■ ? 4 ] 
In his exciirfion to Frederlckftadt , lie-was not di-£ 
tant from the thunder of Charles Xli’s cannon, who 
at that time befieged Frederickfiall ; where that unfor¬ 
tunate monarch flamed his laurels by an ignominious 
defeat, and was deprived of his life as well as his 
crown.* 
He 
* Mr. Wraxall, in his entertaining and inftrudtive Remarks, lately made in 
a Tour through fome of the Northern parts of Europe, after giving a few 
pertinent and judicious obfervations on the Death of the famous Charles 
XII. King of Sweden, and on Voltaire’s inconfiftent account of that extra¬ 
ordinary and dark tranfadlion, concludes : 
“ I afked Count Liewen, an ancient nobleman, if he remembered that 
monarch's death, and would favour me with the particulars of it. He 
gave me the fulleil anfwer to this queflion; which, as it is perhaps the 
mod; authentic and indifputable authority to be procured, I lhall repeat, as 
nearly as my memory affifts m.q, in his own words. 
“ There are now very few men alive, fa id he, who can fpeak with fo 
much certainty to that point as myfelf. I was in the camp before Fre- 
derickfhall, and had the honour to ferve the king in quality of page, on 
that night when he was killed. I have no doubt he was affaffinated. The 
night was extremely dark, and it was almoft an impoffibility that a ball 
from the Tort could enter his head at a diflance., and on the fpot where he 
flood. I faw the .king’s body, and am certain the wound in his temple 
was made by a piflol bullet. Who gave it, is unknown. Siker was fuf- 
fpedted, becaufe he was not with his majefly previous to the blow, but 
appeared a moment after. Thofe, added he, who are ufed to military af¬ 
fairs, know the report and noife which a cannon ball makes : but the re¬ 
port of the fhot which deftroyed the king, was that of a piece clofe at hand, 
and totally different. I do not believe the prince of Hefle was concerned, 
^or privy to it, in any degree j but the belief that he was put to death by 
a private hand, was general in the army at that time.” 
