supreme jurisdiction in ecclesiastical affairs, subject only to the obligation of professing the Protestant religion as expounded by the celebrated Confession of Augsburg; of supporting it in its purity, and protecting it against all heretics, sectarians, and blasphemers. The only restriction of this absolute authority is to be found in the twenty-sixth article, by which the Lex Regia itself is declared to be irrevocable; every act tending to alter it is declared null and void; and all persons soliciting or obtaining such alterations are subjected to the penalties of high treason. This constitutional law gave the Danish government a vigour which it never had before. By the dispensing power contained in the third article, the measure of despotism seemed to be filled up, and the people deprived of all security against its encroachments. Yet this law, though arbitrary in theory, has been greatly modified in practice by manners, usages, and institutions, which, while apparently inconsistent with the strict letter of this fundamental charter, have very much mitigated its harsh and despotic features. Lord Molesworth, who was sent to the Danish court in 1689, as envoy-extraordinary from William III. of England, reproaches the people for their levity in thus sacrificing the rights of themselves and their posterity. With that bitter spirit of sarcasm which pervades his work, he compares them to "the Cappadocians of old, who could not make use of liberty if it were offered them, but would throw it away if they had it, and resume their chains.". "The commons (he remarks) have since experienced that the little finger of an absolute prince can be heavier than the loins of many nobles; the only comfort left them being to see their former oppressors in almost as miserable a condition as themselves; whilst all the citizens of Copenhagen have obtained by it is the insignificant privilege of wearing swords; so that at this day not a cobbler or barber stirs abroad without a tilter at his side, let his purse be never so empty."* * An Account of Denmark as it was in the Year 1692, chap. vii. Lord Molesworth's narrative is drawn from imperfect sources, and Although Frederick III. did not abuse the arbitrary powers thus vested in him by this extraordinary revolution, the fatal effects of that measure soon manifested themselves by impoverishing the higher orders without alleviating the burdens of the lower. The noble author already quoted informs us, that previous to the year 1660 the nobility lived in great splendour and affluence. Their country houses were magnificent, and their hospitality unbounded. They resided chiefly on their estates, spending most of their revenues among their neighbours and tenants, by whom they were regarded as so many princes. At the annual convocations of the diet they met the sovereign with retinues as numerous and brilliant as his own, and frequently sat with him at the same table. Within thirty years afterwards their castles and palaces had fallen to ruin; their lands scarcely paid the taxes imposed upon them," which obliged them to grind the faces of the poor tenants to get an overplus for their own subsistence." Some of their estates were charged at more than the full value of the income, so that the proprietors willingly offered to surrender them to the crown, rather than pay the enormous public burdens to which they were liable. Besides being oppressed by these exorbitant exactions, they were deprived of the usual resources arising from civil or military employments at court. The lucrative and honourable posts which they formerly held were then filled by men of low birth and little education, these being always found the most obedient instruments for executing the purposes of an irresponsible monarch. coloured by prejudice; but though he has in many respects mistaken the true nature and causes of the revolution, he has not at all exaggerated the baseness of some of the actors in that transaction. More detailed accounts of that remarkable event are to be found in Holberg's and Baden's General Histories of Denmark; in the Collections of Suhm and Neyrup; in the Report of the Swedish resident Durell to Queen Christina; in the Memoirs of the French Ambassador Terlon; and in Spittler's History of that Revolution. To these may be added the recent excellent work of Professor J. F. W. Schlegel upon the Constitutional Law of Denmark; the Biography of Archbishop Svane, by J. Muller, in vol. i. of his Historical Calendar, p. 229-280; and Williams on Northern Governments, vol. i. c. 2. The effect of this grinding system was as injurious to trade and morals as it was destructive of wealth and independence. The merchant lodged his profits in foreign banks, rather than purchase property at home subject to unlimited taxation. The burgher chose to waste in pleasure or idle parade the fortune that might have become dangerous by gaining him the reputation of riches ; while the peasant expended his last rix-dollar in brandy to prevent its being seized by a rapacious landlord. In Zealand, this degraded class, at the time Lord Molesworth resided in Denmark, were as absolute slaves as the negroes in the British colonies, with this difference, that they were worse fed. They and their posterity were fixed to the soil where they were born,-bought