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fruit of it with any certainty, I having lately spoken very fully upon all those subjects, of which Mrs. Freeman's head and heart seem to be so full. And though there has yet appeared but very little encouragement to think the arguments used upon that occasion are like to prevail, yet one may conclude in this case, as the Scripture does, in the very words of our Saviour, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.' Mr. Hare can explain this sentence to you, if there be need of it.

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"I have troubled you so much in my three or four last letters upon the subject of our affairs abroad, that I shall not repeat any thing, but that it seems indispensable to have a congress of the ministers of all the allies, at your return to the Hague, for a thorough concert of all that is to be done next year. The time will not allow you to give yourself the trouble of going to the elector of Hanover, or any body else. The sooner this concert can be made the better; for we shall never be able to get our parliament to enter upon the particulars of the war, next year, till we are able to communicate some scheme for it, from abroad, which will be encouraging and agreeable to them. I am very sensible that in other years the encouragement to our allies has often proceeded from their votes, in the first week of the parliament; but our misfortunes and disappointments in this year will make that very difficult at present, even though we could obtain those things to be done, which are necessary to put them in good humour."

To the Duchess.

"Helchin, Sept. 29. - Tho' I have wrote a long letter this day by the post, I would not lose this safe opportunity by Mr. Lumley. I am so extremely concerned for the quiet and safety of lord treasurer that I can't be at ease till I know what resolution he has taken. If he stays in this place, and does not entirely govern the queen, he will be duped by Mr. Harley; and if he does, what is certainly best for himself, quit, he will do great hurt both to the business at home and abroad. However, there is nothing else left to make the queen sensible of the danger she is running into; and if that will not do, we must leave it to Providence. I do with all my heart pity the queen, being very sure she does not know the fatal step she is going to make."

To Lord Godolphin.

"Helchin, Sept. 29.- I have had the favour of yours of the 12th; I have also received the letter you mentioned from the queen. I am sure Lady Marlborough must have acquainted you with it. You being on the place must judge infinitely better than I can; but by what I hear from England I think every thing must go ill, and therefore I continue of the opinion, that unless the queen will be pleased to be guided by you, or that Lord Somers, Halifax, and Sunderland will make it their business to persuade you to have patience some time longer: if neither of these two things happen, I hope you will take such measures that it may appear very plainly to England that you do not approve of the measures now taken. The words in your letter I think I understand, so that I shall not speak to Dr. Hare; but since one from the dead can't gain belief,

pray be careful of the living, for I am convinced that the queen will not be guided till she see that the advice she now follows has brought her affairs into confusion. Nothing shall dishearten me from endeavouring to do all the good I can here abroad. Our prospect is by no means good; but I think in the beginning of the next week to go for two days to the Hague, in order to hearten and take measures with them, so that might not be obliged to stay long at the Hague when the campaign is done, tho' I am persuaded my being in England this winter will be of very little use to the public. But I shall have the satisfaction of being with you and Lady Marlborough notwithstanding."

"Helchin, Sept. 29. The uneasiness of the Whigs, and the obstinacy of the queen, must unavoidably give an opportunity to the Tories of showing their malice. I am a good deal concerned for the mischief this must do, both at home and abroad; but I am satisfied it will be impossible for you and me to influence the queen to any thing that is right, till she has tried this scheme of Mr. Secretary Harley and his friends. What it is, God knows, but that there is one I am sure. If there is any thing in the world can hinder her from running this hazard, it must be her knowing you will quit. For myself, I would not, for any thing this world could give me, act otherwise than to show that I have no concern left but the wishing you may do right. If you stay in your place, though you are no ways consenting, yet all that shall be amiss you must be answerable for; and on the other side, I am very sensible that if you do quit, the business both at home and abroad must very much suffer. For whatever the queen and these new schemers may think, the allies will expect nothing good from England, when they shall see that you and I have lost our credit, after having served with so great success. I hope your answer to this will let me know your positive resolution, so that I might govern myself; for whilst you are in I shall send my opinion."

CHAP. LXIII. CLOSE OF THE CAMPAIGN.-1707.

As the campaign was now drawing to a close, and as both the queen and treasurer disapproved Marlborough's temporary journey to England, it became necessary to accelerate the arrangements for the ensuing year, that his departure from the continent might not be retarded.

For this purpose he first visited the Hague to confer with the ministers of the States; and, after a short stay at the camp on his return, repaired to Frankfort to settle the necessary plans with the elector of Hanover and with Count Wratislaw, who was deputed thither on the part of the emperor.

During this interval his correspondence displays the same character, and the domestic broils occupied more of his attention than the foreign transactions.

To Lord Godolphin.

"Helchin, Oct. 3.—I shall go to-morrow towards the Hague, where I intend to stay but two days at most, being resolved to return to this camp. I have thought, as well as I can, how to leave the business of this country, at my return to England, and I think it must be to Cadogan; so that if the queen pleases I shall acquaint the States-general, and the council of state of this country, that in the absence of Mr. Stepney, he is charged with the care of her majesty's business. My journey this time to the Hague will not only enable me to take measures for the operations on the Rhine, for the next campaign, but also make my stay much shorter at the end of the campaign.

"You will have known by the last letters from France that the king has given orders, as they write, for an augmentation of 30 regiments of foot and 20 of horse. This, added to the superiority they had the last campaign in Germany, Flanders, and Spain, as also the advantage they probably will have of having some of their troops from Spain, must give a very melancholy prospect for the next year's service, if we are not willing and able to make a considerable augmentation. I shall endeavour to make them sensible of this at the Hague, though I am aware their expense is already so great, that, tho' they should have the will, I fear they have not the power. You shall be sure to know by the next post from the Hague in what humour I find them; and if there should be a necessity of my going to Frankfort, I shall do it, so as not to delay my coming for England; for if I do go I will return to this army before they separate, so that I desire the yachts may be in Holland by the end of October, old style."

