Beschreibung:

Marlborough (John Churchill, 1650-1722, First Duke of). An indenture on vellum, signed by the Duke of Marlborough, 2nd November 1714, indenture in brown ink on vellum, an agreement between John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, George Townesend of Lincolnes Inne, and Edward Bearcroft, Gentleman, St. Andrew Holborn, for the sale of land in south-west london, including parts of Nonsuch Great Park and Little Park [the former site of Henry VIII's Nonsuch Palace, demolished by Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine in 1683-84, after the site had been given to her by Charles II in 1670], signed by the Duke of Marlborough, George Townesend and Edward Bearcroft, witnesses Oximbridge Harwood and Richard Phillips sealed and delivered in the presence of G. Widmore, A. Isaakson, and Lan. Jones, the document now divided and cut up into 10 portions which have been inlaid to a late 19th century folio album (showing both sides of each portion), with extensive biographical manuscript notes by J. C. Westley, dated 1898, including a transcript of most of the text of the indenture, the original document with some marks and stains, some words faded or not legible (sold with all faults), together with Churchill (Sarah, 1660-1744, Duchess of Marlborough, wife of the first Duke of Marlborough). A manuscript and printed document, signed by the Duchess of Marlborough and others, for the repayment by King George II, of a loan of £5000 from the executors of John, Duke of Marlborough, dated 9th May 1727, printed document on laid paper, addressed at head of the document in ink to 'The most noble Sarah, Dutchess Dowager of Marlborough, the Right Honorable Francis Earl of Godolphin, William Clayton and John Hanbury Esqrs. Executors in trust of the noble John Duke of Marlborough', with similar manuscript insertion to the text, signed by Robert Walpole, William Yonge, and George Dod[d]ington, additionally annotated and signed at foot by Lord William Powlett for the payment in full of the loan and interest (dated 19 and 20 September 1728), and signed in brown ink to verso '25 Sepr. 1728. Recd in full S: Marlborough, Godolphin, J. Hanbury', the document cut into two portions, the lower half laid down on later album leaf, the upper portion inlaid to album leaf to show both sides, with further extensive biographical notes by J. C. Westley, the whole album comprising 44 leaves in total, including an article from Pall Mall Magazine for August 1894, entitled Blenheim and its Memories on 12 leaves, an autograph letter by the 9th Duke of Marlborough, on Trinity College cambridge headed paper, dated March 7th 1893, to a Mr. Gilderd, and a printed article from The Graphic, Saturday November 9, 1895, on the marriage of the Duke of Marlborough to Miss Consuelo Vanderbilt (pasted on 5 leaves), outer paper wrappers with maroon morocco spine, manuscript title to upper cover, some light soiling, folio (34 x 21 cm, 13.2 x 8.25 ins) (Qty: 1) Provenance: Each of the three documents in the album (Duke of Marlborough signed indenture, Duchess of Marlborough signed document, and 9th Duke of Marlborough autograph letter) has a signed declaration of gift pasted into the album, from Henry Thomas Scott M.D., Oxford, dated 1898 or 1897, to Revd. J. C. Westley, of New Amsterdam, Berbice, British Guiana. The first item being obtained from the collection of Colonel Mollineaux of Warren Lodge, Wokingham, the second from John Waller Esq of Westbourne Grove, and the third from Mr. A. C. Lewis of Craven Park Road, London. The second document provides evidence of the reliance of King George II on the financial assistance of the duke of Marlborough. On the duke's death his property and investments were estimated to be worth about £1,000,000, half of which was invested in short-term loans to the exchequer; this sum remained in a trust managed after his death by trustees, who included the duchess, Marlborough's two former business associates, William Clayton and William Guidot, and his thr