The Penn's Grove record., 1882-04-15
Marlborough's Meanness.

There is probably scarcely a single
ancient OF noble family-the terms are
not quite synonymous-which does
not possess a imminent room, the con-
tents of which have never been edited
or calendared, and it fairly makes The
mouth of the historical student water
TO think what treasures of history and
of antiquarian gossip lie thus buried.
Now and sgain a noble lord graciously
. puts his name to a small compilation,
or permits some laborious antiquarian
to rummage amongst his family ar
ehives, and tine little that is given TO
the world i'm this way creates an irrre-
eistible longing for more. One such
volume was prepared some sixty years
z for the qualification of the then
Earl of Bridgewater. Only q small
number of copies were printed a
hook itself was never published, and
In its present form it naturally belongs
10 the category of Hbri rdriSstDna If
any member Of the house of IGefton
could be induced to reprint it, and TO
add 10 it from the stores of family
paper prepared at Worsley, he would
do a service to literature and to the
public generally, the value of which
1t would not be easy to over estimate.
In the meantime it may be worth
while to pick fromthis book of"Family
Anecdotes few of the most strik-
ing.
The Egerton family, as everyone
who is well up in his Burke or Debrett
ought to know, has intermarried with
about half the peerage, ard has ALI
snces with every II of those great
governing families whose predomi-
nance has given such strength to the
Nation in time of political storm and
stress. Among these families, that
Of Churchill is not the least distln-
pushed.
The family traditions preserved by
the Earl of Bridgewater chiefly relate
to the avarice of the great Duke of
Marlborough.
When IN the early years of the eigh-
teenth century, the Earl Of Peter3or-
ough was in command of the English
forces in Spain and Portugal, he found
great difficulty in obtaining the neces
sary supplies. In order to rectify mat
ters he returned home; but on appli-
cation at headquarters he found all his
demands held over for further consid-
Grafton, whilst the Duke of Marlbor-
ough obtained all he wanted without
the smallest difficulty. "Much dis
gusted withal," says Lord Bridgewa-
ter, she threw himself into a sedan
chair, and drew the curtains at the
sides as well as at the front, that he
might not be known or seen. The
populace took up an idea that the per
son in the chair was the Duke of Marl-
borough they gathered round it.
"God bless the Duke of Marlborough!
God bless the Duke of Marlborough !"
Gentlemen, D." said Lord Peterborough,
pushing down one of the windows, ~
am not the Duke of Marlborough"
80 yes" said a spoke nan Ofthe null
titude, you are the Ddke of Maribor-
ough; we know you well enough"
Gentlemen, +" said Lord Peterborough,
az am not the Duke of Marlborough,
1 tell you, and Twill give youtwo con-
vincing proofs that | am mot. One is
that have but a single guinea" and
he turned his pockets inside out 1.-THE
other is that | give it to you /" and he
threw 1t among them.
On the eve of a great pitched bsttle,
which was to be FOUGHT under the joint
command of the Duke of Marlborough
and Prince Eugene of Savoy, the lat
ter waited upon the Duke after dinner
to settle the plan of action for the fol
lowing day. the Duke had taken up
his headquarters at a small house,
which had a little garden before it,
and a coach-road. Prince Eugene was
received in great state. In driving out
Of the coach-road it struck Prince Eu-
gene that there was one maneuvre
which he had not notified to the Duke.
"Drive me back againp' He skipped
nimbly int the house and in the
drswing-rOom where he had been re-
ceived he founl the Duke Of Marlbor.
ough perched upon a chair, with his
handkerchief under his shoes, and
whiting out the candles of the middle
piece of lustre.