The duke of Marlborough, upon his return to England, 1704. and first coming to the houfe of peers, received the following compliment from the lord-keeper in the name of that The duke houfe:

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of Marlborough

compli

his return

115.

Dec.

My lord duke of Marlborough, THE happy fuccefs that hath attended her majefty's arms mented at under your grace's command in Germany the laft by the "campaign, is fo truly great, fo truly glorious in all its cir- lord keep"cumftances, that few inftances in the hiftory of former er. ages can equal, much less excel the luftre of it. "Your grace has not overthrown young unfkilful gene"rals, raw and undifciplined troops; but your grace has "conquered the French and Bavarian armies; armies that "were fully inftructed in all the arts of war, felect vete"ran troops, flushed with former victories, and command"ed by generals of great experience and bravery.

"The glorious victories your grace has obtained at "Schellenberg and Hochftet, are very great, very illuftri"ous in themselves: but they are greater ftill in their con"fequences to her majefty and, her allies. The emperor "is thereby relieved; the empire itself freed from a dan"gerous enemy in the very bowels of it; the exorbitant "power of France is checked; and, I hope, a happy ftep "made towards reducing of that monarch within his due "bounds, and fecuring the liberties of Europe.

"The honour of these glorious victories, great as they are, under the immediate bleffing of almighty God, is "chiefly, if not alone, owing to your grace's conduct and "valour.

"This is the unanimous voice of England, and all her "majesty's allies.

"My lord, this most honourable house is highly fenfible "of the great and fignal fervices your grace has done her "majefty this campaign, and of the immortal honour you << have done the English nation; and have commanded me " to give you their thanks for the fame. And I do accord"ingly give your grace the thanks of this houfe for the 66 great honour your grace has done the nation, and for the "great and fignal fervices you have done her majefty and "this kingdom, the laft campaign."

The duke's anfwer was as follows:
My lords,

The

duke's an

"I am extremely fenfible of the great honour your fwer, "lord

1704-5. "lordships are pleased to do me. I must beg, on this occafion, to do right to all the officers and foldiers I had "the honour of having under my command. Next to the

The

fent to

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bleffing of God, the good fuccefs of this campaign is "owing to their extraordinary courage. I am fure it will "be a great fatisfaction, as well as encouragement to the "whole army, to find their services fo favourably ac❝cepted."

The fame day, a committee of the house of commons waited on the duke, to give him alfo the thanks of that house.

Marfhal de Tallard, with the other French generals, French being now at the queen's difpofal, fhe had a fair opportuprifoners hity of fhewing her refentment of the late haughty and contemptuous behaviour of the French towards her royal Notting perfon and dignity. For, to omit other infults, it is reham and markable, that, when the lord Cutts was about fettling a Litchfield: cartel with their commiffioners, they would not allow his title of lieutenant-general of the queen of England's forces but only of the English forces; upon which, the conferences were broke off. For this, and fome other reasons, it was refolved to give the French prifoners fome fmall mortification, by letting them lie two nights on board the Catharine and William and Mary yatehs in the river; and by fuffering no person of diftinétion to have accefs to them. And it is to be obferved, that the earl of Feverfham having asked the duke of Marlborough, "Whether he might go and fee "his old friend the marshal de Tallard? The duke told "him, That he believed the queen would not refuse him "leave, if he asked it of her :" Which the earl took for a foft denial, and forbore to make any application to fee the marshal, who, with the reft of the French prifoners, landed on the 16th of December, at Blackwall, where they were magnificently entertained at dinner by Mr Jackson, and, in the afternoon, set out in feveral coaches for Barnet, in their way to Nottingham and Litchfield, where her majefty thought fit they fhould refide (1). They were accompanied by general Churchill, and attended by a detachment of the duke

of

of Northumberland's royal règiment of horfe-guards, who 1704-5. were also ordered to guard them at Nottingham and Litchfield as prifoners, being allowed all manner of freedom, both in thofe places and ten miles round about.

On the 3d of January, the standards and colours, taken at Blenheim, were fet up in Westminster-hall; and three days after, the duke of Marlborough was entertained by the city of London. Two days before, Dr. Delaune, Vicechancellor of Oxford, accompanied by feveral of the heads of houses, the proctors, and other principal members of the univerfity, attended the queen wirh a printed copy of the fpeeches and verfes fpoken in the theatre on New-year's day. They prefented at the fame time an addrefs to her ma jeffy, importing, "That the exercife performed in their "theatre, was in honour of the great fuccefs of her ma"jefty's arms the last year in Germany, under the admirable "conduct and invincible courage of the duke of Marlbó"rough; and at fea under the moft brave and faithful ad"miral, Sir George Rooke; actions as beneficial as they "were glorious, by which the empire was freed from the "power of France, and treachery of Bavaria, Charles III. "poffeffed of Gibraltar, a happy prefage of his fpeedy set"tlement in his kingdoms, commerce in the Mediterra"nean fecured, and the greatest check, that was ever given "to the ambitious defigns of France. Concluding with "their prayers to God, that he would ftill reward her majefty's pious care and concern for the established church, "by the continuance of victory to her arms." The queen returned a cold answer to this addrefs, defiring, however, the vice-chancellor to let the university know, "how "kindly the took this inftance of their zeal ;" but adding, "that as they might be affured of her protection, fo the "would not doubt of their care to encourage thofe princi"ples which would promote the peace and welfare of her"felf and all her fubjects." The truth was, that the duke

