settle with Mr. Bridges the allowance out of the poundage, which I de sired for Mr. St. John.* I beg the favour of your doing it."

To the Duchess.

"Meldert, July 11. As I believe I shall stay in this camp the greatest part of this month, and if we can find forage, longer, I shall make use of this time in beginning to take the waters of Spa next Wednesday; and as I am obliged to be abroad every day, I shall content myself with one bottle. I wish you could take them with me, for besides the satisfaction I should have, I am very confident they are better here than they can be in England. I cannot express to you the joy I have when your letters are kind, as that of the 23d of the last month was: I received it last night. And as I find you intend to return from Woodstock in a week, I shall be impatient to hear you approve of what has been done. Your expression of the ice-house, that it can't be of use this three years, is a very melancholy prospect to me, who am turned on the ill side of fifty-seven.

"I am very sorry that you think you have reason to believe that Mr. Harley takes all occasions of doing hurt to England. If lord treasurer can't find a remedy, and that before the next winter, I should think his wisest and honestest way would be, to tell the queen very plainly which way he thinks her business may be carried on; and if that be not agreeable, that she would lose no time in knowing of Mr. Harley what his scheme is, and follow that; so that lord treasurer might not be answerable for what might happen. If this were said plainly to the queen and Mr. Harley, I am very confident the latter would not dare undertake the business, and then every thing might go quietly.

"Mr. Montgomery writes me word, that upon reading some part of my letter of the 27th of the last month to Mrs. Morley, she thought what I said proceeded from the spleen; but, if I may be believed, my resolution is taken, though, at the same time, if I could see that my life could do her any good, I would venture it a thousand times for her service; but when a peace is made, I can't but think it very reasonable for me to dispose of the little time I may have to live."

Lord Godolphin to the Duke.

1

"Windsor, June 27.-July 8. - Not having any letters from you since my last, nor from Lisbon, this serves chiefly to cover the enclosed letter from the queen. My next will be from London, her majesty going thither for two days in the beginning of the week, to accompany the prince, who is to qualify himself as well as myself, for renewing our offices of admiral and treasurer of Great Britain. This will necessitate some other renewals, as in the prince's council, and the officers of the exchequer, which may occasion brangles and disputes next winter, of which there will be no need; for I never saw more preparation for uneasiness in my life.

* The Duke of Marlborough had requested Lord Godolphin to increase the emoluments of Mr. St. John, as secretary at war, by augmenting the poundage, and did not desist from his instances till he succeeded.

"The queen has indulged her own inclination in the choice of some persons to succeed the bishops, which gives the greatest offence to the Whigs that can be; and though the Whigs were, from other things, in a disposition to lay more weight upon it than in truth the thing itself ought to bear, yet it must be allowed, taking all circumstances together, to be a very great contre-tems. And, indeed, Mr. Montgomery is particularly sensible of the load it gives him; but at the same time, he sees plainly, that the queen has gone so far in this matter, even against his warning, as really to be no more able than willing to retract this wrong step.

"One of the measures, which I fear is laid down by the Whigs, is, to disturb your brother George, as soon as ever they have an opportunity He is sensible of this, and seemed to have thoughts of preventing any thing of this nature, by not renewing upon the occasion I hinted before. He spoke to me; and though I am of opinion it would be right for himself, and every body else, I entered no farther into it, than to say that was an affair in which I thought nobody could advise so well as one's self. I am sorry to have nothing but such disagreeable subjects to entertain you with. Lady M. is at Woodstock, but I hope she will be here again next week."

"Windsor, June 30.-July 11. There being now two posts wanting from you, and no other foreign letters since my last, in which was one enclosed from the queen, I shall therefore only trouble you now with what relates to England, though that be a very disagreeable subject. By all the conversation I have had since my last, I have a good deal of reason to be confirmed in the great uneasiness of the Whigs, as well as of the consequences of it; and though I will not neglect any thing that is possible to prevent the inconveniences that threaten, yet the difficulties one meets with are such, and particularly in the unwillingness of the queen to do any thing that is good and necessary for Mrs. Morley, that unless I may hope for Mr. Freeman's assistance, even before the winter, there must be the greatest confusion imaginable in all the affairs of the parliament."

