[16] "Till within these few days, during these _nine years_ I have never had occasion to send ill news. Our powder and other stores, for the carrying on these two sieges, left Ghent last Thursday, under the convoy of twelve hundred foot and four hundred and fifty horse. They were attacked by the enemy and beaten, so that they blew up the powder, and sunk the store-boats." _Marlborough to the Duchess_, 22d September 1710. Coxe, iv. 365.
[17] "Take it we must, for we cannot draw the guns from the batteries. But God knows when we shall have it: night and day our poor men are up to the knees in mud and water." _Marlborough to Godolphin_, 27th October 1710.
[18] Marlborough to Godolphin, 13th November 1710. _Disp._ iv. 685, 689. Coxe, iv. 366, 367.
[20] Marlborough to the Duchess, 26th July 1710. Coxe, iv. 299.
[21] Marlborough to the Duchess, 25th October and 24th November 1710. Coxe, iv. 351, 352.
[22] Bolingbroke's _Corresp._, i. 41; Mr Secretary St John to Mr Drummond, 20th Dec. 1710.
[23] "I beg you to lose no time in sending me, to the Hague, the opinion of our friend mentioned in my letter; for I would be governed by the Whigs, from whose principle and interest I will never depart. Whilst they had a majority in the House of Commons, they might suspect it might be my interest; but now they must do me the justice to see that it is my inclination and principle which makes me act." _Marlborough to the Duchess_, Nov. 9, 1710. Coxe, iv. 360.
[25] "Though I never thought of troubling your Majesty again in this manner, yet the circumstances I see my Lord Marlborough in, and the apprehension I have that he cannot live six months, if there is not some end put to his sufferings on my account, make it impossible for me to resist doing every thing in my power to ease him." _Duchess of Marlborough to Queen Anne_, 17th Jan. 1711. Coxe, iv. 410.
[27] Marlborough to the Duchess, 24th May 1711. Coxe, v. 417-431.
[28] Eugene to Marlborough, 23d April 1710; Marlborough to St John, 29th April 1710. Coxe, vi. 16. _Disp._ v. 319.
[30] "I see my Lord Rochester has gone where we all must follow. I believe my journey will be hastened by the many vexations I meet with. I am sure I wish well to my country, and if I could do good, I should think no pains too great; but I find myself decay so very fast, that from my heart and soul I wish the Queen and my country a peace by which I might have the advantage of enjoying a little quiet, which is my greatest ambition." _Marlborough to the Duchess_, 25th May, 1711. Coxe, vi. 28.