LIFE AND TIMES
OF
HER MAJESTY
CAROLINE MATILDA.

CHAPTER I.

A GATHERING STORM.
PAGE

The Anonymous letter—Incendiary Placards—The Sailors at Hirschholm—Alarm at Court—The Feast of the Bœuf Roti—The Conspiracy—Falckenskjold's Advice—Struensee's Alarms—Brandt's Levity—The Second Letter—Brandt's Resolution 1

CHAPTER II.

THE SINKING SHIP.

Brandt's Letter of Complaint—Struensee's Dignified Answer—A False Friend—The Proposed Plot—Freedom of the Press—Insulting Pamphlets—The Queen Dowager—Rumoured Intrigues—Attempted Reconciliation—Struensee's Self-Conceit—Fresh Changes at Court 27

CHAPTER III.

THE MUTINY OF THE GUARDS.

Restrictions on the Press—The Pamphleteers—The King at Home—The Fight with Brandt—The Master of the Wardrobe—Court Amusements—The Town Commandant—Public Disaffection—The Foot Guards—The Mutiny—Visit to Frederiksberg—Behaviour of the Citizens—Struensee Gives Way—Colonel Keith 54

CHAPTER IV.

THE CONSPIRACY.

Struensee's Blindness—Dangerous Rumours—We are Seven—Von Beringskjold—A Conspirator—The Queen Dowager's Assent—Secret Meetings—The Masked Ball—A Fatality—Rantzau's Vacillation—The Visit to the King—The Order to Arrest Caroline Matilda 80

CHAPTER V.

SHARING THE SPOIL.

Arrest of Struensee and Brandt—Falckenskjold's Prison—A Lady's Perils—Caroline Matilda—A Terrible Scene—Osten's Persuasion—Arrival at Kronborg—The Queen's Despair—The King in Public—Popular Excesses—Rewards—General von Huth 106

CHAPTER VI.

THE NEW GOVERNMENT.

The Te Deum—A Warning Voice—Hitting a Fallen Man—A good Hater—Court Festivities—The Alarm at the Theatre—Banishment of Beringskjold—Retirement of Reverdil—The Two Counts—Struensee's Despair—Attempted Suicide—The Commission—The Cabinet Council The Privy Council of State 128

CHAPTER VII.

WHAT THEY SAID IN ENGLAND.

Colonel Keith—Bad News from Copenhagen—Death of the Princess of Wales—The Public Press—Junius's Letter—Atticus—A Foul Libel—The Earl of Bute Denounced—Another Appeal for the Queen—The State of Public Opinion—The approaching Trial 158

CHAPTER VIII.

STRUENSEE IN PRISON.

Struensee's Confession—A Hopeless Defence—Brandt's Firmness—Dr. Münter—Materialism—Death of Bernstorff—A Pious Letter—A Roman Mother—The Convert—D'Alembert—Struensee's Apology—The other Prisoners 178

CHAPTER IX.

THE QUEEN'S TRIAL.

The Queen's Letters—An Extorted Confession—The High Court of Inquiry—The Indictment—Statement of Witnesses—Revolting Details—Amateur Detectives—The Maids in Waiting—Fräulein von Eyben—Sentiments—Presents—The Verdict Demanded 203

CHAPTER X.

THE QUEEN'S DEFENCE.

Caroline Matilda's Feelings—Advocate Uldall—The Defence—The Queen's Innocence—A Fair Trial Demanded—Character of the Evidence—The Law of Adultery—Value of Evidence—Struensee's Favour—Fräulein von Eyben—Trifles Light as Air—The Queen's Attendants—A Flaw in the Argument—Reverdil's Appeal—The Sentence 231