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
Conquests which the Swedes have gained upon them may be ascribed CHAP. II. Of Denmark in particular and the Island of Zealand THIS being the most considerable and in value four parts in five of all the Territories belonging to the Crown of Denmark I shall give a more particular account of it than of the rest Others I know have given us the Genealogies and Succession of its Kings ancient Names Inhabitants Conquests c. my business is only to inform how it stands at this day and to enter no further into the former History or the Geography of the Countrey than is necessary to the understanding the present State of it Denmark then properly so called consists of many Islands in the Baltick Sea and of that part of the Continent which is now called Jutland The Dutchy of Sleswick which I reckoned in the former Chapter as part of it shall be treated of by it self because it is divided between the King and the Duke of Holstein Gottorp whereas these above-mentioned are wholly the King 's Jutland is the biggest and most fertile Countrey but the Islands are more considerable in regard of their Situation especially Zealand because Copenhagen the Chief City of Denmark is seated in it and the famous passage of the Sound is bordered by its Shoar where on the narrowest part the Town of Elsinor stands wherefore I shall begin with a description of them and first of Zealand It is almost of a Circular Figure and contains about 180 English Miles in Circumference I cannot commend its Fertility there being no Bread corn growing in any part of it except Rye which indeed is in good quantity and whereof most of their Bread is made There are few Meadows in it and yet there is no want of good Hay Most of their Grass which is short and sweet grows by the sides of their Corn Fields or in some scattered spots of Marish Grounds It has no Rivers nor above half a score Brooks that are able to turn a Mill to supply this there is a great number of fine Lakes sufficiently stored with Fish The Air is but indifferent especially in and near Copenhagen which is occasioned by the frequent Fogs and low Situation yet Colds of the Lungs are very rare here this I attribute to the pureness of their firing which is Beech-wood the only sort of Timber trees which abound in this Island About one fourth part of it is Forest lying open for the King 's Hunting and his Game such as Staggs Wild-Boars Roe-Bucks c. these are such Sacred things that no Body dares touch them though they find them in whole Herds destroying their Corn to the infinite yearly damage of the poor Peasants The Face of the Land is pleasant in many places abounding with little Hills Woods and Lakes in a very agreeable diversity For Sea-Ports that most excellent one belonging to Copenhagen must make amends for the want of them not only in this but many other of the Islands there being few others that I know of capable of harbouring a Vessel of 200 Tuns Neither is this a sensible want because there are no Commodities in this Island for Exportation In good years that is wet ones for the Soil being altogether Sandy requires frequent Rains even thus far North there may be some overplus of Rye and I have been told that about forty years ago ten or twelve Dutch Fly-boats found yearly their Lading at Kiog a pretty flourishing Town at that time within twenty English Miles of Copenhagen but of late they seem to be well satisfied if the Product of the Isle maintains in this sort of Grain the Inhabitants of it Not that the numbers of these are increased but Husbandry is not so much encouraged now as when the Taxes of the poor Countrey People were less frequent and grievous The Cattle here are generally small and lean kept within doors seven or eight Months in the Year where their Feeding is partly Hay partly Brewers Grains Roots Weeds and such Trash as their Owners can provide for them In Summer time their Beef is sweet and juicy but Weather Mutton was a rare thing till of late nor is it common now they being not used to Geld their Sheep and therefore 't was usually eaten while it was Lamb. The feeding of the Commonalty generally throughout all Denmark is very mean the Burgers and Citizens sustaining themselves with Rye-bread Salt-flesh Stock-fish Bacon and very bad Cheese insomuch that the Inspectors of our Markets in England who use to destroy or send to the Prisons all such Victuals as are not judged wholsom would if they found them no better provided than at Copenhagen go near to empty the Markets and leave little to either Buyer or Seller The Peasants live on Roots white Meats and Rye-bread seldom tasting fresh Fish and scarce ever Flesh unless on some extraordinary Festivals as on St. Martin's Eve when each Family in Denmark without sail makes merry with a rosted Goose at Supper Here and in all Denmark are but two Seasons of the Year Winter and Summer those two other more agreeable ones of Spring and Autumn not being commonly known the Spring never and the Autumn seldom you immediately leap from extremity