will make their peace, which will be of fatal consequence, especially considering the advantages we now have; for in all probability one year's war more would give ease to all Christendom for many years."

Godolphin was as anxious to communicate as Marlborough to learn his sentiments and situation. He could not, however, convey more satisfactory information than in the preceding letters; but with a disinterested zeal which does him honour, he laboured to soothe the dissatisfaction fostered by his friend against the Whigs.

"Windsor, Sept. 10-21. There being now four posts wanting from Holland, you will not expect one should trouble you very long from this place, from whence one can tell you nothing that is agreeable. The uneasiness betwixt the queen and myself continues as it was; nor do I see how it can ever be mended, unless you were here to do it, either by your credit with the queen, or by your authority and influence with Lord Sunderland and Lord Somers, and their friends. Not that I think them so much to blame, because they do really not see the difficulties as they are, and one cannot go about to show them those difficulties, without too much exposing the queen. Now though I really think you might be able to ease all this, yet negotiation not being my talent, I doubt it may be past cure before you come, and there is no reason to hope for the least assistance from Mrs. Freeman in this matter. *

*

"The same blustering winds which keep your letters from us continue to keep the fleet still in Torbay, which is no small mortification."

In another letter, dated Windsor, Sept. 18-29., after alluding to the eagerness manifested in Holland for peace, and the difficulty of persuading the Dutch to carry on the war with vigour, he adds:

And

"As for England, though the generality is entirely for doing it, yet the plain unwillingness in the queen to do any thing for those who have shown themselves most forward and zealous in promoting all the present advantages, is a discouragement not to be overcome by me alone. there is not one besides in any ministerial office of the government that must not be spoken to ten times over before any thing can be executed, even after it is ordered, as I said before, with all the slowness and difficulty imaginable. When I have given you the trouble of telling you this, assure yourself that if you saw me I would tell you it is very short of the disagreeableness I find upon the subject."

To relieve the perplexity of his friend, Marlborough wrote another pressing letter to the queen, employing every argument which appeared likely to weigh with her prejudices or to influence her decision. The letter itself is missing, but an extract is preserved in his correspondence with Godolphin.

"Oct. 7. 1706. As I am persuaded that the safety of your government, and the quiet of your life, depend very much upon the resolution you shall take at this time, I think myself bound in gratitude, duty, and conscience to let you know my mind freely; and that you may not suspect me of being partial, I take leave to assure you, in the presence of God, that I am not for your putting yourself into the hands of either party. But the behaviour of Lord Rochester, and all the hot heads of that party, is so extravagant, that there is no doubt to be made of their exposing you and the liberties of England to the rage of France, rather than not be revenged, as they call it. This being the case, there is a necessity, as well as justice in your following your inclinations in supporting lord treasurer, or all must go to confusion. As the humour is at present, he can't be supported but by the Whigs, for the others seek his destruction, which in effect is yours. Now, pray consider, if he can, by placing some few about you, gain such a confidence as shall make your business and himself safe, will not this be the sure way of making him so strong that he may hinder your being forced into a party? I beg you will believe I have no other motive to say what I do, but my zeal for your person, and friendship for a man whom I know to be honest, and zealously faithful to you "" #

But it was to the duchess that he most fully expressed the poignancy of his feelings, and his chagrin at the unjust suspicions which she and the Whigs entertained of his sincerity, at the very moment when he had advocated their cause with so much zeal and frankness. After stating his conviction that the queen could place no reliance on the Tories, but must give her confidence to those who would carry on the war and support the lord treasurer, he adds: —

"I will frankly own to you, that the jealousy some of your friends have that I and the lord treasurer do not act sincerely, makes me so weary, that were it not for my gratitude to the queen, and concern for him, I would now retire, and never serve more. For I have had the good luck to deserve better from all Englishmen, than to be suspected of not being in the true interest of my country, which I am in, and ever will be, without being of a faction; and this principle shall govern me for the little remainder of my life. I must not think of being popular, but I shall have the satisfaction of going to my grave with the opinion of having acted as became an honest man; and if I have your esteem and love, I shall think myself entirely happy. Having writ thus far, I have received your two letters of the 20th and 21st, which confirm me in my opinion before. And since the resolution is taken to vex and ruin the lord treasurer, because the queen has not complied with what was

* In this extract, Marlborough has, for the sake of brevity, omitted the title of majesty, and the forms of ceremony, which he never failed to use in his correspondence with the queen herself.

desired for Lord Sunderland, I shall from henceforth despise all mankind, and think there is no such thing as virtue; for I know with what zeal the lord treasurer has pressed the queen in that matter. I do pity him, and shall love him as long as I live, and never will be a friend to any that can be his enemy.

"I have writ my mind very freely to the queen on this occasion, so that whatever misfortune may happen, I shall have a quiet mind, having done what I thought my duty. And as for the resolution of making me uneasy, I believe they will not have much pleasure in that, for as I have not set my heart on having justice done me, I shall not be disappointed, nor will I be ill used by any man."

"Grametz, October 7.—I am to return you my thanks for five of yours, all from Woodstock. I could wish with all my heart every thing were more to your mind; for I find when you wrote most of them, you had very much the spleen, and in one I had my share, for I see I lie under the same misfortune I have ever done, of not behaving myself as I ought to the queen.

"I hope Mr. Hacksmore will be able to mend those faults you find in the house, but the great fault I find is, that I shall never live to see it finished; for I had flattered myself, that if the war should happily have ended this next year, I might the next after have lived in it; for I am resolved to be neither minister nor courtier, not doubting the queen will allow of it. But these are idle dreams, for whilst the war lasts I must serve, and will do it with all my heart; and if at last I am rewarded with your love and esteem, I shall end my days happily, and without it nothing can make me easy.

