Memoirs of the Duke of Marlborough

CONTENTS

THE FIRST VOLUME.

CHAP. I.-Birth and Education of Marlborough. His Court Life. Cam-
paigns with the French Army. Marriage with Miss Sarah Jennings.
Mission to the Prince of Orange
Page 1

II. Churchill travels with the Duke of York. Employed on Political

Missions. Birth of his eldest Daughter. Created Lord Churchill.

Rise of his Wife's Favour with the Princess Anne

III.-Accession of James. Embassy to Paris. Expedition against the

Duke of Monmouth. Battle of Sedgemoor. Alarmed at the King's

Attempts to introduce Popery. Correspondence with the Prince of

Orange. His Conduct during and after the Revolution

IV. Marlborough obtains the Confidence of the King. Expedition to

Ireland. Commencement of his clandestine Intercourse with the

exiled Monarch. His Campaign in the Netherlands

V.-Court Dissensions. Marlborough's Remonstrances against the King's

partiality towards his Dutch Adherents. Dismissed from all his

Employments. Cabal against him by the Earl of Portland and the

Villiers family. Marlborough arrested on a charge of High Treason,

and committed to the Tower. His intercourse with the exiled Family.

Struck from the List of Privy Counsellors

VI.-Marlborough offers his Services to King William. Death of Queen

Mary, and Reconciliation of the King with the Princess of Denmark.

Discloses the intended Enterprise against Brest. Sir John Fenwick's

unfounded Charges. Marlborough made Governor to the Duke of

Gloucester. Restored to his military Rank and Employments. Sup-

ports Bishop Burnet against the Attacks of the Tories. Death of the

Duke of Gloucester

VII.-Marriages of Marlborough's two Daughters. Characters of his

Friends, Lords Godolphin and Sunderland

VIII.-Resumption of the Irish Grants. Dismission of the Whigs, and

Formation of a Tory Ministry. Character and Principles of Harley.

Death of Charles II. of Spain. Appeal of the King to Parliament

against the Usurpation of the Spanish Monarchy by France. Clamours

of the Nation against the Parliament. Marlborough appointed Com-

mander-in-chief in the Netherlands, and Plenipotentiary

IX.-Marlborough accompanies King William to Holland.

Formation

of the Grand Alliance against France. Anxiety of Marlborough to

¡ VOL. I.

avert the Fall of the Tory Ministry. Death of James II., and acknow-
ledgment of his Son as King of England by Louis XIV. Changes in
Administration. Death of King William. His dying Recommenda-
tion of Marlborough to his Successor
Page 66

X.--Accession of Anne. Favours conferred on the Marlboroughs. Godol-

phin at the head of the Treasury. Mission of Marlborough to the

Hague. Bickerings of the Queen and the Countess of Marlborough.

Embarrassments of Marlborough and Godolphin in consequence

XI. Return of Marlborough to the Hague. Appointed Generalissimo.

Situation of the Armies. Attempt of the French to surprise Nimeguen.

Marlborough repairs to the Army. Delays arising from the Timidity

of the Dutch Government, and hesitation of their Generals. Passage

of the Waal. Camp at Over-Asselt

XII.-Marlborough crosses the Meuse and advances to Hamont. Move-

ments of the two Armies. Dutch Deputies oppose the Wishes of

Marlborough to attack the Enemy. Indignation and Disappointment

of the Army. Capture of Venloo, Ruremond, and Stevenswaert.

Reduction of Liege. Winter Quarters

XIII. Passage of Marlborough down the Meuse. Captured by a French

Party. Arrival at the Hague. Unfortunate Expedition to Cadiz 98

XIV. Return of Marlborough to England. The Queen confers on him

a Dukedom, with a Pension of 5000l. a Year from the Post-office.

Proposal to unite this Grant with the Title rejected by the Commons.

Marlborough supports the Grant of a Settlement to the Prince of

Denmark. Supports the Bill against occasional Conformity

XV. Death of the Marquis of Blandford. Marriages of his two younger

Daughters

XVI. Accession of Portugal to the Confederacy. Extensive Plans of

the French Court. Arrival of Marlborough at the Hague. Surrender

XVII. Grand Plan for the Attack of Antwerp. Foiled by the Mis-

conduct of the Dutch Generals. Return of Marlborough to the

Meuse

- 118

XVIII. - Political Feuds in the English Cabinet. Struggles between

the Whigs and Tories. Attempt of the Duchess to form a Coalition

between her Husband and the Whigs. Party Contentions in Scot-

land

- 128

XIX. Reduction of Huy. New Proposal of Marlborough to force the
French Lines. Capture of Limburg and Guelder. Plan of the French
for the Invasion of Austria. Defection of the Duke of Savoy from
the French to the Allies. The Archduke Charles proclaimed King
of Spain at Vienna. His Interview with Marlborough at Dusseldorf.
Arrives at the Hague. Lands in England. Receives the new King
of Spain. His parliamentary Conduct on the Revival of the Bill
against occasional Conformity

XX.-Melancholy Situation of Affairs abroad.

