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to support her prerogatives, desired to fill the vacant dignities in the Church, whilst the duchess was of opinion that power should be entrusted to the Keeper of the Seals, Sir William Cowper who was willing to wrest that privilege from Her Majesty. In reply

to a remonstrance written by the duchess on this subject, the Queen gave it as her humble opinion that the Crown could never have too many livings at its disposal, and though it occasioned her some trouble, it was a power she did not think reasonable to part with. "You wrong me very much in thinking I am influenced by some you mention (the Tories) in disposing of Church preferments. Ask those whom I am sure you will believe, though you won't me," says this Sovereign lady, "and they can tell you I never dispose of any without advising with them (the Whigs) and that I have preferred more people upon others' recommendations than I have upon his that you fancy to have so much power with me."

In former times, when the Queen and the duchess parted for a day or two, the former had written to express her longing for a sight of her friend; but now her grace's more and more frequent absences from Court brought no expressions of regret, no requests from her royal mistress to return.

And though Her Majesty had formerly penned notes to her favourite four times a day, she now left the duchess's letters unanswered for a week. "I am made sensible that you were in a great disposition to complain of me," writes the duchess to her Queen,

and again she says, "I beg Your Majesty's pardon for not waiting upon you, and I persuade myself that long as my letter is, it will be less troublesome to Your Majesty."

Up to this time her grace's implicit belief in her power over her Sovereign slave, blinded her to the immediate and personal cause of their ever-widening estrangement; but she was soon to learn who it was that had gradually crept into that place in the royal favour which, deeming it her own undisputed monopoly, she had wilfully neglected to guard.

CHAPTER III

Admiral George Churchill is suspected by the Duchess -Abigail Hill and Her Family-The Queen's Friendship for Her Bedchamber Woman-A Design "deeply laid"-Abigail's Secret Marriage-The Queen's takes her Furtive Way to Dr. Arbuthnot's Lodgings-The Duchess hears of It-Expostulates with the Sovereign-Writes to the Duke—Explanatory Letter from Her Majesty—Influence of Robert Harley-Extraordinary Letter from the Duchess to Her Majesty-Abigail writes to Her Kinswoman-The Queen's Affectionate NoteAbigail's Marriage is acknowledged-Two Unions Which divert the Town-The Queen thinks Abigail mightily in the Right-Abigail visits the DuchessA Woman raised from the Dust-Her Grace's Anger with Abigail-The Queen "looked very uneasy"-The Duchess "puts on an Easy Appearance."

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CHAPTER III

HEN at last it became plain to the Duchess of Marlborough that she no longer held her former place in the Sovereign's friendship, instead of attributing the cause to her own conduct, she immediately suspected that her brother-in-law, Admiral George Churchill, had influenced the Queen against her. As a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to, and prime favourite of, Prince George, whose duties as Lord High Admiral he transacted for His Highness, George Churchill-who is described as "a coarse fat man much marked with small-pox "-was supposed to have gained Her Majesty's ear; whilst as he was on unfriendly terms with his relatives, had agreed with the Tories in condemning his brother's management of the war, and at a public dinner had joined in a sarcastic toast which reflected on the great general, the duchess had little doubt as to the use he would make of his influence with the Queen.

As usual, she hurried to communicate her grievances to her lord, on which he wrote back: "I cannot believe but that you lay a great deal more to George