Hee stepped back, and while he was saying, "O Christ, in Thee I live, in Thee I die! Oh! thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, be merciful!" the execution was over. Brandt did not die as a hypocrite, but at the same time displayed no defiance.
Immediately after, the executioner's aids advanced, stripped the body, and then divided it into four quarters with an axe. Each quarter was let down separately by a rope into a cart standing below, and the vessels with the entrails were also placed in it. Lastly, the head was held up, shown to the spectators, and then let down into the cart, together with the hand. After which the scaffold was strown with fresh sand, in readiness for Struensee.[20]
During this awful tragedy Struensee sat in his coach, which was standing near the scaffold. When Brandt went up, Münter ordered the coach to be turned in such a way that they might not witness Brandt's execution. But Struensee's eyes had already found his unfortunate friend, and hence he said:—
"I have seen him already."
After some further exhortation, Münter said to the prisoner:—
"Christ prayed for his murderers even on the cross. May I rely upon your leaving the world with the same sentiments of love toward those whom you might have reason to think your enemies?"
"In the first place," Struensee replied, "I hope that there is no one who has a personal hatred against me; but that those who have promoted my misfortunes, have done it with the intention of doing good. Secondly, I look upon myself already as a citizen of another world, and consider that I am obliged to entertain sentiments conformable with this dignity; and I am sure that if I were to see those who might perhaps be my enemies here in the bliss of that world which I hope to enter into, it would give me the highest satisfaction. I pray to God that if my enemies hereafter repent of their behaviour toward me, this repentance may induce them to look out for that salvation which I confidently promise myself through the mercy of God."
Struensee, during this conversation, suffered no other change than that he appeared very pale, and thinking and speaking evidently cost him more trouble than they had done earlier in the morning. Still he retained perfect composure, and saluted some of those around the coach by raising his hat, or by friendly glances. From the motion of the spectators, Dr. Münter, though he could not see the scaffold, guessed that Struensee's turn to ascend it had arrived, and that, with Brandt's death, all hope of a pardon had disappeared.
When summoned by name, Struensee stepped out of the coach, and went, led by Münter, with dignity though humbly, through the ranks of favoured spectators, and bowed to them also. With difficulty he ascended the fifteen steps leading to the scaffold. When they reached the top, Münter spoke very concisely, and in a low voice, upon the words, "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." After this the sentence of the Commission of Inquiry and the royal confirmation were read to Struensee, and the king's own signature was shown him. Then came the breaking of the coat of arms, after which Struensee's chains were taken off. The clergyman once again went up to Struensee, and asked him various questions.
"Are you very truly sorry for all those actions by which you have offended God and man?"