Abigail's Cousin (9 page)

"Here you are,
sir!" The serving-man interrupts the traveller who is happy to
forgo further reading having before him a bowl containing a
half-pint of the steaming liquid, coffee, and, it needs be
stressed, the male, as the fair gender were excluded from entering
the coffee shop being the haunt of bankers, merchants, lawyers,
clergymen, parliamentarians, such as a trio of gentlemen who were
gathered together of a mid-morning to indulge their taste for
coffee while discussing the latest news in the world of trade,
politics or the occurrence of momentous events. This particular
trio of citizens had gathered one Saturday in 1702, on the 14th of
March. They were John Churchill, earl of Marlborough, the lord
Sidney Godolphin, first lord of the treasury and Charles Spencer,
third earl of Sunderland.

It was
Churchill who spoke first:

"Do you
realise that seven days ago at this same table I was chafing at
Caliban's inertia and of my own impotence, and now."

"And now you
are Captain-General of the British Army, John," interrupted a
smiling Godolphin.

"Not to
mention your appointment of Master-General of the Ordinance," burst
in a graver Charles Spencer who added: "any other man would be
sprouting wings and horns."

Sidney
Godolphin was vehement in his denial: "Not John Churchill,
Charles," and stabbing at him with his clay pipe making the point
forcibly, said emphatically: "There is no man who is more deserving
and more modest."

"Careful
Sidney, otherwise I shall be sprouting wings and you'll hear the
trumpet blast from on high."

They all join
together in laughter though that of Charles is more forced but it
was Sidney who stops and says seriously: "When do you propose to
take up your appointment? Where is the army at this time?"

Churchill was
also serious: "Good question, Sidney! I shall have to see Cadogan,
colonel Cadogan, my quarter-master who is much more knowledgeable
on these matters than I."

"And the
French," said Spencer, "what about them? Are they going to wait
until England is ready?"

Churchill
considered his companion's question, then ventured: "I do believe
the Treaty of Ryswick gave Louis all he needed. It's checkmate. The
Dutch won't move without us, and we have no pretext." This speech
left him disconsolate and he was silent.

Spencer turned
to Godolphin: "We've heard from the general, my lord. What says the
diplomat?"

Godolphin was
also reflective before he spoke: "Have you heard of the balance of
power, Charles?"

Spencer shook his head but then said
almost in contempt: "You don't mean that old howler from the
schoolroom! What possible referen
ce has it in our modern world?"

Churchill
moved closer to listen to what his friend was about to say:

"Just this,"
answered Godolphin gravely, "when the Spanish invited Louis XIV's
grandson, Philip, to occupy their vacant throne, the Austrians were
alarmed, as were the Dutch and the Germans - and England should be
too. The French army is a formidable force without Spain, but their
combined strength will serious threaten the status quo."

Churchill
said: "Admiral Russell beat a French fleet at La Hogue. Now just
imagine a combined Franco-Spanish fleet. It will be
unassailable."

"Is the
position hopeless? Can anything be done?" said Spencer to nobody in
particular.

Churchill
positioned his chair even closer to the table motioning his friends
to come closer and Spencer smiling nervously chaffed his
friend:

"We are
surrounded by French spies eh!" Then casting a look around the cafe
whispered in jest: Where are the pitchers, John? I mean the ones
large enough to hold a spy."

Godolphin
rebuked Spencer in friendly manner: "You may joke, Charles, yet
only recently was a message intercepted from a French agent. The
French was not easy to decipher as the subject matter only made
sense when I was shown the translated text. The message was
addressed to St. Germain."

Seeing his
friends' puzzlement Godolphin explained: "St Germain is where Louis
has put a palace at the disposal of our late monarch, James."

Spencer
whistled, commenting: "He has not given up hope then of returning
at the head of a Catholic army, then? By the bye you still haven't
told us about the message."

Godolphin
said: "James is clutching at straws. The message said that the lord
Godolphin, yours truly, was spending more time with the princess,
Anne, as she then was, than with Queen Mary, joint monarch and wife
to Caliban, I mean, King William. The puzzle is how the agent got
hold of that information. I can only surmise there are spies within
the palace itself."

