Memoirs of Denmark, containing the life and reign of the late K. of Denmark, Norway, &c., Christian V together with an exact account of the rise and progress of those differences now on foot betwixt the two houses of Denmark and Holstein Gottorp ... taken from authentick letters and records / by J.C., Med. D., Fellow of the Royal Society, and a Member of the College of Physicians.

CHAP. X. The Character of King Christian V. his Court; with some other Matters relating to his Person, and the Royal Family.

THE good Qualities of this Prince were such as deserve to be rank'd amongst the best our Age has produced; As the preceding Sheets do sufficiently convince us, that his whole Genius was bent upon Action, so even his E∣nemies cannot deny, but that in the execution of his Designs,* 1.1 he shew'd as much Personal Courage as could have been expected from a private Man. Of this he gave frequent demon∣strations in his Wars with Sweden, when he al∣ways appeared at the Head of his Army's, and by his own Example animated them to doing well: In the Attack made upon the City Ham∣borough, he exposed his Person so near to the Enemies Shot, that several Persons of Note, who attended him, were slain by his side. There are few, I believe, who can deny, that his Conduct in that War, was answerable to his Courage,* 1.2 the whole design against a too Potent neighbouring Enemy, being founded upon the deepest Reasons of State, the fruits of which Denmark might have reap'd to its great Advan∣tage, if the Dutch by clapping up a separate Peace with France at Nimeguen, had not frustrat∣ed the Designs of their King.

He was a Prince of singular Assability and good Nature,* 1.3 Mild and Gracious, without the least appearance of Pride, being both Beloved and Reverenc'd by his People, who, unanimous∣ly agree in this, that during the whole Course of his Reign, he never abused his Absolute Power; and such was his Affability, that even when he dined in Publick, he would sit down not only with his Queen, Children and Relati∣ons, but also with his Ministers and General Officers.

The most refined Politicians in these Parts, give him this Character,* 1.4 That he had as much Religion as was becoming a Prince, being Re∣ligious without being bigotted to his Clergy, whom, tho' he allowed to speak with all due Freedom in the Pulpits, and to correct the Vices of Persons, even of the first Quality, yet never admitted them into the Secrets of the Government. Of his Moderation in Point of Religion he has given several Instances, in per∣mitting the French Protestants to build a Church at Copenhagen, and the Roman Catholicks to erect a Chappel at Gluckstadt, things never known in Denmark since the Reformation; the Lutherans in the Northern Parts not allowing the Pub∣lick Exercise of any, but their own Religion.

He was Master of four Languages, to wit: The High and Low Dutch, and the French, be∣sides his own; and tho' neither by his Genius he was inclining, nor by his Education had ever been improved in any particular Sort of Learning, yet as his War-like Temper made him love Fortifications, so he was as great Ad∣mirer of Geographical Delineations, and would with a great deal of Delight examine the De∣sign

of any Forts, to be erected in convenient Places.

He was not in the least Luxurious in his Meat and Drink;* 1.5 and if in his younger days he would now and then commit an Excess in the last, this was recompensed by his Moderation of late Years.

The same might be observed in all his Di∣versions, which were either certain Progresses, which he used frequently to make into Sleswick, Holstein, or some of the adjucent Islands, or else Divertisements at his Country Seats: Every Summer he used to spend five or six Weeks at his Hunting-House of Jagersburgh,* 1.6 situate near the Sea-side, not far from Copenhagen; Two Months more of the Summer, he commonly kept his Residence at Fredericksburgh, a most Magni∣ficent Pailace, about twenty English Miles from Copenhagen; where the Court spent most of its time in Stag-hunting, and the King always allowed a great deal of Freedom to his Dome∣sticks.

At a certain Season, when the young Swans are grown up almost to the bigness of the old ones, Swan-hunting used to be his Pastime, which was performed by a good number of Gondola's or Small Boats, fill'd with Gentlemen and Ladies, who surrounding the Island in which the Swans abide, they used sometimes to kill se∣veral thousands of them with their Guns.