"I am taking measures to leave the army about three weeks hence, so that I shall have the happiness of being above one month sooner with you than I have been for these last three years."

In a letter to Godolphin himself, he expresses in stronger terms the same friendship and attachment which he had repeatedly announced.

"I have writ my mind with freedom to the queen, so that having done my duty, let what will happen, I shall be more easy in my mind. Allow me to give you this assurance, that as I know you to be a sincere, honest man, may God bless me as I shall be careful that whatever man is your enemy shall never be my friend. As soon as you receive this, I conjure you to let me have your thoughts freely, for till then I shall be very uneasy."

In the meantime reflection seemed to strengthen the determination of the queen, and she regarded the threat of the Whigs as a proof of their design to monopolise all the offices of state, and reduce her to dependence. Instead, therefore,

* This letter is printed in the Conduct of the duchess, but was deemed too important a document to be omitted here.

of exposing herself to new expostulations from Godolphin, she wrote a second letter, again pressing the expedient which she had proposed for Sunderland, reiterating her former reasons, and recurring to every argument which her anxiety suggested, to dissuade the treasurer from his purpose of retiring.

"Sept. 21. 1706.- I have read your letter over and over, and considered it very well before I have answered it; but I cannot but remain of the same mind I was when I wrote last concerning Sir Charles Hedges, thinking that he did once desire the place you have now a mind to get for him; yet it is a hard thing for me to remove him, and I can never look upon it otherwise. As to my other difficulties concerning Lord Sunderland, I do fear, for the reasons I have told you, we shall never agree long together; and the making him secretary, I can't help thinking, is throwing myself into the hands of a party. They desire this thing to be done, because else they say they can't answer that all their friends will go along with them this winter. If this be complied with, you will then, in a little time, find they must be gratified in something else, or they will not go on heartily in my business. You say yourself, they will need my authority to assist them, which I take to be the bringing more of their friends into employment, and shall I not then be in their hands? If this is not being in the hands of a party, what is? I am as sensible as any body can be of the services Lord Sunderland and all his friends have done me, and am very willing to show I am so, by doing any thing they desire that is reasonable. Let me, therefore, beg of you once more to consider of the expedient I proposed, of bringing Lord Sunderland into the cabinet council with a pension, till some vacancy happens, When I mentioned this before, I remember your objection against it was, that so young a man taken into the cabinet council, without having any post, might look more like an imposition upon me than a desire of my own. May be some people may find this fault; but I confess I can but think if he were made secretary, others would say that was also an imposition upon me. One of these things would make me very easy, the other quite contrary; and why, for God's sake, may I not be gratified as well as other people? I cannot but think my Lord Sunderland, who has so much zeal and concern for my interest, and believes I have nothing so much at my heart as the good and happiness of my own subjects, and the quiet of all Europe, will act heartily upon this principle, whatever station he is in, and have patience till it is in my power to put him in some post. And if all his friends have this opinion of me that you say he has, they can't, sure, for their own and their country's sake, but concur in my service, especially when they see, as they will, by my taking Lord Sunderland into the cabinet council, that I am willing to employ them in any thing I can. By this he will be brought into business, and be able both to assist you and have it in his power to do good offices to his friends. If they are not satisfied with so reasonable a thing as this, it is very plain, in my poor opinion, nothing will satisfy them, but having

one entirely in their power. This is a thing I have so much at my heart. and upon which the quiet of my life depends, that I must beg you, for Christ Jesus' sake, to endeavour to bring it about. I know very well that you do not serve for advantage or ambition, but with entire duty and affection, which makes me that I cannot bear the thoughts of parting with you; and I hope, after what the Duke of Marlborough has said to you, you will not think of it again; for, to use his words, you cannot answer it neither to God nor man, but are obliged both in conscience and honour to do it.' Let his words plead for her, who will be lost and undone if you pursue this cruel intention, and begs that you would neither think of it, nor mention it any more to one, that is so affectionately and sincerely your humble servant.'

Godolphin received this appeal at the moment when he was preparing to depart for Woodstock, to consult with the duchess on the best mode of vanquishing the repugnance of the queen. His reply we shall give without a comment.

"Woodstock, Sept. 25. - There was so little time before I came from Windsor, after I had the honour of your majesty's letter, that it was not possible for me to answer it, though I thought it was very necessary for your majesty's service not to lose time in doing it. Your majesty seems to continue desirous I should stay in your service, and not retain a thought of quitting it. I never had such a thought, nor ever can have, for my own sake or ease, if I saw a possibility of supporting your service, to which, as I have often said to your majesty, I must be a weight. and not a help, unless you would please to let me have the assistance of those who are able and willing to serve me.

"Your majesty is pleased in your letter to make use of some expressions in the Duke of Marlborough's letter to me, which I had the honour to read to you, that I could not answer it to God or man, that I was obliged both in honour and conscience not to quit your service. But you are not pleased to take any notice of those other expressions, which he uses in the same letter, as that there is no doubt but the queen will do any thing you can desire to make your service easy, and the like. But I desire nothing to make my service easy; I propose nothing but what is necessary for carrying on your majesty's business, especially in this next winter, which is like to be the most critical of your whole reign, and when many things of very great consequence will come to bear all at once. I doubt whether all we can do will be able to keep off the peace this winter. The peace will necessarily bring on the consideration of what fleet, and what army must be continued for your majesty's safety, and the safety of the government; besides all this, when the kingdom has been exhausted by a long war, your majesty's enemies, and mine particularly, which are not a few, will be grumbling at the greatness of your revenue. All these must be defended and supported. These are not slight things.

* From a copy in the hand of the duchess.