b o o k ca-fion o f humbling the whole order;; and no way feemed
s—5— ¿more likely to enfure fucçefs than rendering the crown hereditary,
and exalting the regal, prerogative upon the ruin'Of
■the nobility. They never could expect: that fo favourable
an opportunity ibould again occur; the diet was aflembled
in a fortified town ; the citizens were itill in arms, and all
-of -them, as well as the garrifon, were devoted to the king.
It is fcarcely poffible to trace, at this diitance o f time, all
the fecret fprings which adtuated the deputies upon this extraordinary
occafion. It only appears, from good authority,
that the two perfons who had the principal ill are in the revolution
were the creatures o f the court ; . and had, previous
to the meeting o f the diet, preconcerted ffomething o f a general
plan o f lowering the nobility with a confidential * fer-
vant of the crown. Thefe perfons were Svane, biihop of
Zealand and prefident o f the order o f the clergy, and Nanfen,
burgomafter o f Copenhagen and fpeaker of. the commons :
we have no reafon'however to conclude that they intended to
proceed further than to humble the ariilbcratical party, and
to make feme neceffary changes in the conftitution ; but the
obftinacy o f the nobles enlarged their views, and induced the
deputies, not only to think o f rendering the crown hereditary,
but-of veiling the whole power in the hands o f the
king. While the defign was in agitation, Frederick felt, or
affected to feel, an almoil total indifference to the event ;
and though he expreffed himfelf inclined to accept the offer
o f an hereditary fucceflion, i f it could be obtained by the
unanimous confent o f all the eftates, yet he refufed to take
any adtive part in the whole proceeding. The queen endea-
* Molefvvorth p y s , with . H an n ib a l , r ig h t , as it is ea fy to fuppofe th a t b o th were
Sehefted, and H o lb e r gw ith G a b e l the-king’ s confulted on the occafion.
ia vou r ite . P ro b ab ly th e y were b o th in the
1 vouretl
35, F. V.O L U T I O N O l . MDCLX. ^
vQurqd torouie him from this fupinenefs ; but her influence chap.
which had never before been exerted in vain, proved now - ■
-ineflechial -. - being npt inclined, however, to follow his ex-
arnple, fl^e, emailed; wifh the. leader? off ¡the -clergy and commons;
aqddifplayed that ipi ri: o f ititrigile./nx 1 daring enter—,
prize,; which had fa-lopg .marked her; pharadter in contraflr
wi|pthe.mild apd pafliyp .aeqpiefceupe o f the king..,
O) i iHf f P f l i t h ^ i d e p u t i q s , / W h i c h the obflinaey o f
tlic nobles. li.ui provoked, -tire; hint o f rendering the crown
hereditary was firft fpggefted by the biihop ofZfealand ; and
when feverai partizaps ¡were gained,, a numerous meeting
.was.l^cld at h is ; palajytyow th e .6th o f October,; in which the
- -fthpppe was laid open and approved. The ait for declaring
ihepjpwn.hefeditary wa? drawn up,, and the beft method o f
ipublicjdy producing it was taken: into-.cottfidcration- The
- mode qf.proceeding was now concerted between the chiefs o f
the party and Gabel the favourite: o f the king, who held a
- Separate,conference with the. biihop and Nanfen that very
. afternoon. I he whole nigheand the following day-repeated
meffages puffed between feme o f the deputies- and the emif-
faries of-the queen, as the king; Hill,.continued neutral, and
could not be prevailed,upon.to, take any aftive ihare-in an,
event which fo nearly concerned him.
On the morning of the-8th o f Odtaber-% ..the bifliep o f
Zealand, havings obtained the cdnfent- and fignature o f the
■ ecdehaitical deputies to the declaration of hereditary ihccei—
^on,. delivered it to Nanfen. The latter,..in a moit perfuafive
fpeech, expatiated upon .the wretched itate of the kingdom
the oppreiffve power Of the nobles, and. the virtues o f the
^iog 5 and concluded with exhorting the commons to fub-
fcribe the adt as the only means- o f faying their country..
* Heiberg, III. p, 4 ^ ,