both of the Populace and the Great Men[25].
But after the Death of Charles XII. who was killed at the Siege of Frederickshall, in the Month of December, the Swedes did not fail to punish him; for the Baron, before he cou'd have Intelligence of the King's Death, was actually put under an Arrest; and upon that Occasion he said to the Officer, Surely the King must be dead! From that Moment he was never once heard to complain or murmur; for he was intrepid even to Death; the Sentence of which he received with a wonderful Constancy of Mind, chose to die like a Philosopher, and thought too freely of Religion to the very last. A Divine, who is now one of the King of Denmark's Chaplains, turn'd his Heart, and brought him to acknowledge that 'twas the Hand of God which smote him. He was conducted to the Place of Execution in a mourning Coach, in which the Chaplain rode with him. He had a long Robe of black Velvet, ty'd with Ribbands over his Shoulders; and as he was mounting the Scaffold, which was hung with black Cloth, perceiving one Duval, a Frenchman, who was his Steward, he held out his Hand, saying, Farewell Duval, I shall eat no more of thy Soups. When he was on the Scaffold, an Officer of Justice read a Paper to him with a loud Voice; in which it was declared that he was degraded from the Rank of Nobility, and that the Queen had order'd him to be beheaded. Alas! said he, I am born a free Baron of the Empire. Sweden cannot take from me what it never gave me; and if I had really deserv'd to be degraded, none has a Right to do it but the Emperor. Having requir'd one of his Valets de Chambre
to undress him, he deliver'd the Ribband of the Order of the Black Eagle of Prussia to a Gentleman who stood near him, and enjoin'd him to carry it to one of his Kindred, that he might return it to the King of Prussia. Then he fell on his Knees, without shewing the least Sign of Fear; and receiv'd the Stroke of Death with a Constancy of which there are very few Examples. His Head being exposed to the People, was a pleasing Victim to their Hatred and Revenge. The Baron's Corpse was interr'd, at the Place of Execution, from whence one of his Footmen took it away in the Night-time, put it into a Barrel, and carry'd it to Hamburgh; where it was laid upon a Bed of State, and bury'd with all the Formalities fitting the Rank which he had held in the World.
Within a Cannon-Shot of Hamburgh, stands the Town of Altena, which belongs to the King of Denmark. The Swedish General, Steinbock, reduc'd it to Ashes, the 9th of January 1712, by way of Reprisal, as he said, because the Danes had burnt Staden: but there was this Difference, that the Danes had besieg'd Staden in form, and destroy'd it by their Bombs; whereas Steinbock acted the part of an Incendiary. As soon as he appear'd before Altena, he sent in a Message to advise the Inhabitants to retire with what they could carry off, for that he was going to destroy their Town. The Magistrates came out in a Body, and falling at his Feet, begg'd for Mercy, and offer'd him a considerable Sum of Money. Steinbock insisting on more, they granted him his whole Demand, only they desir'd Time to go to Hamburgh for the Money. The merciless General would admit of no such Delay. The poor Inhabitants were oblig'd to turn out; the Mothers carry'd out their Infants; the young Fellows, the paralytick old Men; some groan'd under Loads of Furniture; all lamented their Fate,
and uter'd Cries that wou'd have almost pierc'd a Stone. The Swedes stood at the Barriers, with flaming Torches in their Hands, to see them pass; and before the poor Inhabitants were all gone out, they enter'd the Town, and set fire to all parts of it; not sparing even the Vaults of the Dead.
Never was a greater Desolation known; but what compleated the Ruin of the Altenois, was the Necessity of the Times, which was such as oblig'd the Hamburghers not to entertain them. Several prejudic'd Authors have said that the Hamburghers, insensible, if not overjoy'd at the Calamity of their Neighbours, kept their Gates shut, that they might see them perish. But the truth is, that the Hamburghers were oblig'd to be thus strict; because the Plague raging at that time in Holstein, the Elector of Hanover had forc'd them to stop all Commerce with that Country; threatning them, that if he heard they had the least Communication with Altena, he wou'd prohibit his Subjects from all manner of Correspondence with the City of Hamburgh. Besides, it wou'd not have been prudent in the Hamburghers to have open'd their Gates in the Night-time; for the Swedish Army being so near, they could not tell but the Swedes might come into the Town as well as the Altenois. To the Misfortune of the Times therefore must be ascribed the Distress of the Inhabitants of Altena, most of whom perished with Cold, Want, and Despair.
Frederic IV. King of Denmark, being touched with Compassion for the Misfortune of his Subjects of Altena, relieved them as far as the Necessity of the Times wou'd give him leave. He caus'd them to be supply'd with Materials for rebuilding their Houses; and now Altena has recovered her Losses: for the King of Denmark has not only granted it many new Privileges, but has caus'd a Harbour
to be made there; and does all that is in his power to draw a Trade to it. This City being a privileg'd Place for Bankrupts, many of that Character come from Hamburgh to settle here; and there is a general Toleration for those of all Religions, who have their Churches and Temples here; which draws such numbers of People, that in time Altena will probably become Hamburgh, and Hamburgh Altena: For the Hamburghers, on the contrary, will tolerate no Christian Sects; tho' they grant the Jews the public Exercise of their Religion, as has been already observed. The Governour of Danish Holstein resides here, who is the Count de Reventlau, Brother to the[26]Queen of Denmark. I am, &c.
