Winston Churchill

son of John Churchill of Wotton Glanvile in Dorsetshire, descended from those of his name living sometimes at Churchill in Somersetshire, was born in London, became a Convictor of S. Joh. Coll. in the beginning of the year 1636, aged 16 years, left it without a degree, adher’d to the Cause of his Maj. in the time of the Rebellion, and afterwards suffer’d for it. In the beginning of the year 1661 he was chose a Burgess for Weymouth in Dorsetshire (being then of Minterne in that County) to serve in that Parl. which began at Westm. 8 of May the same year, was made Fellow of the Royal Society soon after, and in the latter end of 1663 a Knight. About that time he became a Commissioner of the Court of Claimes in Ireland, and had afterwards a Clerkship of the Green-Cloth confer’d upon him, from which being removed in the latter end of 1678, was soon after restored to it again. This person, tho accounted a worthy Gent. in many respects, a great Royalist, and a sincere lover of his Majesty and the Church of England, yet a nameless and satyrical ((*))((*)) Author of A seasonable Argument to perswade all the grand Juries of England to petition for a new Parliament, &c. pr. in qu. 1677. p. 7. author tells us that he was a Pentioner in the aforesaid Parl. (which continued till July 1679) and a principal labourer in the great design of Popery and arbitrary Government, that he preferred his own daughter to the Duke of York, and had got in Boons 10000 l: also that he had published in print that the King may raise money without his Parliament. The book, wherein he mentions that passage, is intit.

Divi Britannici: Being a remark upon the lives of all the Kings of this Isle, from the year of the World 28 [•] 5 unto the year of grace 1660. Lond. 1675. fol. In the said book (which is very thin and trite) are the Arms of all the Kings of England, which made it sell among Novices, rather than for the matter therein. The aforementioned passage of raising of money, being much resented by several Members of Parl. then sitting, the leaf of the remaining copies wherein it was, was reprinted without that passage, purposely to please and give content. This worthy Gent. Sir Winst. Churchill died on the 26 of March in sixteen hundred eighty and eight,1688. being then eldest Clerk-Comptroller of the Greencloth, and was buried three days after in the Ch. of S. Martin in the Fields within the City of Westminster. He had a son commonly called Colonel John Churchill, who had been much favoured by James Duke of York and by him and his endeavours first promoted in the Court and State. This person was by the favour of K. Ch. 2. created a Baron by the name and title of John Lord Churchill of Aymouth in Scotland, in the latter end of Nov. 1683, at which time were also created (1) Edward Viscount Camden, Earl of Ganesborough, (2) Coniers Lord Darcy, Earl of Holderness, (3) Thomas Lord Windsore Governour of his Maj. Town and Garrison of Kingston upon Hull, Earl of Plymouth, (4) Horatio Lord Townsend, Viscount Townsend of Raynham, (5) Sir Tho. Thynne Baronet, Baron Thynne of Warmister and Viscount Weymouth, (6) Col. George Legg of his Majesties most honorable Privy Council and Master General of the Ordnance, Baron of Dartmouth, and (7) William Lord Allington Constable of his Majesties Tower of London, Baron of Wymondley in England. After the decease of K. Ch. 2, the said Lord Churchill was much favoured by the said Duke, then K, by the name of Jam. 2, and by him promoted to several Places of trust and honour, but when his help was by him required, he deserted him in the beginning of Nov. 1688, and adhered to the Prince of Aurange then arrived in the West parts of England. In the month of Feb. following, the said Prince being then K. of England by the name of Will. 3. he was by him appointed to be one of his Privy Council among divers honorable persons then named and appointed also, and in the beginning of Apr. 1689 he was created Earl of Marlborough; at which time were also created and advanced to great honours these persons following, viz. (1) Prince George of Denmark and Norway, to be Baron of Okingham, Earl of Kendal and Duke of Cumberland, (2) Charles Marquess of Winchester, to be Duke of Bolton, (3) William Bentick Esq. (a Dutch man) Groom of the stole to his Maj. to be Baron of Cirencester, Visc. Woodstock and Earl of Portland, (4) Thom. Visc. Fauconberg to be Earl of Fauconberg, (5) Charles Visc. Mordant, to be Earl of Monmouth, (6) Ralph L. Mountague Visc. Mount Hermer, to be Earl of Mountague, (7) Henry Sidney Esq. to be Baron of Milton and Visc. Sidney of Sheppy in the County of Kent, (8) Rich. Visc. Lumley of Waterford in Ireland, to be Visc. Lumley of Lumley Castle in the County Pal. of Durham, and (9) Hugh Visc. Cholmondley of Kellis in Ireland, to be Baron Cholmondley of Namptwich in Cheshire. Afterwards John Earl of Marlborough went into Ireland, was a Lieut. Gen. there and did his Maj. good service in the Wars had against the Army of K. James 2. in that Country, and afterwards returned full fraught with honour and glory, and continued in the good opinion of many for some time. At length upon some distast taken against him, the reason why, let the Statesmen and Polititians tell you, he was deprived of all his Places and Employments by his Maj. K. Will. 3, about the middle of January 1691, viz. of his place of Lieut. General, his command of Captain of the third Troop of Guards, of his Reg. of Phusileers, and of his place of Gent. of the Bedchamber.