Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 2 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of EnglandWraxall, Lascelles, Sir
History
Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 2 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of England
Wraxall, Lascelles, Sir
Caroline Mathilde, Queen, consort of Christian VII, King of Denmark, 1751-1775; Denmark -- History -- Christian VII, 1766-1808
For the sake of his nation the king must demand this. The inhabitants
of Denmark and Norway have sworn fidelity, obedience, and allegiance
to the descendants of Frederick III., and all our progeny will do
so after us. But would we or our posterity so submissively subject
ourselves to descendants of Queen Caroline Matilda, who are not at the
same time scions of Christian VII.? What a source of troubles! Hence,
his Majesty, as husband in his house, as first of his sex, and as king
in his land, has appointed this commission. His personal right, the
honour of his house, and the security of the nation, simultaneously
demand that the justice and strictest loyalty, which alone animate this
commission, should, in accordance with the laws of God, of nature, and
of this country, dissolve the marriage tie which bound her Majesty
Caroline Matilda to our Christian VII.
I will not speak in this affair, but allow her Majesty herself to
speak: I will let the person speak, who, by her Majesty's confession
has uttered the truth; I will let facts, and lastly witnesses, speak.
On March 9 last, her Majesty at Kronborg Castle, replied to the three
questions submitted to her by the plenipotentiaries appointed by her
lord the king. To question 2, her Majesty acknowledged that she had
broken the marriage vow which she made to his Majesty; and to question
3, her Majesty acknowledged that she had thus forfeited her marriage
rights.
Count Struensee, on February 21 last, replied, after long reflection
and with great agitation, to question 239 laid before him by the
commission, whether the intimacy between Queen Caroline Matilda and
himself had gone as far as it can go between two persons of different
sexes--
"As all the circumstances are so incriminating that even if the
greatest intimacy had not existed, still appearances would prove it, he
confessed that it was difficult to resist opportunity and the natural
weakness of women, but he begged the commission, in consideration of
his mental emotion, to spare him more detailed reminiscences."
Count Struensee repeated this confession on February 25 with more ample
details, and then signed it with his own hand.
Count Struensee's full confession was laid before her Majesty on March
9, and its truth acknowledged by her.
These confessions, so ample and concordant, made in the presence of
the royal commissioners, might in themselves be regarded as sufficient
proof in accordance with the article of the law that "it is not
sufficient that the accused person herself should confess her guilt,
because it is often found that many persons make false statements, in
order that the one may get away from the other, and injure him or her,
with whom he or she confesses to have sinned."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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