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JOHN CHURCHILL,

DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH.

CHAPTER I.

His birth. His education lamentably neglected.-Curious instances of his ignorance of orthography. His father procures his appointment as Page to the Duke of York.-Obtains an Ensigncy in the Guards at the age of 16.-His personal beauty and elegance of manner.-Pope's satirical description of his squeaking voice.-Enlists as a volunteer in the expedition to Tangier.-Appointed Captain of Grenadiers in the Duke of Monmouth's own regiment.-Publicly complimented by the French King and Marshal Turenne.-Appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, and Master of the Horse to the Duke of York. His sister the acknowledged mistress of the Duke.Attaches himself warmly to the Duke's fortunes.—Extract from the Duke's Autobiography.-Created Baron of Eymouth in Scotland.-Marries Sarah Jennings, afterwards the celebrated favourite of Queen Anne.-Sent Ambassador to France to notify James the Second's accession to the throne.-Created an English Peer, by the title of Baron Churchill.-Present at the battle of Sedgemoor.-Extract from Mrs. Macauley's History. His Letter of Apology to James the Second, on the eve of his defection.-Probable motives of his defection. Interesting anecdote related by Dr. King and by Sir George Hewit.-Lord Churchill's supposed project for assassinating James the Second.-King William's opinion of him.-Anecdote of Marshal Schomberg.

JOHN CHURCHILL, the great Duke of Marlborough, was born at Ashe in Devonshire, on

the 26th of June, 1650. His father was Sir Winston Churchill, of Newton Basset, in Wiltshire, a person, who, in his own time, acquired no indifferent reputation as an historian, but whose literary merits have either been denied or lost sight of by posterity. He joined the standard of Charles the First during the civil wars, and was a considerable sufferer for his loyalty.

Considering that literature was the prevailing taste of his father, it appears singular that the education of the future hero should have been lamentably neglected. Bishop Burnet says of him that he had "no literature;" and Lord Chesterfield styles him "eminently illiterate." Indeed, the only tuition which he received was from a neighbouring clergyman, who, in an intolerant age, appears (not unnaturally, perhaps) to have been far more eager to create in his youthful mind a sectarian zeal in matters of religion, than to teach him useful knowledge, or endue him with a classical taste.* His whole acquaintance with history is said to have been derived from Shakspeare's plays.

When the Duke afterwards rose to be the most illustrious man in Europe, this unfortunate neglect of his education could not fail to be bitterly felt by him. Indeed, so gross was the deficiency, that to the last he was not only incapable of writing his own language, but was

* It has been affirmed that Marlborough was for some time educated at St. Paul's School, London, but the fact appears at least questionable.-Coxe's Life of Marlborough, vol. i. p. 2, note.

unable to spell even the commonest words. For instance, in some of his letters, we find commands spelt comands, opportunities opertunetys, write for written, pictars for pictures, &c.* His ignorance of the French language was no less astonishing; and it was owing to this circumstance, as well as, in all probability, to his indifferent orthography, that his letters, during the most critical period of his career, were almost invariably written by his secretary, Cardonnel. These, however, on any important occasion, when the authority of his own hand-writing was thought necessary, were usually copied verbatim by the Duke himself. The imposture lasted for a considerable time, till, on an occasion of Cardonnel being attacked by a severe illness, the Duke was unwillingly compelled to become his own secretary. In one of his letters to Ro

We have selected as a specimen of the great Duke of Marlborough's orthography, the following letter addressed to the Earl of Clarendon, during the period of Monmouth's rebellion. This letter is, in other respects, not devoid of interest.

"My Lord,

Gomerton, Jully 4th, 1685. "I have recived your Lordship's kind letter, and doe ashure you, that you waire very Just to me in the opinion you had of me, for nobody living can have bene more obsarvant then I have bene to my Lord feaversham, ever since I have bene with him, in soe much that he did tell me that he would writt to the King, to lett him know how diligent I was, and I should be glade if you could know whether he has done me that Justice. I find by the enimes warant to the constables, that they have more mind to gett horses and sadells, then anny thing else, which lookes as if he had a mind to break away with his horse to som other place, and leave his foot intrenched att Bridgwater, but

bethon, the faithful agent of the House of Hanover, his apology for not writing in the French language is amusing enough, "Poore Cardnall," he says, "is sicke."*

The views of Sir Winston Churchill, with regard to his son's advancement in life, appear to have been originally limited to obtaining for him an appointment about the Court, where he probably calculated that the extraordinary graces of his person would rapidly procure him distinction and wealth. With this object, he endeavoured to secure for him the appointment of page to the Duke of Beaufort at Badminton. His Grace's establishment, however, being complete, Sir Winston made application elsewhere, and (probably owing to the important services

of this and all other things you will have it more att large from my Lord feaversham, who has the sole comand here, soe that I know nothing but what is his pleasure to tell me, soe that I am afraid of giving my opinion freely, for feare that itt should not agree with what is the King's intentions, and soe only exspose myselfe; but as to the taking caire of the men and all other things that is my duty, I am shure nobody can be more carefull then I am; and as for my obedience, I am sure Mr. Oglethorp is not more dutyfull then I am; when you are att leasure, ten lins from you will be a greatt pleasure to me, who have not many things to please me here, for I see plainly that the troble is mine, and that the honor will be another's; however, my life shall be freely exposed for the King's service. I am, with all truth, my Lord, your Lordship's humble Servant, "CHURCHILL."

Clarendon and Rochester Correspondence, vol. i. p. 141.

* Macpherson, vol. ii. p. 29, note.

which he had performed during the late reign,) contrived to obtain his son's appointment as page to the Duke of York.*

In the household of the Duke young Churchill remained till about the age of sixteen, when he had the good fortune to obtain an Ensigncy in the Guards. This first step in his profession he is generally believed to have owed to the personal favour of the Duke of York; though it is elsewhere asserted, that the Duchess of York having conceived an extraordinary tenderness for him, the commission was conferred on him to get him out of the way. It may be remarked, however, that as all mention of this scandal is omitted by De Grammont, there is probably little truth in the tale.

If the education of the future hero was unfortunately neglected, Nature at least made ample amends for the deficiency by conferring on him that strong sense and clearness of perception which may be numbered among her most valuable gifts. To these advantages were superadded a grace and beauty of person which few have possessed in so eminent a degree; indeed it was owing to the circumstance of his personal beauty having excited a feeling of tenderness in the celebrated Duchess of Cleve

* According to Lord Chesterfield, it was to the Duchess of York, Anne Hyde, that he was indebted for the appointment of page.-Letters to his Son. Letter 136.

+ Lediard's Life of the Duke of Marlborough, p. 19.