Sidney Godolphin

Sidney Godolphin (about 1645 - September 15th 1712), 1st baron Godolphin de Rialton, then 1st count de Godolphin, was one of the principal British politicians of the end of and the beginning of the 18th century.

It goes down from a acian family of Cornouailles. Under the Restoration, it is introduced into the royal House by the king Charles II, of which it becomes the favorite, and it enters to the House of Commons like deputy of Helston, in Cornouailles. However, it intervenes little with the Room, and always briefly, acquiring little by little a reputation like its chief, if not for his only financial authority. In March 1679, it enters to the private Council, then, in September, is named, with the Viscount of Hyde (future count de Rochester) and the count de Sunderland, with the head of the businesses.

Although he voted the law of exclusion in 1680, he remains in the government after the resignation of Sunderland and, in September 1684, he is created baron de Godolphin de Rialton and succeeds Rochester like First Lord of the Treasury. After the accession with the throne of Jacques, it is made Chambellan of the queen, Marie of Modena (1658-1718), and, with Rochester and Sunderland, enjoys the confidences secrete of the king. In 1687, it is named Commissaire of the Treasury. He is member of the Council of the five named by king Jacques to represent it with London, when he joined the army, after the unloading of William of Orange in England, and, with Halifax and Nottingham, he is soon named police chief to negotiate with the Prince. With the accession on the throne of Guillaume, although it obtains only the third seat with the Council of the Treasury, it is with the orders of the businesses. It withdraws in March 1690, but, it is pointed out in November and named First Lord.

While occupying this station, it would have maintained, during years, of the same John Churchill, 1st duke of Marlborough, a secret correspondence with the king Jacques II, and it is said that it would have revealed to him the secrecies of the forwarding tried against Brest. Godolphin is not only a Tory by tradition, but seems to have tested a romantic admiration for the wife of Jacques II. After the confession of Fenwick in 1696 concerning the attempted murder of Guillaume III, Godolphin, which is compromised, offers his resignation; but, when Tories arrive at the capacity in 1700, it is again named Lord treasurer and preserves this station during one year. Although not being a favorite of the queen Anne, it, after its accession with the throne, named with its ancin station, following the sharp recommendations of Marlborough. It also receives in 1704 the diginity of knight and, in December 1706, it is created Viscount of Rialton and count de Godolphin.

Although Tory, it plays an active role in the intrigues which lead little by little to the domination of the Whigs combined with Marlborough. However, the influence of Marlborough near the queen is supplanted little by little by that of Abigail Masham and Robert Harley, count d' Oxford, and the fortune of Marlborough and that of Godolphin are indissolubly plain. Their services inspires such a confidence with the nation that it is possible for them, during a time, to regard the loss of the royal favor as negligible, and even, in 1708, to obtain the expulsion of Harley of the government; but, after the Tory reaction which follows the dismissal of Henry Sacheverell, which deceived Godolphin under the name of Volpone, the queen makes use of this occasion to get rid of Marlborough by drawing aside brutally Godolphin of the government on August 7th, 1710.

Godolphin had to seize the power and to preserve it under four sovereigns with its financial capacities; it received the support of Marlborough mainly because this one had recognized that the continuation of the foreign wars by the England claimed its capacities in financial matters. One says that it calm, was reserved and careful, with a greater preoccupation with a his own wellbeing than of the political considerations. Nevertheless, it hardly drew favors possibilities of enrichment which its functions offered to him and, in spite of its leaning well-known for the racehorses, the charts and the cockfights, its way of life was modest. When he died, its goods were evaluated with more than 12.000 books.

Godolphin married on May 16th, 1675 with Margaret Blagge, lady pious whose life was told by Evelyn. She died in layers with the birth of her single son, Francis, in 1678, and Godolphin was never remarié.

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