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Chap. XIV.
RISE AND FALL OF GRIFFENFELD.
217
His rise, as always occurred in those ages of
necromancy, was foretold by an old woman when he was
a child in his nurse’s arms:—“ You hold a golden
apple in your hand, my son; take good care not to let
it fall.” After the death of his father he was taken
into the house of Bishop Brochmand, who presented
him to King Frederic IV., by whom he was given
a pension of 300 dollars to travel. He visited
England, and became so esteemed by the learned, that his
portrait was placed in the Bodleian Library at Oxford,
where he pursued his studies—not an uncommon
event in those days says Molesworth. On his return
he became secretary to Vice-Chancellor Wind.* One
day, having a letter to deliver to the king’s page, he
desired to speak with the king himself, and, having
succeeded, told Christian his history, and from that day
his fortune was made. By his talents he rose to the
highest offices in the state, and possessed the entire
confidence of the king.
Louis XIV., in speaking of Griffenfeld to the Danish
ambassador, is reported to have said,—“ I cannot refrain
from testifying the great esteem in which I hold the
great Chancellor of the Danish kingdom, whom I look
upon as one of the greatest ministers of Europe.”
Griffenfeld made the ancient nobles feel his power, and
they formed a plot against him, at the head of which
was Sophia Moth. The weak king was gained by
the conspirators, and Griffenfeld was arrested on
unfounded charges. One of the accusations brought
* Son of Admiral Wind, who, conjointly with Christian IV.,
commanded in the engagement off Femern. Admiral Wind died six weeks
after from the wounds he had received.
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