Some Intrigues he has been engaged in, but those were not very many, he having been a constant admirer of the Countess of Lamsoe, his Darling Mistress.* 1.7 Her Name was Mrs. La Mothe, the Daughter of a Physician at Copenha∣gen; The King having espy'd her accidentally

one day, as he pass'd by the House, he became so enamoured of her, that he could not rest satisfied till he got into the Possession of this Beautiful Creature, which he at last effected, by the Intercession of the young Lady's Mother, who considering that her deceased Husband had left her Children no considerable Fortune, pre∣vailed with her Daughter, to overcome a Scru∣ple, which now a days, by Custom, seems to become warrantable, for the Preferment of her Family.

The King had two Natural Sons by her, both very handsome Gentlemen;* 1.8 the Eldest had the Revenue of the Post-Office setled upon him, and commanded a Regiment of Horse in France; The second being design'd for the Sea, has made several Voyages under the Tuition of certain Persons, in whom the King confided much. Their Mother he created Countess of Lamsoe, which Title, she received from an Island of that Name he bestowed upon her; besides which, he allotted her a Pension of a thousand Pounds per Month.

His Ministers, who had the Chief Manage∣ment of all Affairs of Moment, were (after the Disgrace of Greiffenfelt;) Count Gulden Lewe, Natural Brother to the King,* 1.9 and Vice-Roy of Norway, who has the Reputation of one of the finest Gentlemen in Denmark; having formerly been Ambassadour from that Crown to King Charles II. who was so Charm'd with his Con∣versation, that during the time of his Residence in England, he made him the constant Partner of his Pleasures.

The second; Count Ravenclaw, his Great Hunts-Master, he is a Native of Holstein, who

bore both the Title and Toils of the Chief Mi∣nistry with a great deal of Applause, being a Person very Affable, and of easie access.

Thirdly, The Baron Juel, Brother to the Da∣nish Admiral of the same Name, being descend∣ed from an antient Noble Family in Denmark.

The fourth, Mounsieur Ehrcashilt a German by Birth, who having been Taught the first rudi∣ments of Policy, by that Famous Monsieur Ter∣lon, whom we have mentioned before to have been Ambassadour to both the Northern Crowns, has since been employed in the Ma∣nagement of Matters of the greatest Moment, by the late King of Denmark, his constant Residence having been of late Years in the Ci∣ty of Hamborough; which being a Place situ∣ate the most Conveniently in Europe for Cor∣respondence, and to keep a watchful Eye over the Transactions of the neighbouring German Princes, he was entrusted with that Province.

The Management of the Treasury was for∣merly committed to oen Mr. Branet, but his Shoulders being not strong enough for the burthen of so weighty an Affair, he was dis∣missed from that Employment, and one Mon∣sieur Plessen substituted in his Place; He is a Na∣tive of the Country of Meclenburgh in Germany, and has deservedly acquired the Character of the ablest Manager of the Finances in Denmark; it being certain, that whereas the Kings Treasury was several Millions of Crowns in Debt, he has effectually Redress'd the embroil'd State of the Finances, to such a degree, as that the King's Credit is fully recovered both at Home and A∣broad; besides that, he is Master of four or five Languages, and among them of the Eng∣lish,

having lived several Years in this King∣dom, in the Service of Prince George of Den∣mark.

But his Principal Favourite was one Mr. Knute a Mecklenburgher by Birth,* 1.10 who, as he was Bred up with the King, and had been the constant Consident and Companion of his Pleasures, so he kept the first Rank in his Favour to his dying day, and employed most of his Time, rather in managing the King's Person, than in publick Assairs.

His Chief General Officers were the Duke of Holstein Ploen,* 1.11 and Count Wedel, Field Marshals; Lieutenant G••••••••als, Count Guldenlewe, Vice-Roy of Norway; The Duke of Wirtenbergh; Monsieur Shacht Plessen, and Dumeny.

But before we conclude this Chapter, we must also speak something concerning the Royal Fa∣mily.