"Sunday, July 8-19- By the bishop of Norwich's being made bishop of Ely, there are now three bishoprics vacant; and I have so little hopes of there being well filled, that I am resolved to use all my endeavours to keep them vacant, till I can have Mr. Freeman's assistance, in those spiritual affairs, which seem to grow worse and worse, ever since I saw you last, with the queen and me, and another person, who, I doubt not, has not much changed his mind in those matters, though he won't own any thing like that to Mr. Montgomery."

"July 10-21. After I had written thus far, I received the favour of two letters from you, of the 13th and 16th of June, in one of which is enclosed a copy of a letter from my Lord Peterborough. You seem to desire my advice what you may answer to his proposal. I cannot imagine first, what he will propose, or, indeed, that he can propose any thing prac tícable; but I observe, he laments the emperor's persisting in sending the detachment to Naples, when you cannot but remember it was his own proposal, last winter, to the duke of Savoy and to Prince Eugene; and

perhaps the expectation he gave them of the queen's concurrence in that project was the ground of their engaging in that unfortunate design. As to his coming into England, I must own myself to have been of a different opinion from my friends on that point. I always thought that when his power was taken from him, and all his commissions recalled, he would do less hurt abroad than at home, and so I think still it will be found; but I don't at all wonder you should like him better any where than with you.

"I think what you say of Erle's staying, and the king of Spain's commanding, are both very right; and, I believe, as soon as our next Lisbon letters arrive, the queen will take the resolution of allowing Lord Galway to return; but if Erle be to stay there, I doubt it will be necessary for you yourself to write to him on that subject, for I don't think any body else has credit enough with him to make him do it willingly, as we must do to serve well."

To Lord Godolphin.

"Meldert, July 18.- Having this safe opportunity by brigadier Macartney, I shall write with more freedom than I durst do by the post. I am very sorry to tell you, but it is most certainly true, that if the king of France would offer the same conditions as he did the last winter they would be thought by the Dutch sufficient for the beginning of a treaty; but the king of France seems positively resolved that the duke of Anjou must have Spain and the Indies. It is as certain that the Dutch will never more this war venture any thing that may be decisive, being of opinion that they have already enough in their possession for their security, and that France will assist them in disposing of this possession as they shall think best for their security; and you may be assured that every step they make for engaging the queen in joining with them, to show the world that the emperor is in the wrong, is for no other end but to excuse themselves when they appear for peace.

"The queen's letter from the king of Sweden is very discouraging; however, I am persuaded he does not make these wrong steps, intending to favour France, so that I can see no inconveniency in my writing, when you have corrected it, such a sort of letter as I have sent you; for if we can engage him we may yet have a good peace.

"As to the elector of Hanover, I think in the offer that has been made him he acts more like a merchant than a generous man: so that I am apt to think we shall get very little advantage by it.

"When my brother spoke to you about his renewing, I could wish you had encouraged him in his resolution of being quit; for it would be very disagreeable to me to have him receive a inortification; for I can't be unconcerned in that matter, after the contempt of Lord Halifax, not answering my letter I meant with all the kindness imaginable. I shall not be surprised at the hard usage any for whom I am concerned shall meet with. I can't, on this occasion, hinder saying so much to you, whose quiet I wish as much as my own; but I fear neither of us can have any, till we are at Woodstock, so that I could wish some practicable scheme could be made, by which her majes: y might be well served, and we both out of the ministry.

"The enclosed is a copy of my letter to the queen *, I writ by Macartney; if it gives you any ease, I am happy; but I own to you I am very desponding. I am afraid there is too much conversation between the queen and Mr. Harley. You on the place can best judge what may be proper to be done in it, but methinks one or both should be spoke to.

