1711. a used to make him appear criminal. But the discoveries made pay of the foreign troops, which amounted to fifteen thousand pounds. This the queen had by a warrant appointed the duke of Marlborough to receive on the same account. The duke having heard, while he was beyond sea, that the commissioners had discovered the present made him by the Jew, sent them a letter, on the 10th of November, N. S. from the Hague, wherein he owned the whole matter to be true ; and added, he had applied these fums to the procuring good intelligence, to which, next to the blessing of God on the bravery of the troops, their constant fuccesses. were owing. This did not satisfy the commissioners; but, though no complaints were brought from the army of their not being constantly supplied with good bread, yet they saw here was matter to raise a clamour against the duke, which they chiefly aimed at. · Accordingly the commissioners reported these things to the house of commons, on the 21st of December, the day before their recess (which report was referred to the 17th of January) and the next day, pursuant to an order of the house, Mr. Shippen, one of the commissioners, laid before them : First, the deposition of Sir Solomon de Medina, knight, proving great sums of money taken by his grace John duke of Marlborough, Adam Cardonnel, esquire, his grace's secretary, and others, on account of the contracts for supplying bread and breadwaggons to her majesty's forces in the Low-Countries. Secondly, captain William Preston's deposition about forage in North-Britain. Upon this the duke of Marlborough's letter, which he had writ in vindication of himself to the commissioners, was, by his order or contrivance, published in the Daily Courant of the 27th of December. This letter having made an impreffion in his favour on the minds of many persons, the report of the commissioners was, by way of of answer, printed at large two days after (b); and the next 1711. day, the 30th of December, the queen declared in council, « That the (b) The substance of the report and the duke's letter, were as follow : • Thac it appeared by . the deposition of Sir Solomon • de Medina, the present con• tractor, and by the accounts of « Antonio Alvarez Machado, who had been contractor before him, * that, from the year 1702 to the year 1711, both included, the • duke of Marlborough had re« ceived, upon account of the contracts for bread and breadwaggons, the sum of fix hundred and fixty-four thousand, eight hundred and fifty-one guilders, and eight stivers, « which amounted to fixty-three • thousand, nine hundred and " nine pounds, three shillings, and seven pence. That, some • time after this evidence was given, they received, by the hands of James Craggs, esq; a < letter from the duke of Marl• borough, defiring the commif' fioners, That, when they made their report, they would lay • some facts before the parlia• ment in a true light. That they thought they could not better “ do him justice, than in his own 6 words : than what has always been al• lowed as a perquisite to the ge' neral or commander in chief of army in the Low-Countries, « both before the revolution and < since ; and I do assure you, at • the same time, that whatever ' fums I have received, on that account, have constantly been applied for the service of the public, in keeping secret cor respondence, and getting intel·ligence of the enemies motions • and designs; and it has fallen • fo short, that I take leave to acquaint you with another arti"cle that has been applied to the fame use, and which arises from • her majesty's warrant, whereof « the inclosed is a copy, though • this does not properly relate to • the public accounts, being a • free gift from the foreign troops. You will have obterva ed, by the several establishments, that, before the late king's death, when the parlia ment voted forty-thousand men ' for the quota of England in the Low-Countries, twenty-one thousand fix hundred and twelve were to be foreigners, and the reit English; for the last they gave ten thousand pounds a year for intelligence, and other contingencies, without account; . but his majesty being sensible, by the experience of the last war, that this sum would not any way answer that service, ' and being unwilling to apply • for any more to the parliament, • he was pleased to order, that ' the foreign troops should con• tribute two and a half per cent. towards Gentlemen, Hague, Nov. 10, 1711. • Having been informed, upon my arrival here yesterday, that « Sir Solomon Medina had ac• quainted you with my having < received several sums of money • from him, that it may make the less impression upon you, I « would lose no time in letting you know, that this is no more Ee 2 1711. · That, being informed an information against the duke of Marlborough was laid before the house of commons, by o the towards it; and I being then service on this fide has been his ambassador and commander • carried on with all the eco- Gentlemen, Your most obedient, Humble fervant, MARLBOROUGH. Anne R. ' use it was intended for; and it • has accordingly been applied, •Right trusty and right wells from time to time, for intelli • beloved cousin and counsellor, gence and secret service, with we greet you well. Whereas, * luch success, that, next to the • pursuant to the direction you • bleiling of God on the bravery have received in that behalf, • of our troops, we may, in a • you have agreed, with the per great measure, attribute most • sons authorized to treat with • of the advantages of the war 'you, for the taking into our in this country to the timely • service a certain number of fo' and good advices procured with • reign troops, to act in conjunc• the help of this money. And • tion with the forces of our al now, gentlemen, as I have laid lies, that there be reserved two • the whole matter very fairly 6 and a half per cent. out of all • before you, and that I hope • monies payable to, and for the you will allow, I have served ' faid troops, as well for their my queen and