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204) COXE’S TRAVELS IN DENMARK.
ftrength of the fortrefs, as to a compliance with the public law of Europe. Many dif-
putes have arifen concerning the right which the crown of Denmark has to impofe this
duty. The Kings of Sweden, in particular, claiming an equal title to the free paflage
of the Strait, were for fome time exempted by treaty ; but in 1720, Frederic I. agreed,
that Swedifh veflels fhould be fubje& to the ufual impofts. All veflels, befide a fmall
duty, are rated at 12 per cent. of their cargoes, except the Englifh, French, Dutch, and
Swedith, which pay only one per cent. ; in return, the crown takes the charge of con-
ftructing light-houles, and erecting fignals to mark the fhoals and rocks, from the Cate-
gate to the entrance of the Baltic. The tolls of the Sound, and of the two Belts, fupply
an annual revenue of above 100,000). ;
The palace of Cronborg, which flands in the fortrefs, is a {quare Gothic building of
free-ftone. From an infcription over the gate, it was begun by Frederic II., and has
been repaired and augmented by fucceeding fovereigns. It contains nothing worthy of
particular defcription, excepting two good portraits of Frederic Il. and Chriftian 1V.,
and feveral battle-pieces, reprefenting the wars of Chriftian V.
In this palace was imprifoned the late unfortunate Queen Matilda. During her con-
finement fhe inhabited the governor’s apartment, and had permiffion to walk on the fide-
batteries, or on the leads of the tower. She was uncertain of the fate that awaited her,
and had great reafon to apprehend, that the party which occafioned her arreft meditated
more violent meafures. When the Englifh minifter * at Copenhagen brought an order
for her enlargement, which he had obtained by his fpirited conduct, fhe was furprized
with the unexpected intelligence, inftantly burft into a flood of tears, embraced him. in
a tranfport of joy, and called him her deliverer. After a fhort conference, he propofed
that her majefty fhould immediately embark on board ‘a fhip that was waiting to carry
her from a kingdom in which fhe had experienced fuch a train of misfortunes. But,
however anxious fhe was to depart, one circumftance checked the excefs of her joy: a
few months before her imprifonment fhe was delivered ofa princefs, whom fhe fuckled
herfelf. ‘Lhe rearing of this child had been her only comfort, and fhe conceived a more
than parental attachment to it, as the conftant companion of her mifery. The infant
was afflited with the meafles; and, having nurfed it with unceafing folicitude, fhe was
defirous of continuing her attention and care, Thefe circumftances had fo endeared the
-child to her, rendered more fufceptible of tendernefs in a prifon than ina court, that
when an order for detaining the young princefs was intimated, fhe teftified the ftrongeft
emotions of grief, and could not, for fome time, be prevailed on to bid a final adieu. .
At length, after beftowing repeated carefles on this darling obje&t of her affection, fhe
retired to the veffel in an agony of defpair, and remained on deck, her eyes fixed on the
palace of Cronborg, which contained her child, until darknefs intercepted the view.
‘The veflel having made little way during night, at day-break fhe obferved with fond fa-
tisfaétion that the palace was {till vifible, and could not be perfuaded to enter the cabin
as long as fhe could difcover the fainteft glimpfe of the battlements. Matilda afterwards
refided at Zell, where fhe diedsof a fcarlet fever.
Queen Matilda was naturally of a lively difpofition, until her misfortunes brought on
a fettled melancholy. In fociety fhe endeavoured to diflemble her forrows, and affume
a cheerfulnefs to which her heart was a ftranger. She became extremely fond of foli-
tude; and, when alone, indulged her grief in the moft bitter lamentations. She re-
tained, to her laft moments, the molt unaffected attachment to her-children in Den-
mark: with all the anxiety of a parent fhe made repeated enquiries after them, and was
* Mr afterwards Sir Robert Murray Keith.
delighted
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