To the Duchess.

"Meldert, July 21. I received yesterday yours of the 28th, from Woodstock, as also that of the 30th and 3d, from Windsor. My head is so full of things that are displeasing that I am at this time a very im proper judge of what would be best for the work at Woodstock; for really I begin to despair of having any quietness there or any where else. What you say of Mr. Prior † has given me uneasiness; but when you shall know the reason why any consideration was had for him, you will rather pity than reproach me; but as I am taking my measures so as to be out of the power of being censured and troubled, I am resolved to be ill-used for a little time longer. I see by yours of the 30th that I am to be mortified by the prosecution of my brother George. I have deserved better from the Whigs; but since they are grown so indifferent as not to care what mortifications the court may receive this winter, I shall not expect favour. My greatest concern is for the queen, and for the lord treasurer. England will take care of itself, and not be ruined because a few men are not pleased. They will see their error when it is too late. I should be glad you would let me know the conversation ‡ that has been between you and the queen, and if it were before or after the letter sent me by Mr. Montgomery, which I answered by Macartney. The union you mention between the lord treasurer, yourself, and me, for the good of the queen and England; can there be a difficulty in that union? But I will own to you my apprehensions are, that somebody or other, I know not who, has got so much credit with the queen, that they will be able to persuade her to do more hurt to herself than we can do good. Till I hear again from you, I shall say no more on this subject."

"Meldert, July 11 -22.

* *

*

I have sent to lord treasurer

a copy of my letter to the queen, tho' I own to you I am desponding as to the good it may do; however, I have done my duty, and God's will be done. By my letter you will see that I have endeavoured to do the Whigs the best office I can; but I shall think it a very ill return if they fall upon my brother George. I do with all my heart wish he would be so wise as to quit his place; but I hope nobody that I have a concern for will appear against him. After the usage I had from Lord Halifax I am concerned but for very few; therefore, if there should be occasion, pray say, as from yourself, two words to Lord Sunderland; for it would be very uneasy to me to have reason to take any thing ill of him, and it

* This letter is missing.

+ This passage will show the violence of party spirit, when it is considered, that some petty favour shown by the duke to Prior, independent of political considerations, was sufficient to provoke displeasure.

Alluding probably to one of her violent altercations with the queen.

is impossible for me to be unconcerned in this matter. I expect no more than what I would do if he had a brother attacked. This, and many other things, shows there is no happiness but in retirement."

CH. LIX.

DISUNION IN THE GRAND ALLIANCE.

1707.

IN the camp of Meldert, Marlborough was acquainted with the result of the enterprise against Naples. General Daun, the brave defender of Turin, in the middle of May led a body of 9000 men across the Appenines, traversed the papal dominions, and reaching the Neapolitan frontier on the 24th, was welcomed by the acclamations of the people, who cordially expressed their abhorrence of the Bourbon government. On the approach of the imperialists to the capital, the duke of Escalona, the Spanish viceroy, withdrew, to escape the popular fury; while the magistrates advanced to Aversa, and, delivering the keys of the city, pledged their allegiance to King Charles. The new government was generally acknowledged; and Gaieta being taken by storm on the 30th of September, the conquest of the whole kingdom was completed before the close of the year, by the reduction of the petty, though strong holds in the mountainous district of Calabria.

This enterprise being happily accomplished, Marlborough flattered himself that the emperor would detach reinforcements from Naples, for the succour of Charles in Spain. In this hope he was not wholly disappointed; for although some contention arose between the two imperial brothers, relative to the government of Naples, the emperor seemed as if disposed to make amends for his past errors by a zealous support of the common cause. The correspondence between Wratislaw and Marlborough, which had been suspended, was resumed; and in the letters both of the general and the treasurer, we trace symptoms of returning cordiality.

To Lord Godolphin.

"Meldert, July 25. — I have had the favour of yours of the 6th, from Windsor, but have not time to give an answer by the next post,

"The enclosed letter from Count Wratislaw I received this morning;