Count John Frederick Struensee shall, as a well-deserved punishment for himself and an example and warning for others of the same mind, have forfeited honour, life, and property, and be degraded from his dignity of count, and all other honours which have been conferred on him, and his noble coat of arms be broken by the executioner: John Frederick Struensee's right hand shall be cut off while he is alive, and then his head, his body quartered and exposed on the wheel, but his head and hand shall be stuck upon a pole.
The commission at the Christiansborg Palace, April 25, 1772.
- J. K. JUELL-WIND.
- H. STAMPE. LUXDORPH.
- KOFOD ANCHER.
- F. C. SEVEL.
- G. A. BRAËM.
- A. G. CARSTENS.
- J. C. E. SCHMIDT.
- O. GULDBERG.
Two days after this barbarous sentence was passed, it received the full royal confirmation in the following words:—
We hereby approve, in all points, the sentence passed by the Commission of Inquiry appointed by us at our Palace of Christiansborg, which declares John Frederick Struensee, on account of his crimen læsæ Majestatis, in more than one point to have forfeited honour, life, and property; he shall be degraded from his dignity of count, and all the other dignities conferred on him; his coat of arms shall also be broken by the executioner; his right hand shall be cut off while he is alive, and then his head, his body quartered and exposed on a wheel, but his head and hand stuck on a pole. To which those whom it concerns will pay most submissive attention.
Given at our Palace of Christiansborg, this April 27, 1772.
CHRISTIAN.
O. THOTT.
LUXDORPH. A. SCHUMACHER.
DONS. HOYER.