of Heat to extremity of Cold and so on the contrary when Winter is over from Cold to Heat During the three Months of June July and August the Heat is much more intense than in England and very sultry in the Nights but 't is a gloomy Heat and People generally perceive some interposition of thick Vapours between them and the Sun In Copenhagen during these three Months they are constantly troubled with the Plague of Flies which they endeavour to destroy by a poysoned Water upon the laying of which in their Kitchins and Chambers I have seen whole Bushels of dead Flies swept together in one Room The Baltick Sea near this City is very ill stored with good Fish neither did I ever know any Sea-Town of that Consequence worse served with it Whether it be that the Sea wants its requisite saltness being rather to be esteemed brackish than salt or that the People are not industrious enough to take them but I rather believe the former The principal things of this Island and indeed of all Denmark are the City of Copenhagen and the Passage of the Sound I will begin with the City the rather because when I have done with that I have little more to say of any other in the King of Denmark's Dominions there being no other belonging to him much better than our Town of St. Albans Copenhagen is no ancient City nor a very large one it approaches in bigness nearest to Bristol of any of our English Cities but it increases in Buildings every day notwithstanding the many discouragements it lyes under The Fortifications of it enclose a great deal more Ground than is built upon and many small Buildings which upon a further increase of its Riches will be pulled down It s
Customs of the OreSound yielded per Ann. from 240000 Rix Dollars to 300000 R. D. But since 1645. they have not at any time render'd above 150000 R. D. nor ever so much except in time of War with the Swedes when all did pay without Exemption During the last War I remember it yielded but 143000 Rix Dollars but before that War and since the Swedish Ships freeing all Goods that are carried in them and the Swedish Goods in Forreign Ships being also free by Treaty it has not yielded above 80000 Rix Dollars per Annum and the last Year past it did not reach to full 70000 Rix Dollars The Court of Denmark is not to be blamed therefore for being wonderful jealous of any Infraction of this their pretended Sovereignty as People are most careful and suspicious in behalf of an Estate wherein their Title is weak it being so much the Interest not only of the English and Dutch but also of the Swede to have it set right both to encourage Trade to his own Country and to lessen the Revenue of his Neighbour neither can it be said that the English and Dutch did ever intirely yield the Point for though they agreed to pay a small Toll on Merchandize yet no manner of searching or stopping is to be allowed or has ever been The Danes are now obliged to take the Master of the Vessel 's word for the quality and quantity of the Lading and thought it prudence never to press this Point further least we should grow angry and make too narrow an Inspection both into their Original Right and into their Ability to maintain it For whilst we and the Dutch are content to pay this Toll all the other petty Princes and States do it without Murmur but if we once broke the Chain they would shake off their part of it likewise CHAP. IV. Of the other Islands and Jutland THE most considerable Islands next to that of Zealand are Funen or Fionia Laland Langland Falstria Mune Samsoe Arroe Bornholm and Amack there are besides many other small ones of less note Funen is second to Zealand whether its bigness or the goodness of its Soil be considered it has plenty of Corn Hogs Lakes and Woods the chief Town of it is Odensee a well-seated and formerly a flourishing little City but at present much fallen to decay This Island produces nothing for the Merchant to export except some few Horses the Inhabitants usually consuming their own Commodities This is a principal Government called a Stifts Ampt. The present Governour is Mr. Winterfelt Laland is a small but plentiful Island producing all sorts of Corn in abundance and particularly Wheat wherewith it supplies the City of Copenhagen and all other parts of Denmark where it is a rarity The Hollanders buy yearly and ship off great quantities of Corn from hence This likewise is a Stifts Ampt having several of the lesser Islands under its Jurisdiction The Governour of it is Mr. Geugh who formerly had a Publick Character and resided a long time in England Falstria Langland and Mune are fertile Islands the two first Export yearly some Corn. Arroe and Alsen abound in Annis-seeds which are much used to season their Meat and mix with their Bread Bornholm Samsoe with the other Islands nourish Cattle and afford Corn for the use of the Inhabitants But Amack deserves to be particularly remembred this little Island joyns close to the City of Copenhagen from which 't is only separated by a small Arm of the Sea which is passed over by a Draw-bridge and exceeds