Bavarians. Intended Invasion of Austria.

borough to lead an Army into the Empire.

displayed in its Execution. His Mission to Holland, and Negotiations

137

Plans of the French and

Grand Design of Marl-

Secrecy and Address

with the States. Return to England. Arrangements for the Removal

of Nottingham, and for the Appointment of Harley and St. John to

the Offices of Secretary of State and Secretary at War Page 146

XXI.-Arrangements of Marlborough for the Campaign. Returns to
the Continent. Difficulties in obtaining Aid from the States. Com-
mences his March towards the Danube. Gradual Development of
his Plans. Arrival at Mentz. March of French Reinforcements into
Bavaria. Negligence of the Margrave of Baden in permitting their
Junction with the Elector

XXII.-Marlborough reaches the Neckar. Direction of his March to-

wards the Danube. Counter Movements of the Enemy. Interviews

of Marlborough with Prince Eugene and the Margrave of Baden.

Disposition of the Command, and Plan of Operations. Eugene heads

the Army on the Rhine, and the Margrave shares the Command with

Marlborough. Failure of the Dutch Generals in their attempt to

force the French Lines.

153

The Emperor offers to Marlborough a Prin-
Junction of the Armies under Marlborough
Their arrival and commencement of Operations

cipality of the Empire.

XXIII.-Victory of the Schellenberg

XXIV.-Gallo-Bavarians commence their Retreat to Augsburg. Allies

Occupy Donawert. Pass the Danube, and capture Rain, Aicha, and

Friedburgh. Negotiation with the Elector of Bavaria. His Country

given up to Military Execution. A Principality of the Empire again

178

offered to Marlborough

XXV. - Advance of Tallard from the Rhine, and Junction with the

Elector of Bavaria. Arrival of Eugene in the Plain of Blenheim,

Critical Situation of the Confederates. Skilful Manoeuvres of Marl-

borough to unite the two Armies. Investment of Ingoldstadt by the

Margrave. Movement of the Gallo-Bavarians to the left Bank of the

Danube. Communications of Eugene and Marlborough. Passage

of the Danube by Marlborough, and Junction of their Forces on the

Kessel. Position of the French at Hochstadt. Preparations and

Movements of the Confederates for an Engagement. Description of

the Valley of the Danube, the Scene of the approaching Conflict 183

XXVI.-BATTLE OF BLENHEIM

- 191

XXVII. The two Commanders enter Hochstadt, visit Marshal Tal-
lard, and divide the Prisoners. Happy Effects of the Union between
Eugene and Marlborough. Losses of the two Armies. Lawingen
and Dillengen secured. Advance to Steinheim. Negotiation with

the Electress of Bavaria

- 210

XXVIII. Confederate armies march' towards the Rhine. Pass the

Rhine, the Queich, and the Lauter. Motives for the Siege of Landau,

Marlborough receives a new offer of the Principality from the Em-

peror

218

XXIX. - Indisposition of Marlborough. Expedition to the Moselle.

Capture of Treves. Siege of Traerbach. Correspondence on this

Enterprise. Return to the Camp before Landau

224

XXX.-Effects of the Battle of Blenheim in England and abroad. Let

Page 231

ters of the Queen and Mrs. Burnett. Violence of the disaffected.

Attempts of the Tories to decry the Successes of Marlborough.

Letters to his Duchess on the State of Parties

XXXI.-Treaty with the Electress of Bavaria. Attempts to mediate

an Accommodation between the Court of Vienna and the Insurgents

in Hungary. State of the War in Portugal, and Arrangements made

by Marlborough. Journey to Berlin. Visits Hanover. Returns to

238

246

the Hague

XXXII. Bill against occasional Conformity. Marlborough arrives

in England. Accumulated Honours and Rewards. The Queen

confers on him the Manor of Woodstock, and orders the Palace of

Blenheim to be built for his Residence

ters of the Whig Junta. Political System of Marlborough and Godol-

phin. Disgrace of Buckingham. Admission of Whigs into the Offices

of Government. Sunderland's Appointment as Ambassador to Vienna.

