An Account of Denmark. Robert Molesworth

which explores in much more detail the broader influence of the English commonwealth tradition. Patrick Eyres offered wise advice and copies of key articles. My colleagues at Royal Holloway, Sandra Cavallo and Hannes Kleinicke, gave very helpful assistance with some of the Italian and Latin sources. Polly Bull assisted with a forensic eye in the preparation of the source texts and bibliographies.

An Account

       of Denmark

       AN

       ACCOUNT

       OF

       Denmark

       AS

       It was in the Year 1692.

       Pauci prudentiâ, honesta ab deterioribus,

       utilia ab noxiis discernunt;

       plures aliorum eventis docentur.

      Tacitus, lib. 4 Ann.¹

       Vincit amor patriae.

      Virgil, Aeneid.²

       The Third Edition Corrected.

      LONDON:

      Printed for Timothy Goodwin, at

      the Queen’s Head against St. Dunstan’s

      Church in Fleetstreet. 1694.

       THE CONTENTS

Chap. 1. Of the Territories belonging to the King of Denmark, and their Situation.

Chap. 2. Of Denmark in particular, and the Island of Zealand.

Chap. 3. Of the Sound.

Chap. 4. Of the other Islands and Jutland.

Chap. 5. Of the rest of the King of Denmark’s Countries.

Chap. 6. Of their Form of Government.

       Chap. 7. The Manner how the Kingdom of Denmark became Hereditary and Absolute.

       Chap. 8. The Condition, Customs, and Temper of the People.

       Chap. 9. Of the Revenue.

       Chap. 10. Of the Army, Fleet, and Fortresses.

       Chap. 11. Of the Court.

       Chap. 12. The Disposition and Inclinations of the King of Denmark towards his Neighbours.122

       Chap. 13. The Manner of Dispossessing and restoring the Duke of Holstein Gottorp.

       Chap. 14. The Interests of Denmark in relation to other Princes.

       Chap. 15. Of the Laws, Courts of Justice, etc.

       Chap. 16. The State of Religion, of the Clergy and Learning.

       The Conclusion.

       THE PREFACE

      Health and Liberty are without dispute the greatest natural Blessings Mankind is capable of enjoying; I say natural, because the contrary states are purely accidental, and arise from Nature debauched, depraved or enforced. Yet these Blessings are seldom sufficiently valued whilst enjoy’d; like the daily advantages of the Sun and Air, they seem scarce regarded because so common, by those that are in possession of them.

      But as an Italian that passes a Winter in Groenland, will soon be convinc’d through his want of the kind Influences of that glorious Planet, how much Misery he endures, in comparison of those who dwell in his Native Country, so he that knows by Experience the trouble of a languishing Sickness, or the loss of his Liberty, will presently begin to have a right esteem of that which formerly he scarce thought worth his notice.

      This Experience is either what a Man learns by that which befalls himself, or by making Observations on the condition of other People. The first is the common guide to the generality of Mankind, who are not apt to look beyond themselves, unless with St. Thomas they feel as well as see, they will not believe. Thus in the instance of bodily Health, we find those that have been always accustom’d to it, have scarce any Notion of the Misery of the contrary state, and therefore are careless in shunning those Excesses which might bring Diseases upon them; the sad Examples seen every day of miserable sick Debauchées, being not sufficient to deter others from lewdness. But the second sort of Experience is the Instructress of wise Men: For the Prudent will not fail to benefit themselves by the Accidents that befall others, both in their Health and Liberty, by avoiding the occasions of them: And this is one of the great Advantages of Society, that not only the Assistance, but even the Misfortunes of others, may be of use to us.

      Want of Liberty is a Disease in any Society or Body Politick, like want of Health in a particular Person; and as the best way to understand the nature of any Distemper aright, is to consider it in several Patients, since the same Disease may proceed from different causes, so the disorders in Society are best perceived by observing the Nature and Effects of them in our several Neighbours: Wherefore Travel seems as necessary to one who desires to be useful to his Country, as practising upon other Mens Distempers is to make an able Physician. For although a Man may see too frequently the Misery of such as are depriv’d of Health without quitting his own Country, yet (thanks to Providence) he must go out of these Kingdoms who would know experimentally the want of Publick Liberty. He that Travels into a Climate infected with this Disease (and he can find few that are not) does not only see, but in some measure feel the Grievances occasioned by it in the several Inconveniencies of living, in some proportion with the Natives; so as to relish better upon his return (which we suppose depends upon his choice) the freedom and ease of his own home Constitution; and may make good use of this Experience without having paid too dear for it. But a Man cannot transmigrate himself for a while into a distemper’d Body as he may Travel into an Enslaved Country, with equal facility of getting rid of each of them again.

      Thus ’tis a great,