b o o k Having firft figned it himfelf, his example was followed by
■—.— » each deputy, without one diflenting voice.
During thefe intrigues the nobles remained in full feCu-
rity, and without the leaft fufpicion ; as the commons had,
the fame day in which they figned the declaration, debated
upon the taxes, and drawn up a remonftrance againft the
nobles, without any allufion to the more fecret tranfadlion.
On the 9th this remonftrance was prefented in form to
Frederick by the biihop and Nanfen; and as they were returning
from the palace, they had a violent altercation with
the fame chief fenator who had before offended the commons,
and who then threatened them with imprifonment for
prefuming to approach the king without acquainting the order
o f nobles. This threat ferved only to fix them the more
firmly in their refolution; and the fingle circumftance Which
now remained was, to confult upon the fureft means o f extorting
the affent o f the nobles.
Rumours o f this projeil had by this time reached them ;
but they had fcarcely affembled to confider the moft efficacious
methods o f rendering it ineffedlual *, before the deputies
of the clergy and burghers entered the hall, and, having
taken their feats, Nanfen, after a ffiort fpeech, delivered to
them the declaration for rendering the crown hereditary in
his majefty’s family.
The nobles, although they were in fome degree apprized
-thatfuch a meafure was intended, were neverthelefs thrown
into a general confternation by its being communicated to
them in fo fudden and decifive a manner. Conceiving it,
however, imprudent in their prefent fituation to negative the
propofal, they endeavoured to gain time, and replied accord-
* P robab ly on the-10 th o f O f to b e r , as M a lle t con jeftu re s .
i«giy>
R e v o l u t i o n o f m d c lx .
ingly, that though they willingly gave their affent to the
■declaration, yet that, as it was a matter o f great coniequence,
it deferved the moft mature difcuffion. Nanfen, perceiving
the drift o f this delay, anfwered, that they came not to
■deliberate, but to adt: they had already taken their refo«-
lution; they would lofe no time in debate; i f the nobles
refufed to concur with them, they would themfelves repair
immediately to the palace, not doubting but the king would
.gracioufly, accept their proffered declaration. While this
was palling in publick, the nobles had fecretly difpatched
a meffage to the king, that they were willing to render the
■crown hereditary in the male line o f his iffoe, provided it was
done with all accuftomed formalities ; a propofal his majefty
rejected as a circumftance not defirable, unlefs the right of
fuceeffion Was extended to the females alfo; adding, with
great appearance o f moderation, that he by no means wiihed
to prefcribe rules for their condudt; they were to follow the
dictates o f their own judgement; as, for his part, he would
owe every thing to their free confent, but that he Could not
accept the offer with the limitation propofed.
The nobles, who were waiting with anxiety for the return
o f their meffenger, kept the bufinefs in fufpence by declining
their direit affent to the declaration, and propoiing a
further confideration o f the fubje6l; upon this, the other
deputies, apprehenfive of their fecret cabals, and ftill further
exafperated againft them for their obflinate refufal o f concurrence,
quitted the affembly, and repaired in folemn pro-
ceffion to the court, leaving the nobles in a ftate o f irrefolu-
tion and diftracftion, more eafily conceived than related.
The. deputies being admitted to the king, the biffiop o f
Zealand addreffed his majefty on the refolution taken by the
clergy and commons, offering, in their name, to render the
V ol. II. , Z z z crown