Embarrassments of Marlborough from political Feuds
253

XXXIV. Marlborough arrives at the Hague. Difficulty in obtain-

ing the Consent of the Dutch to his Plan of Operations. Court of

Vienna and the Margrave of Baden. Death of the Emperor Leopold

and Accession of Joseph. Interview of Marlborough with the Mar-

grave at Rastadt. March of the Troops to the Moselle

265

273

XXXV. Marlborough joins his army near Treves. Reparations and

Plans of France. Villars appointed to the Command of the Army on

the Moselle. His defensive Position on the Heights of Sirk. Move-

ments of Villeroy against Overkirk. Capture of Huy and Investment

of Liege. Equivocal Conduct of Prince Louis. Want of Horses

and Requisites for the Siege of Saar Louis. Scarcity of Provisions

and Forage. Rapid Return of Marlborough to the Meuse. Recovers

Huy, and compels the French to retire behind the Lines

XXXVI. — Marlborough forces the French Lines of Brabant, and

defeats the Enemy. Obtains Possession of Tirlemont, Diest, and

Aerschot. Drives the Enemy beyond the Dyle, and advances to the

Suburbs of Louvain. Obstacles to his further Progress, and unjust

Censures on his Conduct. Foiled in his Attempt to pass the Dyle

by the Opposition of the Dutch Deputies

XXXVII. Attempt of Marlborough to force the Dyle counteracted

by the Dutch. New Design to march round the Sources of the Dyle,

and force the Position of the Enemy on the Ische. Again thwarted

by his factious Opponents. Malicious Opposition of Slangenberg and

his Adherents. Retreat to Lower Wavre

XXXVIII.- Letter of Marlborough to the States against the Conduct

of the Deputies and Generals. Sensation in England and Holland.

Marlborough's Chagrin at Misrepresentations in the Gazette. Capture

of Leuwe and Rasure of the Lines. Indisposition and Recovery of

Marlborough. New Arrangements relative to the Dismission of

Slangenberg. Overtures from France to the Dutch

XXXIX. Demolition of the French Lines.

288

298

312

Establishment of the

Army in the Camp of Herenthals. State of the War in Portugal

and Spain. Capture of Barcelona. Acknowledgment of Charles in

Valencia and Catalonia. Distressed Situation of the Duke of Savoy.

Solicitations of the Imperial Court for Succours. Marlborough urged

to repair to Vienna. Correspondence with the British Cabinet and

Negotiations with the Dutch

Page 326

XL. Struggle for the Transfer of the Great Seal. Increasing Strength

of the Whigs in the new Elections. Appeal of the Queen to Marl-

borough. Cowper appointed Lord Keeper. Meeting of Parliament.

Choice of a Whig Speaker. Speech from the Throne. Party Bicker-

ings

345

XLI.- Journey of Marlborough to Vienna. Interview with the Mar-

grave of Baden at Frankfort, and with the Elector Palatine at Berns-

berg. Flattering Reception at Vienna. The Emperor creates him a

Prince of the Empire. Letter from Prince Eugene on the State of

Affairs. Pretensions of the King of Prussia. Success of his Nego-

tiations. Journey to Berlin. Pacifies the Feuds between the King

of Prussia and the Emperor. Visit to Hanover. Conciliates the

Electoral Family. Arrival at the Hague. Complaints from Eugene

and Wratislaw. Accomplishes the necessary Arrangements for the

vigorous Prosecution of the War

354

XLII.

Marlborough and Godolphin censured by the Tories for their

Coalition with the Whigs. Clamours on the Danger of the Church.

Libellous Publications. Marlborough arrives in England. Recon-

ciliation of Harley and the Whig Leaders. Anecdote from Lord

Cowper's Diary

376

XLIII. The Lordship of Mindelheim erected into a Principality, and

conferred on Marlborough. Historical Account of the Territory.

Ceremonies of Investiture, Homage, and Introduction to the Diet.

Description of the Principality

379

XLIV. Arrival of Marlborough at the Hague. Gloomy State of
Foreign Affairs. His Design of leading an Army into Italy. Project
for a Descent on the Western Coast of France. Difficulty of obtain-
ing Troops for the Expedition. Negotiations with Prussia, Denmark,
and Hanover. Success of the French on the Upper Rhine. Project
for the Surprise of Namur. Opening of the Campaign. Offensive
Movement of the Enemy, and Countermovement of the Allies

XLV. Battle of Ramilies. Advance of the Confederates. Congratu-

latory Letters from St. John and Prior. Rejoicings for the Victroy

in England

393

407

XLVI. Surrender of Brussels, Ghent, and the principal Towns of

Brabant. News of the Relief of Barcelona, and disastrous Retreat of

Philip into France. Congratulatory Letter from Marlborough to

Lord Peterborough. Surrender of Antwerp. Journey of Marl-

borough to the Hague. Capture of Ostend

422

XLVII. - Jarring Interests of the Dutch and the House of Austria.
Offer of the Government to Marlborough by the Emperor and King
Charles. Obliged to decline it, from the Opposition of the Dutch.
Ulterior Difficulties and Correspondence

XLVIII.

435

Sieges of Menin, Dendermond, and Ath. Correspondence

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Memoirs of the Duke of Marlborough: With His Original ..., Volume 1