Oppression of the Burgers and poor Country People who had been in a manner already ruined by the Miseries attending the War The Nobility tho Lords and Masters were full of Discontents and the Clergy not in the condition they wished To redress all which Grievances and reduce Affairs into some Order by procuring Money for the Payment and Disbanding of the Army the King thought fit to appoint a Meeting of the Three Estates at Copenhagen viz. the Nobility Commonalty and Clergy which accordingly followed about the beginning of October After some few days Session during which the Nobility according to their usual practice debated how the Sums of Money requisite might with the greatest ease and conveniency be levied upon the Commons without the least intention of bearing any proportionable share themselves several Disputes arose and many sharp Expressions passed between them and the Commons on the one hand the Nobility were for maintaining their antient Prerogative of paying nothing by way of Tax but only by voluntary Contribution and shewed themselves too stiff at a time when the Country was exhausted and most of the remaining Riches lodged in their hands They seemed to make use of this occasion not only to vindicate but even to widen and enlarge their Privileges above the other two Estates by laying Impositions on them at pleasure which Weight they themselves would not touch with one of their Fingers any further than as they thought fitting On the other hand the Clergy for their late adherence to the Interest of their Country and the Burgers for the vigorous Defence of their City thought they might justly pretend to new Merit and be considered at least as good Subjects in a State which they themselves had so valiantly defended They remembred the great Promises made them when dangerous Enterprises were to be taken in hand and how successfully they had executed them thereby saving from a Foreign Yoke not only the City of Copenhagen but the whole Kingdom the Royal Family nay those very Nobles that now dealt so hardly with them They judg'd it therefore reasonable that the Sums of Money necessary should be levied proportionably and that the Nobility who enjoy'd all the Lands should at least pay their share of the Taxes since they had suffered less in the common Calamity as well as done less so prevent the progress of it This manner of arguing was very displeasing to the Nobles and begat much Heat and many bitter Replies on both sides At length a principal Senator called Otto Craeg stood up and in great Anger told the President of the City That the Commons neither understood nor considered the Privileges of the Nobility who at all times had been exempted from Taxes nor the true Condition of themselves who were no other than Slaves the word in the Danish is unfree so that their best way was to keep within their own Bounds and acquiesce in such Measures as antient Practice had warranted and which they were resolved to maintain This word Slaves put all the Burgers and Clergy in disorder causing a loud Murmur in the Hall which Nanson the President of the City of Copenhagen and Speaker of the House of Commons perceiving and finding a fit occasion of putting in practice a Design before concerted tho but weakly between him and the Bishop in great Choler rose out of his Seat and swore an Oath That the Commons were no Slaves nor would from thenceforth be called so by the Nobility which they should soon prove to their cost And thereupon breaking up the Assembly in disorder and departing out of the Hall was followed by all the Clergy and Burgers The Nobles being left alone to consult among themselves at their leisure after a little while adjourned to a private House near the Court. In the mean time the Commons being provoked to the highest degree and resolving to put their Threats in Execution marched processionally by Couples a Clergyman and a Commoner from the great Hall or Parliament-House to the Brewers-Hall which was the convenientest place they could pitch upon to sit apart from the Nobles the Bishop of Copenhagen and the President of the City leading them It was there thought necessary to consider speedily of the most effectual Means to suppress the intolerable Pride of the Nobility and how to mend their own Condition After many Debates they concluded That they should immediately wait upon the King and offer him their Votes and Assistance to be absolute Monarch of the Realm as also that the Crown should descend by Inheritance to his Family which hitherto had gone by Election They promised themselves the King would have so grease Obligations to them for this piece of Service that he would grant and confirm such Privileges as should put them above the degree of Slaves They knew he had hitherto been curbed by the Nobility to a great measure and now saw their own force being able since they had Arms in their Hands and the concurrence of the Souldiers to perform what they undertook At the worst they supposed they should only change many Masters for one and could better bear hardships from a King than from inferior Persons Or if their Case were not better'd at least they thought it some comfort to have more Company in it besides the satisfaction of Revenge on those that had hitherto not only used them ill but insulted over them so lately They knew the King and had seen him bear with an admirable Patience and Constancy all his Calamities were perswaded that he was a Valiant Prince who had often exposed his Person for the sake of the Publick and therefore thought they could never do enough to shew their Gratitude which is the usual Temper of the People upon any benefit receiv'd from their Prince Scarce was this proposed but it was agreed to and nothing but the unseasonableness of the time it being now near Night deferred the immediate Execution of it but all the necessary Measures were taken against next Morning The Clergy had a further drift in this Change of Government for having been hitherto kept under by the Nobility they forecasted to have no other Superior but the King whose new Authority they engaged to maintain by the influence they had on the Consciences of the People expecting with reason the like Favour