A short time after Bernstorff's fall and Osten's promotion, Struensee was appointed (or rather appointed himself) Master of Requests, a new office which, as the English envoy said, "might mean anything or everything". It was an office invented by Struensee, and in practice seemed to combine the authority of Prime Minister with power to interfere in every department of government. The only obstacle which now stood between the imperious minister and absolute power was the Council of State, which had lost enormously in prestige since the dismissal of Bernstorff and the royal rescript limiting its powers. This council was a committee of nobles with conservative tendencies, and though it was no longer able to decide anything, it still had the power to delay new measures. Struensee, who determined to break the power of the nobility in the same way as he had broken the yoke of the foreign envoys, therefore resolved on a daring step. He would abolish the Council of State, and place all authority in the hands of the King. After going through the farce of appointing a committee, who reported exactly as it was ordered to report, Struensee swept away the Council of State by the following decree which, though drawn up by the Minister, was written throughout and signed by the King:-- "We, Christian VII., by the Grace of God King of Denmark, Norway, of the Goths and Wends, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn and the Dittmarsches, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst, etc., etc., decree and announce herewith: "As the affairs of state in an absolute government are only confused and delayed when many of the nobility take part in them, owing to the power and honour which they acquire from time and custom, and the despatch of business is thereby retarded, "We, who have nothing so much at heart as zealous promotion of the public weal, hereby declare that We will not let Ourselves henceforth be checked or hindered in those measures and arrangements that are for the national good. "We therefore think fit to abolish and absolutely suppress Our former Council of State. In doing this Our object is to restore to the constitution its original purity, and maintain the same. Thus, then, the form of government will henceforth be, and remain exactly, as it was handed to Our ancestors of glorious memory by the nation, and nothing will remain to make it seem that We wish in any way to depart from the sense and intention with which the nation transmitted it to Our ancestors. In further confirmation of this We have had the present decree drawn up in duplicate both in Danish and German, and command that the copies shall be preserved for ever in the archives of the chanceries. "Given under Our royal hand and seal at Our palace of Frederiksberg this December 27, 1770. (Signed) "CHRISTIAN."[153] [153] Translated from the original document in the royal archives of Copenhagen.