fong in honour of their favourite hero Chriftian the Fourth, is
as popular in Denmark as “ Rule, Britannia, rule the Waves,” in
England. I recoiled the following lines of'a doggerel tranflation
in the beginning of the fong:
K in g Chriftian ftood high near the maft,
In clouds o f fm o k e :
H is lhining fword was working fail,
Cleft brains and helmets firft and laft,
Th en funk each Gothic hulk and maft,
In clouds o f fmoke, & c .
In viiiting the citadel, I inquired for the cells in which Stru-
enfee and Brandt were confined. The dungeon' which ferved as a
prifon for Struenfee is on the ground-ftoor, fourteen feet long,
and twelve broad. The barrack bedilead on which he lay is
ftill there, and the chain to which he was faftened is riveted
to the wall: it is only eight feet long. During his confinement
he was treated with the greateft inhumanity, and frequently deprived
of the commoneft neceflaries : he was chained to the wall
in fuch a manner as fcarcely to be able to turn himfelf j and oc-
cafionally threatened with the torture, if he would not confefs
what his enemies dictated.
I vifited likewife the fpot where Struenfee and Brandt were
executed, on the 28th of March 1772. The fcaffbld was con-
ftruCted in the middle of Eail field, near the eaft gate of the town;
and they were conducted to the fpot in two feparate carriages,
through
through an immenfe concourfe of people, ailembled to fee the C H^A P.
execution. They arrived at the place of execution about eleven, v— v—
Brandt firft alighted, and mounted the fcaffold with a flow ftep
and undaunted mien. He heard his fentence read, and faw his -
coat of arms torn, without exprefling the leaft emotion. He
then prayed for a few minutes, and fpoke a few words to the
people. When the executioner approached to affift him, he faid
to him with firmnefs, yet not without mildnefs, “ Stand off, and
“ do not prefume to touch me.” Without any afliftance he
pulled off his pelifle, and prepared for his fate. He firft ftretch-
ed out his hand, and bade the executioner do his duty, without
ihrinking from the blow: it was ftruck off, and his head was -
fevered from his body almoft in the fame inftant. His body
was then quartered.
During this dreadful fcene Struenfee was at the bottom
of the fcaffold, anxioufly expefting and dreading his own fate.
His whole frame trembled when he faw Brandt’s blood guihing
from the fcaffold; and he was fo agitated, that he could not walk
up the fteps without help. He faid nothing, and permitted the
executioner to affift him in taking off his cloak. Inftead of imitating
the courage and ferenity of his fellow fufferer, he ftarted
up feveral times from the block, before he could prevail upon
himfelf to give the fignal, drew back his hand, and was fhocking-
ly maimed before it was cut off,- and was at laft held down by
force while the executioner beheaded him.
The environs of Copenhagen are exceedingly beautiful. The
V ol. III. E country