sought to deceive both princes, William and James, at the same time; and
this from no higher motive than that excess of self-prudence which, in truth,
was the chief and almost only blemish of an otherwise unspotted and
illustrious name.

(B. p. 51.)

A leading public character, during the brilliant period of the duke's
history, and whose name most frequently occurs in the Memoirs, is the
minister Godolphin. He was an eminent statesman, remarkable for his
love of truth, amiability of disposition, and disinterestedness of con-
duct. Like Marlborough, he had been bred in courts, but had not in
an equal degree been corrupted by them. His financial government was
subjected to a severe parliamentary scrutiny, after the accession of Harley
to the premiership; but nothing could be established against him, tending
to impeach the integrity of his administration. After an anxious and
toilsome official life he died poor, leaving hardly enough money to defray
the expenses of his funeral.

Godolphin was descended from a Cornish family of repute, distin-
guished for its valour in the civil war, and which, it is likely, had recom-
mended him to his first promotion, as a page in the court of Charles II.
From this humble position he rose rapidly into political consequence;
for he sat in the first parliament after the Restoration, was shortly after-
wards employed in various high offices, until appointed to the commis-
sionership of the Treasury, at the same time that he was called to the
House of Lords. During the reign of King James Godolphin engaged
the favour of queen Mary, to whom he was chamberlain, and of James,
who re-appointed him one of the lords of the Treasury. A Tory and
high churchman by education, like his illustrious friend he became a
Whig when the Protestant succession was in danger. On the flight of
the Stuart he voted for a regency; and in the perplexing juncture of
affairs that ensued, he evinced such a spirit of moderation and wisdom as
to retain the favourable opinions both of the outgoing and incoming sove-
reign. Personally attached to James II., he was amongst the few cour-
tiers who never deserted him while he remained in the kingdom; and
this proof of affection so little compromised him with his successor, that
the Prince of Orange continued him in his office of treasury lord. He
accompanied the abdicated monarch to the sea-side when he quitted
England, and maintained a correspondence with him till his death.

On the accession of queen Anne and the ascendency of the Marlbo-
roughs, Godolphin rose to the head of his department as lord high trea-
surer. During the first six years of the queen's reign the government
was virtually a triumvirate; the Duchess of Marlborough ruling the
court and the queen, her husband controlling foreign affairs, and Godol-
phin the sovereign's councils and parliament. The last was an intelligent
and prudent councillor, but his extreme caution often bordered on waver-

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