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Bier; the marquis de Vaffey, monfieur de Balincourt, moncolonel of dragoons: At Litchfieur de Saulveboeuf, monfieur field, the marquis de Marivaux, de Montenay, monfieur de Gallieutenant-general; monfieur de lart, monfieur de Creffy, 'colola Meffiliere, monfieur Jolly, nels of foot; monfieur de Limonfieur d'Amigny, brigadiers; gondais, the baron de Heyder, monfieur de St. Maurice, the colonels of horse; monfieur de count de Lionne, the marquis Price, and monfieur d'Aurival, de Laffey, the baron d'Elft, colonels of dragoons.

1704-5 of Marlborough's friends were greatly offended with an addrefs, which fet the actions of the admiral upon the fame level with thofe of the captain-general. And, as the univerfity of Oxford fpoke the fenfe of the whole high-church party, fo it was not long before the court, who now espoused the oppofite intereft, fhewed their resentment of it.

The manor of Woodftock fet

On the 11th of January, the commons took into confideration the great fervices performed by the duke of Marlborough the last fummer; and Sir Chriftopher Mufgrave, tled on the who, in a former feffion, had chiefly oppofed a motion for rewarding the duke, being now filenced, as it was thought, Marlbo- by a promife of a place for his fon, it was unanimously rerough.

folved to present an addrefs to her majefty, expreffing," the "great fenfe this houfe had of the glorious victories ob"tained by the forces of her majesty and her allies under "the command of the duke of Marlborough; and humbly "defiring her majefty to confider of fome proper means to "perpetuate the memory of the great fervices performed "by his grace." The queen took a few days to confider of this address; and, on the 17th fent the following message to the commons, "That the inclined to grant the intereft "of the crown in the honour and manor of Woodstock, and hundred of Wooton, to the duke of Marlborough and his heirs; and the lieutenancy and rangership of the parks, with the rents and profits of the manors and hun"dreds, being granted for two lives, her majefty thought "it proper that incumbrance should be cleared." Hereupon the commons ordered a bill to be brought in, to enable the queen to grant the honour and manor of Woodstock, and hundred of Wooton, to the duke of Marlborough and his heirs; and resolved to addrefs the queen to advance the money for clearing the forementioned incumbrances. The queen not only complied with this addrefs, but likewife ordered the comptroller of her works to build in Woodstock-park a magnificent palace, called Blenheim-Houfe, The plan of this magnificent building was formed by Sir John Vanburgh, in which extent and stability seem to be more ftudied than art and beauty..

"

By this time Sir George Rooke had been laid afide; and it was publicly declared, that the lord-high-admiral had appointed Sir Cloudefley Shovel, admiral of the white squadron, to be rear-admiral of England, and admiral and commander in chief of her majefty's fleet. Sir John Leake, who had distinguished himself in the late sea-fight, and had been very fuccessful

fuccefsful in the feasonable relief of Gibraltar, was at the 1704-5. fame time appointed vice-admiral of the white fquadron; Sir George Byng, vice-admiral of the blue; Sir Thomas Dilks, rear-admiral of the red; William Whetstone, rearadmiral of the white; Sir John Jennings, rear-admiral of the blue, in the room of Sir James Wifhart, who laid down his commiffion.

Hift. of

Europe.

Complaints of the mifmanagement both at the board of Comthe prince of Denmark's council, as lord-high-admiral, and plaints of at fea, rofe now very high. The houfe of commons, dur- the admiing the whole continuance of the parliament, never apralty. Burnet. pointed a committee to look into thofe matters which had been formerly a main part of their care. They faw, that things were ill conducted, but the chief managers of feaaffairs were men of their party; and that atoned for all faults, and made them unwilling to find them out, or to confure them. The truth was, the prince was prevailed on to continue ftill in the admiralty, by those who sheltered themselves under his name, though this brought a great load on the government. The lords proceeded as they had done in the former feffions, examining into all complaints. They named two committees, the one to examine the books of the admiralty, the other to confider the proceedings at fea. No progrefs was made in the firft of thefe; for, tho' there was a great deal fuggefted in private, yet, fince this feemed to be complaining of the prince, none would appear directly against him. But the proceedings at fea afforded matter enough, both for enquiry and cenfure. The most important, and that which had the worft confequences, was, that, though there were twenty two fhips appointed for cruifing, yet they had followed that fervice fo remifsly, and the orders fent them were fo languid and fo little urgent, that three diligent cruifing fhips could have performed all the fervices done by that numerous fleet. This was made out in a scheme, in which all the days of their being at fea were reckoned up, which did not exceed what three cruisers might have performed. It did not appear, whether this was only the effect of floth or ignorance, or if there lay any defigned treachery at the bottom. It feemed very plain, that there was treachery fomewhere, at leaft among the under-officers; for, a French privateer being taken, there were found among his papers inftructions fent him by his owners, in which he was directed to lie in fome ftations, and to avoid others; and it happened, that this agreed fo exactly with the orders fent from the admiralty, that it feemed it could VOL. XVI.

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