Queen Anne's letter to Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, dated July 17, 1706

Source:

Private correspondence of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough: illustrative of the court and times of Queen Anne, volume 1, H. Colburn, London, 1838

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89073382673&view=1up&seq=88

Above: Queen Anne, engraving by Robert White.

Above: Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, engraving by Sir Godfrey Kneller.

The letter:

Windsor, July 17, 1706.
I had last night the satisfaction of hearing from my dear Mrs. Freeman by my Lord Fitzroy, and should have thanked you for it then, but that I did not receive it till after I came from taking the air, which was too late to begin to write before I went to supper, and afterwards it is not really easy for me to do it. I cannot say so much to you as I would, but must answer that part of your last letter that concerns my Lord Keeper and his livings. I have a very good opinion of him, and would depend upon his recommendation on any occasion than most people's. But as to this particular, I think the Crown can never have too many livings at its disposal; and therefore, though there may be some trouble in it, it is a power I can never think reasonable to part with; and I hope those that come after me will be of the same mind. I own I have been very much to blame in being so long disposing of those livings; but when these are filled up, there shall be no more complaints of me on that account. You wrong me very much in thinking that I am influenced by some you mention in disposing of church preferments. Ask those who I am sure you will believe, though you won't me, and they can tell you I never disposed of any without advising to them, and that I have preferred more people upon other's recommendations, than I have upon his that you fancy to have so much power with me. You have reason to wonder there is no more changes made yet; but I hope, in a little time, Mr. Morley and I shall redeem our credit with you at least in that matter, which is all I can now trouble my dear Mrs. Freeman with, but that her poor unfortunate Morley will be faithfully yours to her last moment.

Remark by the Duchess. — This letter was in answer to one I had written to beg of her not to be so long before she disposed of the livings to the clergy, adding how safely she might put power into the hands of such a man as my Lord Cowper.

Note: Mrs. Freeman was Anne's nickname for Sarah, and Mrs. Morley was Anne's nickname for herself in her correspondence with Sarah.