queen's glory and prosperity, and that loves and honours my lord treasurer and your grace. I am too well acquainted with your grace's goodness to suspect you will not pardon me for saying so much, since I have no interest or view of my own that shall come in competition with the queen's service, and my gratitude and duty to you, who have tied me to be, ever, my lord, your grace's most devoted, faithful, humble servant."

These letters will supersede the necessity of whole pages of comment, and perfectly display the temper and state of the administration. Harley, and the few moderate Tories yet in power, were striving to undermine their political antagonists, and to draw the two ministers to their party. The Whigs, on the contrary, were not satisfied, but jealous of Marlborough and Godolphin. Each successive point which they gained was considered only as a prelude to another; and they were eager for an opportunity of forcing the ministers, whose confidence they were well aware they did not possess, to rely on their single efforts for support. Both were equally averse to resign themselves to either party. They were inclined to the Tories, though disapproving their violence; but compelled by necessity to identify themselves with the Whigs, without whose assistance they could not carry on the government. The queen was disappointed that Marlborough had not rescued her from the bondage of the Whigs, and beginning to withdraw from him and the treasurer that confidence and gratitude which she had hitherto entertained for their persons and services. Her alienation was increased by the acrimonious reproaches of the duchess, who, in her zeal for the advancement of the Whig interest, over-stepped the bounds, not only of respect, but of prudence, and aggravated the embarrassment of her husband and the treasurer.

In the anxiety of Harley to profit by these feuds, and form an independent interest, he at length forgot his usual caution, and awakened the suspicion of Godolphin, whose reliance on his attachment neither the suggestions of the Whigs, nor the insinuations of the duchess, had hitherto been able to shake. He communicated his sentiments to his friend, though with a mixture of doubt and hesitation :

"Oct. 18-29. Lady Marlborough told me this morning, and promised to write to you, that Mr. Harley, Mr. St. John, and one or two more of your particular friends, were underhand endeavouring to bring

all the difficulties they could think of upon the public business in the next sessions, and spoke of it to me as taking it for granted, it was what I could not have heard of before. I am apt to think they may have made some steps toward this, which are not justifiable, out of an apprehension that others would have all the merit; but whatever be their motive, the thing is destructive and pernicious. I have had a long letter this very day, full of professions of being guided in these measures, as in all others, by you and me; but at the same time, I doubt so much smoke could not come without some fire."

From implicit confidence in the discernment of his friend, Marlborough seems at length to have become sensible of the petty intrigues and aspiring views of Harley; but still he regarded his cabals with indulgence, and was only anxious to render this discovery the means of repressing the encroachments of the Whigs, and maintaining the balance between the two parties.

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Hague, Nov. 9. -I have had the favour of yours of the 15th, 18th, and 21st, by the express. In one of them I find you have received a letter from Mr. Harley, full of expressions. I beg you will lay hold of the occasion, and when he is with you, that you would acquaint him with the business of Sir Charles Hedges and Lord Sunderland, and give him your reasons for the change; for he must not be suffered to go on in the project that Lady Marlborough acquainted you with; and by gaining him you will govern the others without taking any pains with them. have not heard from Lady Marlborough, but I believe the thing is true." However, if you take this method, I am very confident when I shall be with you, you will be able to make Mr. Secretary Harley very useful to yourself and the queen's business; and by it you will enable me to make the others sensible of their error.'

The secret cabals of Harley were not, however, to be restrained by the fear of displeasing his two patrons, for he still continued to oppose with success the transfer of the secretaryship. As late as October 18. Godolphin thus wrote to the duchess:

"Friday night, at eleven. -I can't help making haste to thank you to-night, for the favour of your letters, both of Wednesday and Thursday in one packet; tho' this day has been a day of so much hurry of all kinds, that 'tis but just now I have been able to sit down to write to you. I have written a long letter to Lord Marlborough, and inclosed yours in it, tho' it was as thick as it was long, which, with my handiness at making up a packet, gave mine a particularly graceful figure. The uneasiness which Mr. Montgomery complained of lately to you, is too long a story to be written, and must be kept till I have the happiness to see you, which I still hope is not far off. The lodge is a very pretty place, and Lord Marlborough, I see in his letter, desires to find or carry you thither

very soon. I return you his letter, with my opinion, that it should be sent to Mrs. Morley; for, tho' it be no news to her, it may be of use to see he continues of the same mind, and will be so when he comes hither; for which reason, as well as others, I confess I am extremely impatient to have him here. I am glad you did not send him word of Lord Sunderland's apprehensions, since there is not the least ground for them, and they would only have made him uneasy with him. I am sorry he and his friends continue so uneasy, since we have no other bottom to stand upon. Nothing shall be omitted by me to make them easier, tho' the queen is very far yet from being sensible of her circumstances in that particular.

