Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 10.djvu/328

 and again when he was losing power at the end of the reign, he made doubtful overtures. His sincerity was always suspected, and it remains questionable whether he had an eye to a possible reconciliation, or was acting as a spy (see his offer to the elector of Hanover in 1713,, Hist. ii. 585), or simply wished to be prepared for all contingencies. Nothing came of his overtures in any case (ib. ii. 232, 303, 315, 441, 453, 502, 504, 623; and Original Papers, i. 672, 695–701). His interest was soon on the other side.

The death of Mary, 28 Dec. 1694, produced a reconciliation between the king and the Princess Anne, who, as next in succession, occupied a position of the highest political importance. The Marlboroughs, however, were not at first admitted to the royal circle, though Marlborough's interest was now in favour of the settlement upon which Anne's title depended. Marlborough was allowed to kiss the king's hand 29 March 1695 (, iii. 455). He continued to act with the high tory party in the House of Lords. In the course of the proceedings against Sir John Fenwick [q. v.] in 1696, the accused made a confession implicating Marlborough among others. Marlborough denied, in the House of Lords, that he had held any communications with Fenwick since William's accession (Shrewsbury Correspondence, p. 438), and both spoke and voted in favour of the bill of attainder under which Fenwick was execute.

In 1698 Marlborough was fully restored to favour. He was appointed governor to the young Duke of Gloucester, 12 June 1798, with a salary of 2,000l. a year; Burnet being appointed preceptor at the same time. The appointment was supposed to indicate William's growing favour towards Albemarle, and a corresponding decline in the influence of Portland, Marlborough's persistent enemy. Whatever the secret history, William had made up his mind to trust Marlborough. 'Teach my nephew to be what you are,' the king is reported to have said, 'and he cannot want accomplishments.' Marlborough was at the same time restored to his place in the privy council, and to his military rank. On 9 June the king, upon his departure for Holland, made Marlborough one of the rural lords justices, and the same appointment was renewed in 1699 and 1700. The Duke of Gloucester died 29 July 1700. Two connections formed at this time were of great importance to Marlborough's career. In 1698 his eldest daughter, Henrietta, married Francis, the only son of Lord Godolphin, his old political ally. The Princess Anne offered 10,000l., of which the Marlboroughs accepted 5,000l., towards a marriage portion. In January 1700–1 his second daughter, Anne, became the second wife of Lord Spencer, only son of Lord Sunderland. Lady Marlborough was especially intimate with Lady Sunderland, but Marlborough had strong objections to the match on the ground of Spencer's extreme political principles. He gave way, however, and the princess again gave 5,000l. towards a dowry.

Marlborough cautiously absented himself from the house upon the final vote for the resumption of the Irish grants (10 April 1700), and complains of the king's coldness to him in consequence (to Shrewsbury, 11 May 1700). His tory friends were equally displeased at his want of zeal. The king was now inclining to try a tory ministry. Marlborough's allies, Godolphin and Rochester, came into office, and his friend, Sarley, became speaker of the parliament which met 17 Feb. 1701. The death of the king of Spain (1 Nov. 1700) and of the Duke of Gloucester made it expedient to provide for difficulties on the continent and to regulate the succession. Anne, no doubt under the influence of the Marlboroughs, wrote (either now or previously) to her father asking permission to accept the crown and holding out hopes of a restoration. She consented, however, to the bill (passed 12 June 1701) by which the Electress Sophia and her heirs were placed in the succession to the throne. Yet Marlborough again showed his tory sympathies by joining in the violent protests of the peers against the acquittal of the whig ministers impeached for their share in the partition treaties.

Parliament was prorogued 24 June 1701. William appointed Marlborough commander-in-chief of the forces in Holland, and plenipotentiary for the negotiations at the Hague. He sailed with the king from Margate 1 July, and during the autumn reviewed troops and took his share in the important negotiations, for forming an alliance against France. He used his influence with William on behalf of the tory ministers. The death of James II (16 Sept. 1701) and the recognition of the Pretender by Louis turned the national sentiment to the whig side. The king returned to England and dissolved parliament. The election produced a body in which the whigs, though not in a majority, were powerful enough to encourage the king to strengthen the whig element in his ministry. The tories re-elected Harley as speaker by a small majority; but all parties joined in a vigorous resolution to support the king against the French, and acts were passed for securing the protestant succession.