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UNDER QUEEN ANNE

243

Queen Anne, although wanting in firmness of character, so essential to a sovereign, was an excellent, generous, and good woman. Some think if she had been left to her own good intentions she would have ranked among the best of our rulers. She was, however, too indolent to have done much on her own initiative. Her memory is revered because she had "the peace, happiness, and prosperity of her people at heart," and she will always be known as "Good Queen Anne."

CHAPTER XI

WHEN GEORGE I. WAS KING

(1714-1722)

"Yet time, who changes all, had altered him
In soul and aspect as in age: years steal
Fire from the mind as vigour from the limb,

And life's enchanted cup but sparkles near the brim."

As soon as the Queen's death became known, Dr. Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury, went to the Privy Council, and produced a deed from the Elector of Hanover, nominating several lords to the regency. The Duke of Marlborough was not among these, possibly because he was absent from the kingdom when it was drawn up. Orders were immediately issued by the council proclaiming his Electoral Highness King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, under the title of George I.

The sudden death of the Queen, and the prompt measures taken by the council, upset the plans of the Jacobite party, and saved the nation from a civil war. The Earl of Dorset was sent to Hanover to announce to George I. his accession to the throne. His Majesty does not appear to have been in any hurry to take up his new duties, and it has been surmised that he preferred to postpone his arrival till after the funeral of his predecessor, which did not take place until the 24th August, when the late queen was laid to rest in Henry VII.'s chapel in Westminster Abbey, by the side of her husband. The King contented himself with sending

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WHEN GEORGE I. WAS KING 245 orders that Viscount Bolingbroke should be removed from the post of secretary. This had already been done, and Mr. Addison appointed in his place. Bolingbroke was 66 obliged to stand at the door of the council chamber with his bag of papers, and underwent various kinds of mortification,' "1 the Dukes of Shrewsbury and Somerset, with Lord Cowper, having taken the seals from him, and locked and sealed up the door of his office.

Towards the end of July 1714 the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough had made preparations for their return to England. The reason of their leaving Antwerp is uncertain. It was reported the duke had been invited over by Harley and Bolingbroke, who had made him great promises. Contrary winds detained the duke and duchess a fortnight at Ostend. They landed at Dover on 1st August, the very day that Queen Anne died. Unaware of this event, they were received by the mayor and jurats of the town amid great rejoicings, a salvo of artillery being fired from the platform. They were entertained that night by Sir Robert Furness-where the news of the Queen's death reached them; from thence they proceeded to Sittingbourne, attended by a great many gentlemen. At the express desire of several of the nobility and others, the duke reluctantly consented to enter London in some state. In a way it was obligatory, for Sir Charles Cox, the member for Southwark, met him on horseback, attended by 200 gentlemen and distinguished citizens. His sons-in-law and others of the nobility and gentry followed in their coaches, many of them with six horses, the whole making a handsome procession. The duke's coach broke down at Temple Bar, no one, fortunately, receiving any injury, and the duke and duchess proceeded in another carriage, escorted by a company of the City Guards. Before leaving, the

1 Barnard's "Complete History."

escort fired a salute. Everywhere people had crowded to see his Grace, shouting, "Long live King George! Long live the Duke of Marlborough!" and some also exclaimed, " Long live King John and Queen Sarah, the protectors of England!"1

The

Metcalfe Graham, writing to James Graham in August, says, "The Duke of Marlborough came in yesterday with all pomp imaginable. The City gave him guards. He wants to see you see you mightily. Duchess bids me tell you while she breathes she will be your friend, for your kindness to them and Lord Godolphin." This message of Sarah's was very characteristic. On another occasion the duchess wrote to Mr. Jennens, "This I can truly say, that I am sure nobody ever went two steps to serve me, but I would go ten to return it."

The day after the Duke of Marlborough's return, the foreign ministers, and a great number of the nobility and gentry, as well as military officers, visited him at his house. Bothmar, the Hanoverian minister, apologised for the omission of the duke's name from among those chosen for the regency. The duke listened courteously, but said little. Immediately on Bothmar's departure Sarah implored her husband on her knees never to accept any employment under the new Government, pointing out that he had a greater fortune than he wanted, and that a man in his position, who was so highly esteemed, could be of more use to a court than they could be to him, using many arguments to convince him. Sarah finally said, "I will live civilly with them if they are so to me, but will never put it into the power of any King to use me ill." The duke assured her he would only take office if he, by so doing, could further the interests of his country.

H.M.C., Athole Papers.

The movements of both duke and duchess at this time are given in the following letter from the duchess to Mr. Jennens :

"WINDSOR LODGE, August 10th, 1714. "I have received the favour of yours of the 31st of July and that of the 6th of August, for which I give you many thanks. I would have acknowledged them in London, but I stayed so little there, that I was in a great hurry, and even here I have not the time to say what I ought for so many obliging friendships as I have received from you. Friday we shall be at the Bath two or three days, and about as long at Woodstock; after that we go to St. Albans, from thence to London, when 'tis time for Lord Marlborough to wait upon the King. Hoping to see you at St. Albans, but upon so much uncertainty, I don't know whether it would be best that I should have patience till we come to London. However, I will give you notice when we shall be at St. Albans by a letter from Woodstock that you may do what will be more easy to yourself, which I ought to consider upon all occasions more than mine own satisfaction."

A few months before, Sarah wrote to Mr. Jennens from Antwerp:

"If you should have a mind to take the air when you happen to be in the spleen, and can't bear company, I beg of you to go and see my Lodge in Windsor Great Park, where you will find a very clean place. and everything that is convenient, and nobody but a housemaid, the gardener, and the keepers, that will ride to fetch you anything you want at Windsor, and when the court is not there, it is of all places that ever I was in the most agreeable to me."

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