may be to their just satisfaction, and may procure such terms and conditions for all the allies as may be just, safe, and honourable. Such a peace as may be durable and lasting, by reducing effectually the exorbitant power of a prince, whose restless ambition nothing could satisfy, and who has always despised the obligations of the most sacred leagues and treaties."

The address of the Commons was brief, but, if possible, still more honourable to the Duke of Marlborough. After acknowledging their gratitude for the queen's most gracious speech, they added, "And with all thankfulness to Almighty God, we congratulate your majesty upon the signal victory obtained by your arms and those of your allies, under the command of the Duke of Marlborough, at Ramilies; a victory so glorious and great in its consequences, and attended with such continued successes, through the whole course of this year, that no age can equal."

Having testified their resolution of suffering no pretence to divert them from their steady resolution of enabling her majesty to improve, in all cases, the advantages of the campaign, they continued, "their experience of the great care and management shown in the application of the public aids, encouraged them to assure her, that they would cheerfully give such speedy and effectual supplies as, by the continuance of God's blessing upon her arms, might establish the balance of power in Europe, by a safe, honourable, and lasting peace."

Both houses proved their sincerity, by hastening to redeem the pledge given in their respective addresses. Having examined the estimates, the Commons, in less than a week, voted six millions for the ensuing year; and no discordance occurred, except a feeble but fruitless attempt to oppose the sanction of the extraordinaries advanced on the faith of parliament. These were declared to have been expended for the preservation of the duke of Savoy, the interest of King Charles III. in Spain, and the safety and honour of the nation. Alluding to the despatch which had marked the proceedings of both houses, the speaker, in presenting the money bills to the queen, pertinently observed, "as the glorious victory, obtained by the Duke of Marlborough, at Ramilies, was fought before the enemy was apprised that

the confederates had taken the field, so your faithful commons have granted subsidies, before the enemy were apprised that the parliament had assembled."

During these proceedings the Duke of Marlborough was greeted with those marks of national gratitude and honour which his services so well deserved. On taking his seat he was welcomed by the lord keeper, in a speech expressing the thanks of the house, not in the formal style of parliamentary proceedings, but in the language of the heart.

My Lord Duke of Marlborough,

"I am commanded by this house to give your grace their acknowledgment and thanks for the eminent services you have done since the last session of parliament, to her majesty and your country, together with their confederates in this just and necessary war. Though some former successes against the power of France, while it remained unbroken, gave most reasonable expectation that you would not fail to improve them; yet what your grace has performed this last campaign has far exceeded all hopes, even of such as were most affectionate and partial to their country's interest and your glory. The advantages you have gained against the enemy are of such a nature, so conspicuous in themselves, so undoubtedly owing to your courage and conduct, so sensibly and universally beneficial in their consequences to the whole confederacy, that to attempt to adorn them with the colouring of words would be vain and inexcusable; and therefore I decline it, the rather because I should certainly offend that great modesty which alone can, and does add lustre to your actions, and which, in your grace's example, has successfully withstood as great trials as that virtue has met with in any instance whatsoever. And I beg leave to say, that if any thing could move your grace to reflect with much satisfaction on your own merit, it would be this, that so august an assembly does, with one voice, praise and thank you: an honour, which a judgment so sure as that of your grace's, to think rightly of every thing, cannot but prefer to the ostentation of a public triumph.'

The reply of the duke was brief and modest.

"I esteem this a very particular honour, which your lordships are pleased to do me. Nobody in the world can be more sensible of it than I am, nor more desirous to deserve the countenance of your favour and good opinion."

On the 4th a committee of the Commons also waited on the duke to convey the thanks and congratulations of the lower house for his eminent services and late glorious victory. His reply was given in similar terms to that which he had delivered in the House of Peers.

The gratulation of both houses was the prelude to another

public recompence, a regulation to render permanent in his descendants the title as well as the pension and territorial property annexed to the ducal honour. Having lost his only son, and being without hopes of farther issue, the duke was naturally anxious that the rewards which had been granted for his meritorious services should be extended to his daughters and their posterity. This extension was made in a manner no less gratifying than honourable. On the 17th of December the House of Lords presented an address to the queen, requesting her majesty to perpetuate the memory of the great actions of the Duke of Marlborough, by continuing his titles and honours in his posterity, by act of parliament, and soliciting that the queen would please, in virtue of her prerogative, to indicate in what manner they should be so limited.

The queen, in reply, having expressed her resolution to extend the titles and honours of the duke to his daughters and their heirs male, in succession, so as to comprise all his posterity, recommended that the honour and manor of Woodstock, with the house of Blenheim, should always descend with the title. In the course of the deliberation, the Duke of Marlborough addressed the house, in terms indicative of his gratitude and satisfaction.

