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 remained with James in London until the time of his flight. When the news of his capture in Kent reached London, Halifax wished to adjourn the council of lords, who carried on a provisional government, in order to avoid the responsibility of action. But Mulgrave, begging them to keep their seats, introduced the king's messenger, and prevailed on them to send Lord Feversham to the assistance of James (, Account of the Revolution). He came to the aid also of the Spanish ambassador when the mob demolished his house, inviting him to Whitehall and paying him marked honour. For this conduct, which avoided friction with the Spanish court, he received the thanks of both James and William.

On the establishment of the revolutionary government Mulgrave quietly submitted and voted for associating William with Mary on the throne. But he became a leader of the tory party, and distinguished himself for several years by his opposition to the court. In January 1692–3 he supported the claim of the lords to assess their own estates or the land tax, in a speech which Burnet describes as in argument and eloquence ‘beyond anything I ever heard in that house’ (, Own Time, 1823, iv. 182). In the same year, however, he opposed the Triennial Bill, which he had formerly supported, and joined with Halifax and Shrewsbury in protesting against the renewal of the censorship of the press (Hist. MSS. Comm. 7th Rep. pp. 217, 218). Early in 1694 he showed a still more decided disposition to support the government. On 3 May he was made a privy councillor with a pension of 3,000l. a year, a welcome accession of income, as his affairs were much embarrassed, and a week later he was created Marquis of Normanby. On 23 June he was admitted to the cabinet council, and in November he was temporarily constituted speaker of the House of Lords during the indisposition of the lord-keeper, Sir John Somers (, iii. 332, 404; Journals of the House of Lords, xv. 435). In 1696, after the detection of Robert Charnock's plot, an association was formed which bound its members to sign a document pledging them to support the holders of the throne against Jacobite attempts. It was introduced into parliament, but in the upper house many tory peers declined signing it because they were required to declare William ‘rightful and lawful king.’ The phrase was modified to suit their scruples, but Normanby was among those who still stood out. In consequence he was dismissed from the privy council, and resumed his former attitude of opposition (, iv. 26). He strenuously opposed the attainder of Sir John Fenwicke, and was no less bitter against the Act of Settlement in 1701 (, Own Time, iv. 488).

Anne on her accession showed him marked favour, and he was immediately sworn a member of the privy council (, v. 165, 182, 209). On 21 April 1702 she appointed him lord privy seal, and in March 1702–3 created him duke of the county of Buckingham and of Normanby. But even the royal favour was unable to sustain him against the growing ascendency of the whigs, and early in 1705 he was compelled to resign his appointments (ib. v. 533, 535, 538;, Life of Marlborough, ed. Bohn, i. 261). On 10 April 1706 he was named one of the commissioners to arrange the treaty of union with Scotland. In the same year Buckingham was largely instrumental in inducing the tories to bring forward their disastrous proposal to invite the Electress Sophia to England, which had the effect of throwing Anne completely into the hands of the whig party. At that time he was in correspondence with the electress, and made the most fervent protestations of devotion to her cause, beseeching her to send over a secret agent to treat with his party. But neither she nor her son George, with whom he communicated after his return to power, showed themselves very enthusiastic at the prospect of the alliance (Stowe MSS. No. 222 ff. 416, 433, No. 223 ff. 391, 393, 400, No. 224 ff. 186, 188, 218).

On the overthrow of the whig ministry Buckingham was one of the first reinstated. In September 1710 he was made lord steward of the household and a privy councillor, and on 12 June following he was appointed lord president of the council (, Reign of Anne, 1735, pp. 476, 514;, Life of Marlborough, iii. 134, 211). On the death of Anne he was one of the lords justices of Great Britain appointed to carry on the administration, but on the arrival of George he was removed from all his posts. He died on 24 Feb. 1720–1 at Buckingham House, St. James's Park, which he had built in 1703 on land granted by the crown. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, in the vault at the east end of King Henry's chapel (, Register of St. Peter's, Westminster, p. 302; Notes and Queries, 4th ser. i. 316, 447). His will, dated 9 Aug. 1716, was proved on 28 March 1721. It was printed in 1729, and is contained in the later editions of his works. He married, first, on 18 March 1686, Ursula, daughter and coheiress of George Stawel of Cotherstone, Somerset, and widow of Edward Conway, first earl of Conway; she died