OF JOHN DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, WITH HIS ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE: COLLECTED FROM THE FAMILY RECORDS AT BLENHEIM, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCES ILLUSTRATED WITH PORTRAITS, MAPS, AND MILITARY PLANS. BY WILLIAM COXE, M.A. F.R.S. F.S.A. ARCHDEACON OF WILTS. SECOND EDITION. IN SIX VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. ΤΟ HIS GRACE GEORGE SPENCER CHURCHILL, DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, MARQUESS OF BLANDFORD, EARL OF SUNDERLAND, BARON SPENCER, OF WORM-LEIGHTON, AND BARON CHURCHILL, OF SANDRIDGE. Ir was my intention to publish this Work under the Auspices of your noble Father, both as a Testimony of Respect to him, and as a Tribute of Gratitude, for his liberal Communication of the family Records preserved at BLENHEIM. In consequence of his lamented loss, I have now to acknowledge a similar Obligation to your Grace, for confirming to me the use of those valuable Documents. To your Grace, therefore, I have the Honour of inscribing these Memoirs, as the Representative of that great Man, from whom you derive the Title of Marlborough, and the Possession of Blenheim; and to whose Memory you have recently given a Proof of Veneration, by assuming the Name and Arms of Churchill. I am, my Lord, Your Grace's Obedient and obliged Servant, WILLIAM COXE. Salisbury, March 1. 1818. |