66

My lords,

"I cannot find words sufficient to express the sense I have of the great and distinguished honour which the house has been pleased to do me in their resolution and their application to her majesty. The thoughts of it will be a continual satisfaction to me, and the highest encouragement; and the thankful memory of it must last as long as any posterity of mine.

"I beg leave to say a word to the house in relation to that part of her majesty's most gracious answer which concerns the estate of Woodstock and the house of Blenheim. I did make my humble request to the queen, that those might go along with the titles, and I make the like request to your lordships, that after the Duchess of Marlborough's death, upon whom they are settled in jointure, that estate and house may be limited to go always along with the honour.”

This request was speedily gratified. The requisite bills being prepared and approved by the peers, were transmitted to the Commons on the 19th. On the ensuing day they were thrice read, for the sake of form, and being passed unanimously, received the royal sanction without delay. The settlement consisted of two acts: the first rendered the ho

nours and dignities of John Duke of Marlborough permanent in his posterity, and annexed the manor of Woodstock, with the house of Blenheim, to the ducal title, after the death of the duchess. The second was to entail in perpetuity the annual sum of 5000l. from the Post-office, first upon the duchess, and afterwards upon his eldest daughter, Lady Harriet Godolphin, and her heirs male; and in failure of such issue, successively to the three other daughters and their heirs male: namely, Anne, countess of Sunderland; Elizabeth, countess of Bridgwater; and Mary, marchioness of Mounthermer.*

The duke appears, in this instance, to have lost the anxiety which he had formerly manifested for the perpetuation of his name; for, instead of the clause, which he had inserted in the draught of his will, in 1703, binding his representatives in succession to assume the name and arms of Churchill, this act contains no such stipulation. Another singularity is, the confirmation of the settlement made by jointure on the duchess, and the extension of the grant of 5000l. annually to her during her life. This provision was suggested by the affection of the duke, who, as he himself observed, had made it his particular request to the queen, and urged his son-in-law to propose and support it in the House of Lords.† Among the papers of the duchess we find her thanks to the queen, written in a cold and formal style, which shows, that either the irritation of their recent dispute was not calmed by this act of munificence, or that the duchess did not deem herself so much indebted to the friendship of the sovereign as to the intercession of her husband.

"Whether I have or have not the honour to see your majesty, I find

* Journals of both houses.

The two acts of parliament are printed in the statutes at large, for 1706. Their titles are:

"An act for the settling of the honours and dignities of John Duke of Marlborough upon his posterity, and annexing the honour and manor of Woodstock, and house of Blenheim, to go along with the said honours."

"An act for settling upon John Duke of Marlborough and his posterity, a pension of 5000l. per annum, for the more honourable support of their dignities, in like manner as his honours and dignities, and the honour and manor of Woodstock, and the house of Blenheim, are already limited and settled."

† Letter from the duchess to Mr. Hutchinson in 1713.

must always be something which obliges me to return you my humble thanks. The concern I have in the settlement made to Lord Marlborough's family, by the act of parliament, makes a necessity of my giving you the trouble of them upon this occasion; and though it is not natural to me to make you so many fine speeches and compliments as some others can do, yet nobody has a heart fuller of the sincerest wishes for your constant happiness and prosperity than your poor forsaken Freeman."*

During the discussion relative to these grants, the duke experienced from the city of London the same testimonial of national gratitude as after the battle of Blenheim. At the request of the city, the standards and colours taken at the battle of Ramilies were transferred with military pomp from Whitehall, where they had been first deposited, to Guildhall. The procession commenced with a body of horse grenadiers and guards, in the centre of whom were twenty-six gentlemen, each bearing a standard. It was closed by the foot guards, who escorted a party of one hundred and twenty-six pikemen, bearing the same number of colours taken from the infantry. As the cavalcade traversed the Park and Mews of St. James's, the queen appeared at one of the windows of the palace, at once to witness the procession, and give it additional honour. Passing through the Strand, and the principal avenues leading to the place of destination, the cavalcade was hailed by innumerable crowds, who beset the streets, and filled the windows and balconies, rending the air with their shouts and acclamations.

At the moment when the triumphal cavalcade had awakened the popular enthusiasm, the duke himself traversed the streets in one of the royal coaches, accompanied by the lord treasurer and the chief officers of the royal household, and attended by a splendid train of coaches filled with the foreign ministers and nobility, and with the principal officers, who had shared the honours which he acquired in the field of Ramilies. At Temple Bar he was received by the city marshal, with the

[Indorsed by the Duchess.]

"This letter to the queen shows that I did not omit taking any reasonable occasion to please her, even when I saw she was changed to me; for it is certain that she never took any care of me in the settlement; and if I am ever the better for it, it is not owing to her friendship. But whatever the world said of my behaviour to her, I never failed in performing all manner of decencies and faithful services to her, while it was possible for me to do it."