proposed of removing Mrs. Masham from about her person was attempted in either House of Parliament.
And as it was impossible for any man of sense, honour, or honesty to come into an Address to remove a dresser from the Queen (for, notwithstanding all her secret influence, in outward appearance she was no more,) only to gratifie my Lady Marlborough's passions; so her Majesty had such assurances from all as gave her full satisfaction as to this point, wch Harley and his brother conspirators made her believe would go to all others; and from hence flattered her so much with her own power and interest, that they made her take courage then to resolve on the destructive change she soon after made of her Ministers and Councils.
And at this instant began the hatred that has since continued between my Lord Argyle and my Lord Marlborough; he, my Lord Argyle, appearing at the head of the warmest reflecters on my Lord Marlborough's insolence to the Queen; and when he spoke to her himself on this subject, he, amongst many other things, told her that Queen Elizabeth for infinitely a less provocation gave my Lord Essex a box on the ear. Whilst my Lord Marlborough continued att Woodstock under keeping of my Lady Duchess, by Manwaring's directions, who fed her with assurances that if he did but stay away the Queen must at last comply; my Ld Godolphin, who knew nothing of what had past between Ld Sommers and Ld Marlborough, and was an entire stranger to the letter wrote to the Queen, or the true reasons of my Ld Marlborough's retirement 'till he was gone, enter'd into a consultation with my Ld Sommers, my Lord Carlton (then Mr. Boyle), and Mr. Smith, to find an expedient of accommodation, and fixed upon this, that neither Meredith, proposed by the Duke to succeed to my Ld Essex's Regimt of Dragoons, nor Hill, to whom the Queen had given it, should have it, but that it should be given to Sr Richard Temple, a friend of the Junto Lords, and that Hill should have a pension of £1000 per annum out of the Post Office for the Queen's life; and as this proposal certainly came from Harley by my Ld Sommers, they being not yet strong enough to venture to come to such an entire breach with my Lord Marlborough as to turn him out, not knowing what consequences such a step as that would have in the House of Commons to their own destruction; so her Majesty on her part agreed to it, and was prevail'd on to write to my Ld Marlborough that she did so, and to desire him to come to town; notwithstanding which seeming condescension of her Majesty, my Lady Duchess (being deluded by Manwaring's letters to believe that my Ld Sommers would engage the Parliament to interpose in the Duke's favour, and oblige the Queen to comply upon better terms than the expedient offer'd), kept my Ld at Windsor 'till the Sunday following, and made him