We have told you before,* 1.12 that he Married the Lady Charlotta Amalia, Sister to the present Landgrave of Hesse Cassel; She is a most Ex∣cellent Person, in Respect of Her Great Quali∣fications, both of body and Mind; She is Ad∣mirably Fair, and Extraordinary well Shap'd, Her Complexion being a perfect mixture of Flegmatick and Sanguin; But the Excellencies of Her Mind far surpass those of Her Body, being Engaging, Assable, and free to the High∣est Degree; She has given a thousand Instan∣ces of Her Prudent Conduct; especially in pro∣tecting the French Protestants; and others who had thrown themselves under Her Protection; She being always look'd upon by the whole Kingdom, as the common Refuge of People in Distress.

The King had five Children by Her; to wit: Four Princes and one Princess; The Eldest was Frederick, who some Months ago has succeed∣ed him in the Throne, being now about seven or eight and twenty Years of Age.

The Second was Prince Christian,* 1.13 of a very robust Constitution, and much addicted to Hunt∣ing and War-like Exercises; he died some years ago in his Travels, at Augsburgh in Germany.

The Third was called Charles, being now a∣bout sixteen; and the Fourth, William, about thirteen years of Age.

The Princess his only Daughter is look't up∣on as the greatest Beauty of the North; she was Contracted to the Electoral Prince of Saxony, but the Match was broke off.

From what has been said, it is evident, that the late King Christian V. was a Prince endow'd with all the Qualifications belonging to a Per∣son of so Eminent a Rank; For whereas he found the Kingdom in a very declining Condi∣tion, by reason of the late unfortunate War with Sweden; He restored, in some measure, its decayed Estate, by providing for the Security of its Frontiers: The Citadel in the Isle of Bornholm, commanding the Road of Roena, to∣wards the Swedish Dominions,* 1.14 was brought to Perfection by his Care, in the Year 1689, be∣ing fortified after the Modern Manner with con∣siderable Outworks.

Cronenburgh, Famous for its Situation on the Passage of the Sound, ows its perfection also to this King, its Fortifications being now all faced with Brick:

So the City of Rensburgh stands indebted to this King for the enlargement of its Fortifica∣tions;

This place being situate upon the Bor∣ders betwixt Sleswick and Holstein, on the River Eyder, was by his Orders made a Royal Fortification, the Bulwarks and Outworks being all faced with Brick, which could not be done without a prodigious Charge,

It is acknowledg'd on all hands, that whereas at the time of his Accession to the Throne, the Forces of that Kingdom were neither numerous nor well disciplin'd;* 1.15 he introduced such a Re∣formation among them, that he left near 40000 Men, as good Troops as any are in Europe, who have signalized themselves in several Parts against the French and Ottomans. His Maritim Affairs left in so good a Condition, that 'tis believ'd the present young King will bring a Fleet of 40 Men of War in the Baltick next Summer; and as to what concerns his Revenues,* 1.16 we have told before, that what with the good Management of the Treasury, and the vast Improvement of Trade in that Kingdom, whilst we were engag'd in a War with France, they have been improv'd beyond what could have been rationally expected, considering the vast Charges he was forc'd to be at in maintaining so Considerable an Army.

To conclude this Account, we will add, that as he was naturally of a very robust Consti∣tution, so he was always forward in undergo∣ing all manner of Fatigue, which at last oc∣casioned some Fits of the Gout, and these en∣creasing by degrees, threw him into a Lan∣guishment, of which he died on the 22th of August, in the Year 1699, leaving the Throne to his Eldest Son, now King Frederick IV.

Notes

• * 1.1

  His Courage.
• * 1.2

  His Conduct.
• * 1.3

  His Assability.
• * 1.4

  Religion.
• * 1.5

  His Mode∣ration.
• * 1.6

  His Diver∣sion.
• * 1.7

  His Amours.
• * 1.8

  His Natu∣ral Children.
• * 1.9

  His Mini∣sters of State.
• * 1.10

  His Favourite.
• * 1.11

  His General Officers.
• * 1.12

  The Chara∣cter of the Queen.
• * 1.13

  His Children.
• * 1.14

  The late Kings Core for the secu∣rity of the Kingdom.
• * 1.15

  His Army.
• * 1.16

  His Revenue.