While
Godolphin was talking Churchill had arisen and removed his heavy
coat rolling up his sleeves muttering about the heat in the room.
Godolphin stopped his discourse as he spotted something:

"Those two
scars on your arm, John; they look fearful."

Churchill
looked at the scars which were raised from the skin and he said
ruefully:

"Young Hubert
Fenwick's handiwork, but he carries my wound upon his thigh. Those
were the days."

"When would
that have been John?" asked Godolphin and Churchill answered
promptly: "January 6th, 1671. I feel like an old man compared to
those heady days."

Spencer said:
"It might have been worse, John. He called you out so you had the
choice of weapon. He was a crack shot, d'you remember?"

Churchill
rolled down his sleeve, leaned over the table and said in a
whisper" "Talking of guns, Cadogan tells me about a new type of
musket, a wheel-lock, he calls it, which gives a higher rate of
fire. It'll give us the edge over the French, when it comes to a
fight."

"If I did not
know you better, I would say, here is a conspiracy."

All three
raised their heads towards the speaker, a newcomer who stood near
their table.

It was Churchill who spoke first: "Ah! Mr
Harley welcome." He got up to greet the newcomer. "Join the
conspiracy. Draw up a chair." At the same time he signalled one of
the serving men who hovered around their private
room
.

But it was the
proprietor who entered with an extra chair, inviting Harley to be
seated taking an order for coffee for all four men and who then
withdrew.

It took some
time for Mr Harley to thank the proprietor for the chair and be
introduced in turn by Churchill to Godolphin and Spencer, but
finally all the essential courtesies were completed whereupon
Harley addressed Churchill:

"I understand
my lord, you will soon be taking p-p-packet to Holland."

"It is so far
then your arrangements for leaving, my lord.” Asked Spencer: “What
day will that be? Have you any idea?"

Godolphin said
matter-of-factly: "When the Captain-General arrives at Ramsgate.
That will be the day."

Churchill
chided the speaker: "Not even the captain-general can command the
wind or the waves, dear friend."

Harley said:
"Whenever you do sail my lord, it will be with the entire support
of the nation, and may I add, in charge of the finest army in
Europe."

Spencer
growled: "No thanks to some people. The army is but a fraction of
its size in '98 when Parliament saw fit to reduce it by eighty
thousand men."

Churchill said
gently: "That was not the fault of our friend, here. That was down
to the Tories."

"Supported by
some Whigs, of which, Mr Harley was one," insisted Spencer though
Harley was not put out insisting: "The reason for my late arrival
was a move in the House for an adjournment to further measures more
to my lord's taste," indicating Spencer with a smile and then
addressing him directly said:

"We must not
confuse quality with quantity, my lord."

To forstall
Spencer's retort, Godolphin hurriedly interrupted: "It would be
fair, Charles, to commend Mr Harley in seeking this adjournment. It
is a positive move in our direction."

"It is often
the case that those who were avid for peace are more convincing
when the need arises to draw the sword for war." Marlborough was
keen to draw Harley into his camp adding yet further praise: "We
are gratified by the more than adequate endeavours of Mr Harley on
our behalf."

Godolphin
anxious to seal a bargain, declared: "Have no fear, my dear
Marlborough, Mr Harley and I will take the necessary measures for
supplies as and when required, eh Harley!"

The use of his second name flattered
Harley enormously. Here was an earl and a baron praising his
efforts on their behalf and hoping for more in the future. He was
only too anxious to
concur with their good opinion:

"Indeed, my
lord!" Churchill smiled and then turning to Godolphin said:

"Might I
suggest my lord that you hold regular meetings with Mr Harley. I
would be very happy to receive any progress reports of such
meetings. Abroad it is very comforting to get reports of any
description relating to matters at home. One feels so cut off."

