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FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN. 518
in many circtmftances the relation of Carlberg differs from thofe of Nordberg and Vol-
taire. The laft remarks that no one was prefent when the King was killed except Si-
guier and Megret, and that the firft of thefe related the death of the King to General
Schwerin.
Carlberg fays quite the contrary. Neverthelefs we muft not acoufe M. de Voltaire
for relating circumf{tances fuch as they were given to-him, and not improbably by the
fame Siquier * ; but at the fame time we have no right to look upon as falfe the account
given by an individual who heard, faw, and did himfelf the things which he defcribes,
and whom neither fear nor reward could induce to write any thing but what he could
vouch from actual experience f.
Different opinions were entertained of the King’s wound ; fuch as examined it, main-
tained that it could not have been made from the fortrefs or the redoubts of the enemy.
On a draught of the fiege of Fredericfhall on which it was affirmed that the King was
killed by a fhot from the redoubts, an officer of high rank, who was at the time alfo in
Norway, had written in German with his own hand, that is not true. It was generally
conceived that the blow did not come from either a Dane or a Swede. No rumour
was more common than that Siquier, the King’s aide de camp, had murdered the King.
It is not doubted that he himfelf confefled it when ill at Stockholm in 1722, but it is
added that this illnefs was accompanied with delirium. Some have imagined that re-
morfe had extorted this confeflion; others again have infifted that Siquier after his re-
covery, when for the benefit of the waters at Medevi, was tortured by the fame remorfe,
although then perfectly in his fenfes and not delirious. In cafe Siquier had been near
Kaulbars and others who were ftanding by the King’s feet when he was killed, it would
not only have been eafy, but his duty to have obtained their teftimony, and by his neg-
leGting this, fufpicion is no wifediminifhed. Another circumftance is alfoequivocal: Nord-
berg relates that Siguier and Megret followed the King into the trenches, but I have
been credibly informed that Siquier had nothing to do in the trenches, and that being
interrogated by a certain perfon as to what bufinefs he had there, he hefitated in his
anfwer. M. de Voltaire however declares him entirely innocent. He grounds his con-
viction in the firft place on a declaration made to him by Siquier himfelf. ‘I could
have killed the King of Sweden; but fuch was my refpect for that hero, that if I had
been fo inclined, I fhould not yet have dared ;” and fecondly he obferves that“ Si-
quier died poor, and that fuch exploits are ordinarily well paid :’’ but if the miferable
wretch do not in fuch cafes receive his wages in advance, his earnings may turn out ex
tremely fmall. The third circumftance which he thinks abfolves him from the charge,
appears to be of greater confequence, to wit, ‘* that the ball which terminated His Ma-
jelty’s life weighed half a pound, a ball of which weight would not enter the mouth of
a fufil.”” But how did Siquier learn that the ball was exaétly of that weight, fince in
Sweden it is entirely unknown; probably it might be afcertained from the verbal pro-
cefs on the fubjeét of an infpection of the body by three Swedifh noblemen {, a copy of
which J giveina note fubjoined.
; . (<4 We
* In admitting this hypothefis, it is next to impoffible not to have violent fufpicions of Siquier, as fhall
be hereafter detailed. ; .
+ The ftatement of Colonel Carlberg was communicated by himfelf to the author, and the copy which
he poffeffes he is aflured was written by Col. C. ‘
£ In the year :746, on the 12th July, between five and fix in the morning, the underfigned went down
into the Maufoleum called Carolin or Palatine, on the equeftrian ifle of the church at Stockholm, and
opened the coffin of King Charles XII. defun&, whom they found in the condition and order following :
‘@ mattrafs or pillow ftufled with aromatic herbs covered the face of the King, under his head and joining
3 °u)2 his
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