3 4 COXE S TRAVELS IN DENMARK .

citizens of Copenhagen (who, having acquired great credit by the glorious defence ofthe capital, formed a confiderable party) were highly difgufted at their remonftranteagainft the immunities granted by the King during the fiege. In this temper of parties,when the neceffary fupplies were brought forward, the nobles propofed an excife on allarticles of confumption, and expreffed themfelves willing to fubmit to it, though theirorder was by law exempted from all taxes: they accompanied this offer with a remon-*flrance to the King, in which they endeavoured, not only to reclaim many obfolete pri-vileges, but to gain frefh immunities, and introduce many other regulations, whichtended, to diminilh the royal prerogative, and check the riling influence of the commonsand clergy.

The propofal of fuch a tax, and this imprudent remonflrance, excited great heats inthe diet; the clergy and commons contended that the offer was infidious, as the nobleswould only pay the excife during their continuance in the towns, but refufe to fubmit toit while they refided on their efiates. On this ground they objected to the tax on anyother condition, but that of being levied equally on all ranks without referve or reftric-tion. The nobles not only perfifted in the plea of ''exemption, but even refufed to befubjedt to it fob more than three years, under pretence that every impoft was an infringe-ment of their, privileges. Being, however, intimidated by the deciflve refufal of theother deputies, they fhifted their ground, propofed new duties on ftamped paper andleather, and offered, inftead of the excife on confumption, to pay a poll-tax for theirpeafants. The clergy and commons at firft approved thefe additional impofts ; but af-terwards retracted, under pretence.that they would not produce a fum adequate to theexigencies of the nation. It is not certain from what caufe this alteration of their fen-timents was derived * ; whether the taxes would really have been inadequate, or wereto be granted for too fhort a time ; or whether, urged by other motives, they were fe-cretly defirous of obtaining more effential and durable advantages over the nobles.Probably all thefe motives operated on different perfons ; the latter efpecially feems tohave had great influence; becaufe, in lieu of the above-mentioned duties, the deputiespropofed that 'the royal fiefs and domains, which the nobles exclufively pofleffed at amoderate rent, fhould be farmed to the highelt bidders. This propofal irritated the no-bles who juftly deemed it an infraction of their deareft privileges; as, by the forty-fixth article of the coronation oath taken by Frederic, the pofTefiion of the royal fiefswas guaranteed to their order. In the heat of the conteft on this article, one of thechief fenators imprudently threw out reproachful exprefiions againft the Commons,which railed a general ferment in the aflembly ; and the deputies of the clergy and com-mons broke up the meeting.

In this ftruggle the friends of the court began to interpofe. It was eafily feen, thatthe deputies, difgufted with the nobles, would eagerly embrace that occafion of hum-bling the whole order; and no way feetned more likely to infure fuccefs than by render-ing the crown hereditary, and exalting the regal prerogative on the ruin of the nobility.They never could expect that fo favourable an opportunity fhould again occur; the dietwas affembled in a fortified town, the citizens were ftill in arms, and all of them, as wellas the garrifon, devoted to the King.

It is fcarcely poflihle to trace, at this diftance of time, all the fecret fprings which ac-tuated the deputies on this extraordinary occafion. It only appears, from good autho-rity, that the two perfons who had the principal fhare in the revolution were the crea-tures of the court, and had, before the meeting of the diet, concerted a plan of hum-

* Mallet, p. 447.

bling