All this time
Spencer had been silent. He listened sipping his coffee realising
the pragmatic nature of his friends' wooing of the Speaker of the
House. Nominally a Country Whig and therefore closer to many Tories
than the so-called Court Whigs who had rallied around the late
king, Harley had also the extra bind of feigning neutrality. After
the Treaty of Ryswick, he had backed the move to cut the army
whereas now, in 1702, events were moving the other way, and Harley
went along with them. Unlike himself, Spencer, Harley had not the
revenue of a large estate; only his astuteness kept him solvent.
Nonetheless Spencer was amused by it all.

Both Godolphin
and Harley realised that Churchill, as gently as only he knew how,
was telling them to keep him informed at all times and on a regular
basis. Godolphin was first and foremost a courtier and now he
raised a matter that had been troubling him lately, concerning his
mistress, his sovereign, Queen Anne. His query was addressed to
Harley:

"Would it be
possible Mr Harley, Mr Speaker, for both Houses to come to the
palace, or representatives from each House, for you will appreciate
it would be less incommodious to her majesty."

All present
were aware of Anne's increasing ill-health and each had witnessed
their sovereign in great pain at a recent reception. Yet it was in
this delicate situation that Harley demonstrated his ability to
soothe his powerful allies yet not create a precedent:

"I understand
my lord and I would go so far as speak for both Houses when I say
so. The idea behind your p-proposal has crossed my mind and I
consulted the Ways and Means Committee to that end but sadly must
reflect their deliberations, as Speaker, that there are
Constitutional difficulties. It goes without saying that at some
future date, they might change their minds, but, it is my painful
duty, speaking on b-behalf of the House, of b-both Houses, I
venture to say, that I must regretfully decline your suggestion, my
lord."

He rose and
declared: "I b-beg leave, gentlemen to return to the House."
Turning to Godolphin he said: "Pray, tender my heartfelt sympathy
to her majesty and convey to her our several anxiety as to her
welfare. If you wish, the address to both Houses might easily be
postponed to a more propitious time to her majesty."

There is
silence as he leaves broken by Spencer who complained:

"Some
sorceror, he turns out to be. Was it not you yourself, Sidney that
told me the Sorceror was so called because he could do things other
men could not."

Churchill said: "Don't be too hard on
Honest Robin. See that's another nickname hung around him. Yet the
fact remains, we need him more than he needs u
s. Never forget that, Charles!"

"Charles is as
keen for our enterprise as any man," Godolphin said, as much to
Spencer as to Churchill. It was his turn to act like a conspirator
bending forward: "There is one important thing, my lord, that all
of us should bear in mind and be spoken of while we are here all
three together. There may not be another opportunity for some
time."

Spencer thought he understood as he
confided: "Sidney, well urged! My wife, my dearly beloved Mary, is
you
r wife's sister. Our
mutual father-in-law is here, right here," he gave Churchill a
playful punch before adding, "We are family. We can disagree and
not fall out, surely."

"If I thought
you attended devotions, Charles, I might say we should sing from
the same Psalter." He chuckled adding: "It does not help Charles to
rake over old coals as you did with Harley a few moments ago, He is
a vital supporter in the House and will be more so in the event of
war."

"I know,
father-in-law," said Spencer meekly, "my only excuse is that it's
the first time I've had a chance to speak to him since he voted
down the Army Estimates. He avoided me as though I had the plague.
But now I’ve had my say. It's finished. You can count on me not to
stir the coals in the future."

"Let's drink
to that," said Churchill signalling the serving-man, "by drinking
another bowl of coffee. I shall miss the Smyrna in Holland."

Godolphin
added some soothing words of his own: "Another important thing to
bear in mind with Mr Harley is the fact he is tied to us by
business and not by blood as we three are."

Spencer took
this utterance the wrong way for he said: "It's a pity we have to
deal with these commoners at all."

Churchill was
puzzled, saying querulously to his son-in-law:

"Was it true
you voiced republican sympathies, Charles! I can hardly credit what
I'm hearing. Cromwell would have us all commoners. Come to that, my
grandfather was a country squire, no blue-blood there."