"Our letters to-day from Scotland are full of hopes to carry the union. Lord Sunderland is much pleased with this news, and Lord Somers much more, which shows me the other would be so too, if he had not uneasiness upon the other account. All Mr. Johnston's friends have behaved themselves well, so I am now as fond of him as you are of his letter."

In this state of suspense, the presence of Marlborough produced an instantaneous effect. Departing from the Hague, he landed at Margate on the 16th of November, and reached London on the 18th. The recollection of his services, and the burst of popularity which his appearance_awakened, gave weight to his personal representations. In his first private audience, the queen again recurred to the compromise which she had before proposed to Godolphin, but without effect. At length dreading, lest farther hesitation should provoke the Whigs, not only to turn their attacks against Harley, but to oppose the measures of government, she reluctantly acquiesced in the removal of Sir Charles Hedges, and the promotion of Sunderland. His appointment was announced only on the 3rd of December, the very day fixed for the meeting of parliament.

This important step being taken, less difficulty remained. on inferior points. Several promotions were made in the peerage, in favour of the Whigs, among which we particularly notice Mr. Cowper and Sir Thomas Pelham, who were created barons, and Lord Wharton and Lord Cholmondely, who were raised to earldoms. ferred on Godolphin himself.

The same rank was also con

Soon afterwards farther changes were made. Sir James Montagu, brother of Lord Halifax, was appointed solicitorgeneral; and Lord Stamford, with Lord Herbert of Cherbury, and Mr. Pulteney, were constituted commissioners of trade, in the room of Viscount Weymouth, Mr. Monkton.

and Mr. Prior. In consenting to this arrangement, Marlborough proved that neither political expedience, nor party interest, outweighed his respect for merit. He not only continued to manifest the same friendship toward the disgraced poet, but procured him a pension, as some compensation for the loss of his post, and laboured to soothe his chagrin by marks of personal regard. Indeed Prior, for a considerable period, looked up to his noble patron for advancement, and by his interest endeavoured to obtain first an increase of his pension, and afterwards the post of envoy at the Hague or Brussels.* But on the decline of Marlborough's favour, and the restoration of his former friends to office, Prior was among the earliest who abandoned the fallen commander, and vied with Harley and St. John in repaying his past kindness with ingratitude.

The queen also removed from the privy council the chiefs of the Tory party, among whom we particularly notice the duke of Buckingham, the earls of Nottingham, Rochester, and Jersey; Lord Gower, and Sir George Rooke. The administration now therefore assumed a new character, and may be considered as established on a Whig basis; Harley and St. John being the only Tories of any note, who were suffered to retain a place of distinction and responsibility.

CHAP. LIII. -PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.-1706, 1707.

THIS triumph over the prejudices of the queen, and the combined efforts of the violent Tories, as well as over the secret, but powerful opposition of Harley, stimulated the Whigs to exert all their influence in favour of the government, and to continue, with unabating zeal, their support of the war and the political system of Marlborough. They also vied with Godolphin in bestowing due reward on his eminent services. As their party predominated in the House of Lords, and was considerable in the Commons, the session passed with unusual

Letters from Prior to the Duke of Marlborough, in 1707 and 1708. Marlborough Papers.

unanimity, and scarcely any opposition occurred, except on the union with Scotland, which was too much a national and party question to be carried without a vigorous struggle. The session opened on the 3rd of December, and the speech from the throne was perfectly in unison with the sentiments of the two ministers and the Whigs. "I hope," the queen observed, " we are met together at this time, with hearts truly thankful to Almighty God for the glorious successes with which he has blessed our arms and those of our allies, and with steady and serious resolutions to prosecute the advantages we have gained, till we reap the desired fruits of them in an honourable and durable peace." After a few remarks on the necessity of establishing a balance of power in Europe, she appealed to the Commons to grant such effectual supplies as might enable her to profit by the advantages of this successful campaign. Adverting to the arrangements for the union with Scotland, she recommended despatch in public affairs, that both friends and enemies might be convinced of their firmness and vigour.

In reply to the speech from the throne, the peers warmly congratulated the queen on the great successes of her arms during this "wonderful year;" particularly on the ever memorable victory gained at Ramilies, under the command of her wise and valiant general, the Duke of Marlborough. Then delicately alluding to the conduct of the emperor, they testified the satisfaction which the country in general derived from the public declaration of the queen and the States, that no negotiation for peace should be undertaken without the concurrence of all the members of the Grand Alliance. They expressed their hope that such an example would inspire them with a noble emulation; and if any had been wanting in time past, that her majesty would find means to apprise them that the only amends which they could make to public liberty was, by redoubling their efforts at so important a juncture. "This," they added, "will be the true way to obtain such a peace as all good men desire, which may secure to your majesty's subjects the Protestant succession, and all the advantages of trade and commerce; may restore the whole monarchy of Spain to King Charles III.; may fix such a barrier for the States-general (in whose security we must always think the interest of England is engaged), as