and sold with the estate like the wood or the cattle upon it, and estimated as part of the stock belonging to the proprietor. Those who showed a more diligent or inventive turn than the rest, who lived better, or had acquired substance by superior industry," might probably be removed from a neat, pleasant, and commodious house, to a naked and uncomfortable habitation, that the landlord might increase his rent by letting the improved farm to another." The quartering and paying of the king's troops was another grievance to which the miserable peasantry were subjected. They were obliged also, at their own expense, and at all seasons of the year, to furnish horses and travelling wagons to the royal family, with their baggage and attendants, whenever they made a journey to any of their palaces or residences in the country. Such, in short, was the general poverty and depression in Denmark at that period, that the collectors of the poll-tax were forced, as Lord Molesworth states, to accept of old feather beds, brass and pewter pans, or household furniture, instead of money, from the once wealthy inhabitants of Kioge, a small town which had supplied Christian IV. with the sum of 200,000 rix-dollars, upon the brief notice of twenty-four hours. The gold rings, silver spoons, plate, and other pieces of ornament which were in common use before the year 1660, and of which the Danes are still fond, were all disposed of to supply the necessities of the crown, or the avarice of the revenueofficers. It is recorded to the praise of Frederick III. that, so long as he lived, his uncontrolled power was exercised with mildness and forbearance. Far from alienating the affections of the nobles, it rather more strongly engaged their attachment, by putting an end to those factious discontents of which their exclusive privileges had hitherto been the unhappy source. Nor did the people, under their greatest misfortunes, ever repine at the sacrifice they had made; conscious, as they were, that he had by his valour, perseverance, and intrepidity, saved the kingdom, and rescued it from the jaws of perdition, when it was in danger of becoming a province to Sweden. The remaining ten years of this monarch's reign were devoted to the redress of grievances among his subjects, the re-establishment of his finances, the encouragement of industry, and the extension of commerce. In 1663 he joined the triple alliance which had been entered into by the courts of London, Stockholm, and Copenhagen, in consequence of the approaching rupture between England and Holland. The conduct of the Dutch factories established in Guinea involved him in a dispute with the United Provinces about their respective settlements on that coast; but the affair terminated in a quadruple treaty with Denmark, the Elector of Brandenburg, and the Duke of Brunswick, from which the states-general reaped this advantage, that their East India fleet found a safe retreat in the harbour of Bergen, and by this means baffled all the attempts of the English admiral, Lord Sandwich, who was despatched to the North Seas to intercept them. A misunderstanding had arisen between the Danish court and the Duke of Holstein, in consequence of the latter having concluded a treaty of amity with Sweden. Frederick was preparing to enforce his arguments by arms, when he was carried off by an affection of the lungs, caused by the fatigues he had undergone during the siege of his capital. CHAPTER III. From the Accession of Christian V. to the Peace of Accession of Christian V.-War with Sweden-Successes of the Danes in Pomerania-Defeat of the Swedish Fleet-Battle of Lund-Hostilities in Norway-Peace of Nimeguen-Treaty of Fontainebleau-Tranquillity of the North-Changes in the Constitution and Government in Sweden-The King made absolute -Accession of Charles XII.-Sudden Change in his Character_ Hostilities with Denmark-Peace of Travendhal-Charles attacks and defeats the Russians-His Invasion of Poland-Battle of Pultusk-Subjugation of the entire Kingdom-Augustus deposed-Execution of Count Patkul-Power and Celebrity of the Swedish Hero His Project of dethroning the Czar Peter the Great-Invasion of Russia- Difficulties and declining Fortunes of Charles-He is defeated at Pultowa, and takes Refuge in the Turkish Dominions-His Residence at Bender-His Dominions attacked-The Danes invade Scania-Intrigues of Charles at the Ottoman Court-He is expelled by Force from Bender— Loss of his German Dominions-Deplorable Condition of Sweden -Charles arrives at Stralsund - He renews the War and is besieged in Stralsund-Expedition to Norway-Intrigues of Baron de Gortz Death and Character of Charles-Change in the Policy of Sweden-Execution of De Gortz-Proposals for Peace-Treaties of Stockholm and Nystad-New Regulations in the Government-Act called the Royal Assurance-Revival of Domestic Prosperity-Tranquillity of the North. THE eldest son of Frederick III., who had already been declared his successor, assumed the government under the title of Christian V. Notwithstanding the prudent measures of the father, he found the kingdom involved in confusion, and the state of public affairs in a condition that presaged a reign not more pacific than the last. Happily the altercations with the Dukes of Holstein and Gottorp terminated without leading to an open |