XXXII.

Francis Godolphin,

線

RANCIS, second Earl of Godolphin, was the only

son of the celebrated Sydney Godolphin, who

1

had "rendered himself necessary to four successive sovereigns, and managed the finances (as Lord High Treasurer) with equal skill and integrity." He was born on September 3rd, 1678, and received the early part of his education at Eton School, but completed his studies at King's College, Cambridge. As soon as his Lordship came of age, he was chosen member of Parliament for the borough of Helston, as well as appointed one of the Knights of the Shire for the county of Oxford, in the seventh year of the reign of Queen Anne. In 1702 he was collated to the office of Teller of the Exchequer, and three years afterwards constituted Lord Warden of the Stanneries in Cornwall.

11. William, Marquis of Blandford; 2. Lord Henry; 3. The Lady Henrietta; 4. Lady Mary.

2 Collins, in his Peerage, and Sir Egerton Brydges, have given his Lordship but one son, the Marquis of Blandford. This is one of the innumerable errors with which those volumes abound.

His Lordship married the Lady Henrietta Churchill, eldest daughter and coheiress of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, who succeeded her father (according to an especial provision to that effect by parliament, in case of the death of his Grace's heirs male) as Duchess of Marlborough. This lady was chosen of the bedchamber to her Majesty, Queen Anne, and died in 1733, having presented her lord with two sons and two daughters.1

The Earl of Godolphin departed this life on January 17th, 1766, having survived both his sons, one of whom died in infancy, and the other, the Marquis of Blandford, in 1731. The title of Godolphin became extinct on the death of the earl, there being no heirs male.

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