Marlborough, leaving Helchin on the 4th of October, reached the Hague at nine in the morning, on the 6th, and without a moment's delay visited the pensionary and secretary to the council of state, with whom he deliberated on the objects of his journey. In the afternoon he held a conference with the deputies of the States, and communicated the orders which he had received from the queen, to repair to Frankfort, for the purpose of settling, with the elector of Hanover and Count Wratislaw, the operations of the next campaign. The same afternoon he held another conference with the deputies, and obtained the concurrence of the Dutch government in all the plans which he thought proper to submit to their consideration. During his short stay at the Hague, we find some interesting communications both on foreign and domestic affairs.

To Lord Godolphin.

"Hague, Oct. 7. · Since coming here I have had two conferences with the deputies of the States: they are very desirous I should meet the elector of Hanover, for taking measures with him for the next year's campaign, and at the same time to press that the emperor, and empire, might take the 6000 Saxon horse into their service. I shall so order it,

that my going to Mentz shall not delay my return to England; for I intend to return to the army before they separate. I leave this place this evening, and hope to be with the army on Sunday night, and stay with them till the Saturday following, when I shall leave them encamped, where they shall continue till my return, which I intend shall be by the 28th or 29th of this month. In two days after my return I intend to send them to their garrisons, after which I am afraid it will be necessary for me to be at Brussels for some few days. By what I have now done, I hope my stay at the Hague need not be above six days. I am the more particular, that you may know when to expect me in England, which I think may be about the 7th of November.

66

Having this safe opportunity by Colonel Pendergrass, I must acquaint you, that I see very plainly that the Dutch will not only not augment their troops, but will act the next year as they have done this last, which is so disheartening, that I do wish with all my heart it were possible for me to be excused from being at the head of their troops. I am very impatient to hear the certainty of what you will do, for that shall govern I shall say no more, since you will see my mind by the enclosed copy of what I wrote to the queen.

me.

66 Brigadier Palmes came to me yesterday. He hopes to be in a condition to pass with the next packet boat. He will give you an account

of all that the duke of Savoy and Prince Eugene have said to him."

To the Duchess.

"Hague, Oct. 7. I thank you for yours of the 16th, as also the copy* you sent me. God's will must be done. I have thought as well as I can, and have prepared myself for the worst.

"I return to-morrow for the army, and as it is thought necessary for me to go to Mentz or Frankfort, I shall begin that journey about ten days hence, and return again to the army before they go to their winter quarters; so that this journey will not delay my coming for England, as I intended, in the first week in November. I have had so little time to myself here, that I shall not trouble you with a longer letter, but refer you to what I wrote to lord treasurer. He will let you see what I wrote to the queen, in answer to two letters I have received."

To Lord Sunderland.

"Hague, Oct. 7. My lord, I had the favour of yours of the 19th last night, and am very glad of this safe opportunity, by Colonel Pendergrass, to return you my thanks and thoughts. I believe the last year no argument could have prevailed with the queen to have had a thought of

• Probably a copy of one of her letters to the queen, or of one of the queen's replies.

parting with me and the lord treasurer; but I have good reason to think that is much altered. However, I believe when it is very plain that I and the lord treasurer are in earnest, I am a good deal of your opinion, that the queen will not part with us; so that I think there should be no time lost in trying this experiment. If it does not do, at least the lord treasurer and I shall have nothing to reproach ourselves with, and shall be blessed with a quiet life, which, in my opinion, is preferable to all this world can give. I do from my soul wish so well to the queen, that I hope those that shall succeed may be more lucky in giving content than we have been; but I am sure they can never be more sincere, though we could not cure jealousies.'

Reply of Lord Sunderland.

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"Newmarket, Oct. 8-19. - I must now return you my thanks for the favour of your kind letter by Mr. Pendergrass. I am fully convinced that things are not so well as they were last year between the queen and your grace, and the lord treasurer. But I must beg on this occasion to say that if you and the lord treasurer would have believed what some of your friends and servants have told you in relation to Mr. Secretary Harley, this had never happened. But be that as it will, without looking back to what is past, I am sure it is high time to try to retrieve them before they are past recovery; and I can't but believe, as you say, that when it is very plain that you and the lord treasurer are in earnest, the queen will not part with you; since what is insisted on is so reasonable in itself, as well as what has been promised over and over. I am ashamed to trouble you in so many letters with this over and over; and, indeed, I should not do it but for the apprehension I have of the inevitable confusion that must attend the queen, and all that have to do with her, if this obstinacy continues. For, as to myself, I am very easy, having resolved, as an honest man, whatever happens, to act upon the same principles and with the same people I have always acted."

In the afternoon of the 7th, Marlborough departed from the Hague and proceeded to Antwerp, from which place we find a letter to Godolphin.

"Antwerp, Oct. 8. I received this afternoon yours of the 23d, by which I see you are desirous I should come for England. Your two letters of the 12th and 16th, as well as that of the queen, telling me that your opinions were that it would make too much noise, made me take the measures I now have done at the Hague, to meet the elector of Hanover, and one from the emperor at Mentz, the 20th of this month. Accordingly, I have wrote letters to all the courts of Germany; so that it will be impossible for me to put the journey off; but since the queen is desirous I should come, I will order it so as to be with you by the 1st of November, if the wind gives leave. I am afraid my presence will be but of very little use; but if the queen and you be of another opinion

* Count Wratislaw.

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