in fruitfulness any spot of Ground in Denmark This Land was given many Years ago to several Families of North Hollanders who were planted there to make Butter and Cheese for the Court the Descendants of whom retain to this day the Habit Language and Customs of their Predecessors together with their Cleanliness and Industry neither will they mix with the Danes but intermarry with each other They had formerly extraordinary Priviledges granted to them whereof some continue to this time but others are retrenched and by degrees it is to be feared they will be treated like the other Subjects This Island of Amaek through the Industry of these laborious People is as it were the Kitchen-Garden of Copenhagen and supplies its Markets plentifully with all sorts of Roots and Herbs besides Butter Milk great quantities of Corn and some Hay whatever it produces being the best in its kind that is to be found in the whole Kingdom Jutland part of the ancient Cimbrica Chersonesus is the biggest part of the Kingdom of Denmark and may amount to about two thirds of the whole It is divided into four Stifts Ampts or principal Governments The present Governours are the Count de Frize the upper Mareschal Speckhan Monsieur Edmund Schele now Envoy Extraordinary to his Majesty from the King of Denmark c. This is a plentiful Country abounding more especially in Cattle it wants good Sea-Ports towards the Ocean notwithstanding which the Hollanders transport yearly great quantities of lean Cows and Oxen from hence to their more fertile Soil where in a short time they grow so prodigiously fat through better feeding in the rich Grounds of Holland that a vast Profit is made by this Traffick The Horses and Swine of this Country are excellent and in great numbers It affords Corn in sufficient quantity for the use of its own People The Land is more Fertile near the Sea-Coasts the Inland being full of Heaths Lakes and Woods In short it is the best Country the King of Denmark is Master of and appears to be least declining because most remote from Copenhagen Procul à Jove Procul à Fulmine It being observed that in limited Monarchies and Commonwealths a Neighbourhood to the Seat of the Government is advantageous to the Subjects whilst the distant Provinces are less thriving and more liable to Oppression but in Arbitrary and Tyrannical Kingdoms the quite contrary happens CHAP. V. Of the rest of the King of Denmark's Countries THE Dutchy of Sleswick is in general a very good Country its convenient Situation between two Seas the Ocean and the Baltick rendring it considerable for Trade although the natural Commodities fit for Exportation are in no great quantity Some Corn Cattle Horses and Wood for Firing it affords to its Neighbours over and above a sufficient store of each for its own Inhabitants It is divided between the King and the Duke of Holstein The principal Town which gives Name to the Dutchy belongs to the Duke of Holstein who resides near it in his Palace of Gottorp one of the most delicious Seats that is to be seen in all the Northern Parts of Europe nothing can be more Pleasant and Romantick than the Situation of this Castle It stands in an Island surrounded by a large Lake made by the River Sley whose rising Banks are clothed with fine Woods the Waters clear and full of Fish carry Vessels of small Burden to and from the
Baltick Sea into which it empties it self The Gardens are large with great Cost and Art cut out of the diclivity of a Hill on the other side the Lake and are as well dissposed and laid out with Fountains Parterres Walks and Water-works as many of the most famous Villa's in Italy A noble large Park or rather Forest full of Deer Wild-boars and all sorts of Game joyns close to this Garden cut through with pleasant Walks and Ridings This Residence of the Duke of Holstein suffered much during the Misfortunes of its Master many of the Improvements being not only suffer'd to run to ruine and decay but industriously and as some say by order pull'd down and destroyed which at present since the Re-establishment of the Duke are repairing and restoring to their former Splendour Among several other things of value none had better luck than an admirable Library being a choice Collection of Books which many Dukes of Holstein had of a long time been gathering this escaped and in the Year 1692. I saw it with the rest of the Rarities of this place in a good Condition and tending to a better Holstein is divided among several of the Branches of that Family all whose Descendants call themselves Dukes of Holstein and according to the German Custom as well younger Brothers as elder assume the Title and Quality of Princes only the chief and estated Men of these several Branches are distinguished by the Additional Title of the Place of their Residence as the Duke of Holstein Ploen Holstein Sunderburg Holstein Norburg c. the Cadets of each contenting themselves with the bare Title of Princes till they come to be Proprietors of Land whose Denomination they may add to that of Duke But the King of Denmark who