The constitution which the King in this decree stated that his ancestors received from the nation was the _Lex Regia_, or royal law of Denmark and Norway, promulgated in 1660 by Frederick III. It had its origin in a revolution against the power of the nobles, who had reduced the King to a mere puppet of sovereignty, and formed an oligarchy which governed the country entirely in their interests. Frederick III. freed himself from this thraldom by a _coup d'état_, and with the consent of the burghers and people, and the enforced sanction of the nobles, he established the _Lex Regia_. It was therefore a most convenient weapon for Struensee to refurbish and use against the nobles again, for with a half-imbecile monarch, the whole of its tremendous powers would pass to the Minister. Some description of this law may be given to show the power which Christian VII., or rather Struensee the reformer, proposed to gather into his own hands. [Illustration: THE FREDERIKSBERG PALACE, NEAR COPENHAGEN. _From a Print, temp. 1770._] The _Lex Regia_ consisted of forty articles, which declared, _inter alia_, that "the hereditary kings of Denmark and Norway shall, and must, be regarded by their subjects as the only supreme chiefs on earth. They shall be above all human laws, and whether in matters spiritual or matters temporal shall recognise no other superior than God." That "the King only has the supreme right of making and interpreting laws, of abrogating, amending, or superseding them". That "the King only has the power of conferring office, or removing from office, according to his mere pleasure". That "all dignities and offices of whatsoever kind are derived from the King, and held at his will". That "the King alone has the right of disposing of the fortresses and troops of the realm; he alone can declare war, with whom, and when, he pleases; he alone can make treaties, impose taxes, or raise contributions of any kind". That "the King alone has supreme jurisdiction over all the ecclesiastics of his dominions; he alone can regulate the rites and ceremonies of public worship, convoke councils and synods, terminate their sessions, etc.". That "all the affairs of the kingdom, all letters and public acts, can only be expedited in the royal name--sealed with his seal and signed by his hand". That "the King shall not be required to take any oath or form any engagement, whether verbal or written, since in quality of free and absolute monarch, his subjects can neither impose an oath upon him nor prescribe any conditions to limit his authority". That "the whole realm of Denmark and Norway, its provinces, dependencies, islands, fortresses, rights, jewels, money of every kind, its army, navy, everything now enjoyed, everything that may be acquired hereafter, are the inalienable property of the sovereign alone, and can never be divided or separated from the crown".