country with pay and entertainment, as on that zeal and faithfulness which any other account, towards de6 becomes an honest man, the fraying fuch extraordinary con« favour I am to intreat of you, tingent expences relating to is, that, when you make your them, as cannot otherwife be report to the parliament, you * provided for. Now, we do • will lay this part before them hereby approve and confirm all " in its true light, so as that they ' such agreements as you have, may see this necessary and im hereafter make, for reportant part of the war has • serving the said two and a half • been provided for, and carried per cent. accordingly; and do 6. on, without other expence • likewise hereby authorize and to the public than the ten thou • direct the pay-mafter-general • sand pounds a year; and I of our forces for the time being, flatter myself, that, when the ' or his deputy, to make the faid accounts of the army in Flan « deduction of two and a half per ders come under your confider cent. pursuant thereunto, out ation, you will be senfible the of all monies he shall be di:ect 6 6 ( or may any 6 6 o the commissioners of the public accounts, she thought fit 1711. 6 to dismiss him from all his employments, that the matter might • reign. «ed to issue, for the use of the • farily fuffer, in proportion to to such warrants, and in such • service in Flanders was said to proportions as you shall direct, • be carried on, remained yet to • for which this shall be to you, be explained. That the great 6 and to all others whom it may ' caution and fecrecy, with which concern, a fufficient warrant o this money was constantly re6 and direction. ceived, gave reason to fuspect, « Given at our court at St. • that it was not thought a jufti• James's, this sixth day fiable perquifite ; for Mr. Carof July, 1702, and in • donnel, the duke's secretary, • the firit year of our " and auditor of the bread-ac count, had declared on oath, " that he never knew or heard By her majesty's command, • of any such perquisite, till the C. HEDGES. • late rumour of Sir Solomon de ( well - beloved cousin and commissioners. That, by the Marlborough, our ambaf waggons, the general appeared general of the United Pro care that the terms of these vinces, and captain-gene • contracts were duly performed; • ral of our land forces. • he was to judge of all deduc « tions to be made from allowThat on this letter and war ance to the contractors : and, sant they observed, · That, so far - whether in such circumstance, • as they had been capable of • he could receive any gratuity * being informed, the great sums, • or perquisite from the contrac* annually paid to the duke on tors, without a breach of his o account of the contracts for • trust, they did not presume to « bread, coald never be esteemed • determine. That the general • legal or warrantable perquisites: "might with equal reason claim nor did they find, that any a perquisite for every other * other English general in the ' contractor relating to the army, • Low-Countries, or elsewhere, as for those of the bread and ever claimed or received such • bread-waggons; but his grace thould be produced, they ap ' missioners ought to suppose he the E e 3 1711. might take an impartial examination. This declaration was entered in the council-books ; and the day following it the foreign troops, the commif cent. and therefore presumed, fiomers cbfrved : • That the • the reason why it had never warrant for it had been kept been brought to an account, o dormant for nine years, and • was, what his grace suggested, the deduction concealed so long " that he never considered it as < from the knowledge of par public money. In the next • liament; for which his grace place, the commissioners sub• had not assigned fufficient rea • mitted it to the house, whether 6 fons. That the calling it a • the warrant, produced to juf'free gift was inconsistent with tify this deduction, was legal, (the words of the warrant, which and duly countersigned ! or, • express an agreement, and with ' whether, admitting it to be so, • that part of his grace's letter, • either the stoppage, or the pay which took notice, that “he, ' ment, had been regularly made? “ being ambassador and general, " That the warrant directed that “ ftipulated for this very stop • it should be stopped in the page by the late king's order." • hands of the paymaster, or his " That therefore they were of • deputy, and issued thence by opinion, that a deduction, fo • the duke's order only. But 'made, was public money, and o this method did not appear, by ought to be accounted for in 'the pay-master's accounts, to " the fame manner as other pub " have been at all pursued ; so lic money. That the ten thou • far otherwise, that the payments fand pounds granted yearly for to the foreign troops were althe contingencies of the army, ways made complete, and their was at first intended by parlia receipts always taken in full, ment for the service of forty 6 without any notice of a deduc6 thousand men, without diftinc « tion. That when any part of tion; and was so far from hav • the ten thousand pounds, coning always been thought ex tingent.money, was drawn out empt from account, • of the paymaster's hands, for * duke had suggested, that, in any secret service, the gene a privy-seal, dated March 5, • ral's warrant, and his secre1706, there was a clause to re tary's receipts, were the paylease and discharge the duke of ' master's vouchers. But that Marlborough from a fim of "Mr. Cardonnel, as he declared • seven thousand, four hundred on oath, never gave any re" and ninety--nine pounds, nine ceipt for any part of that two teen shillings and ten pence, ' and a half per cent. nor did part of this money; which • Mr. Bridges, as he also de« heuel, he would otherwise • clared on oath, ever see any have been accountable for it. warrant for that purpose, or « But that they no where met • know any thing, as paymaster ' with any mention of this de general, of this deduction. That duction of two and a half per had as the 6 |