is likewise Duke of Holstein and the Duke of Holstein Gottorp are possessed of the greatest part of it and both hold it as a Fief of the Empire Here as well as in Sleswick the Jurisdictions and Interests of these two Princes are very much intermixed so that the People scarce know whose Subjects to reckon themselves since they often swear Allegiance and pay Tribute to both In some Towns and Balliages both the King and Duke elect the Yearly Magistrates and divide the Revenue in others they do this by turns So that upon any Quarrel or Difference between these two Princes the poor People are strangely divided and in a most miserable Condition their Inclination leading them to the Duke's Interest who being the weaker finds it his Advantage to use them better but their fear causing them to appear for the King as the stronger though more Arbitrary This Country is very fruitful and pleasant excellently well seated for Trade lying between the two Seas and having the advantage of the Neighbourhood of the River Elbe and of Hamburg which being a free City and consequently a rich one imparts a large share of its Blessings to the Territories of those Princes which lie any thing near it This is apparent enough in the visible Prosperity of such Lands and People as are within a Day 's Journey or more of that City above such as lie remote from its Influence The Inhabitants of Holstein use to brag that it resembles England in its variety of Hills Meadows Woods Rivers and Corn-fields as also that we are beholding to them and their Neighbourhood for our Original the People of those Parts called Angles having planted and at the same time given the Name of Anglia to our Island The Danes when they travel abroad choose to call themselves Holsteiners thinking it more honourable to be born within the Confines of the Empire than otherwise Stormar and Ditmarsh lie the nearest to the River Elbe and are for the most part low and rich Countries the Soil being fat and in most places resembling Holland as well in its Fertility as manner of Improvement These Countries enjoy also the benfit of having Hamburg and the River near them with the additional Advantage of the Ocean though it sometimes proves too troublesome a Neighbour and overflows great part of their lower Grounds notwithstanding the Banks and Digues that are raised to keep it out 'T is to be noted as a great natural defect that the King of Denmark has not in all his Dominions one Navigable River for Vessels of any considerable Burden for I do not count the River Eyder as such unless we reckon the Elbe which is rather to be esteemed one of the Confines and Boundaries of his Territories than any way belonging to him yet he has often and does even to this day endeavour to set up and establish a Toll at Glucstadt being not without hopes that taking the advantage of the Necessity of the Empire during this expensive War he may engage it to consent to this Toll against all other Considerations But the Neighbouring Princes the English and Dutch and above all the City of Hamburg will hardly be brought over to comply with an Innovation so prejudicial to their Trade and Interests Oldenburg for the most part is a flat Marish Country much exposed to the Inundations of the Ocean the Banks which should keep it in its due Bounds not being maintained in good repair It abounds in Cattle and has a good Breed of Horses which are much sought after for Coaches by reason of their Colour which is a yellowish Cream Colour They are generally wall-ey'd and tender-hoof'd not able to last long or endure hard labour The Town of Oldenburg is but a very indifferent one and its Castle much out of Repair Upon the Death of the late Prince Anthony this County came to be annexed to the Crown of Denmark Delmenhorst is a more rising Ground and pretty well wooded Both these lye together and the Inhabitants are used the more gently by reason of their distance from his other Territories Of Norway little can be said but that it is divided into two great Provinces the Southern and Northern whereof one small County called Yempterland formerly belonging to the King of Denmark is now in the Possession of the Swedes His High Excellency Guldenlieu which is the Title usually given him by the Danes is Vice-Roy or as they call him Stadt holder of the whole It is sub-divided into four Stifts Ampts or Principal Governments Viz. Dronthem Bergen Christiania and Larwick The Governours are young Guldenlieu natural Son to the present King and Monsieur Stocfleet late Envoy extraordinary from Denmark to Sweden c.. It is a very barren Country affording neither Corn nor Cattle sufficient for the subsistance of its Inhabitants although they be not numerous in proportion to its vast extent There are Silver Mines in it but whether the working of them turns to account is a question The Commodities which it yields fit for Exportation are Timber of all kinds especially Firr Stockfish Masts for Ships and Iron of these it has a tolerable store most of which the English and Dutch purchase yearly with ready Money