Manley recorded in the infamous ‘New Atalantis’ the anecdote that the same duchess gave him 5,000l., of which he invested 4,500l. in an annuity upon Lord Halifax's estate. The fact that he made this purchase is proved by the existence of the original agreement in the Blenheim papers (Coxe, i. 10); while Lord Chesterfield, the grandson of Halifax, confirms the general truth of the story. Coxe charitably thinks that the duchess may have given him the money because she was his second cousin once removed. Mrs. Manley is also responsible for the assertion, repeated in Pope's ‘Sober Advice from Horace,’ that he afterwards behaved ungratefully to his mistress. Even in his pleasures, it was said, he had an eye to business. Pope says (Spence, Anecdotes, p. 143) that he once showed Cadogan forty broad pieces, ‘the first sum he ever got in his life,’ which he had always kept unbroken. That Marlborough in early life was neither strictly virtuous nor wanting in an eye for the main chance may be taken as proved; but the details represent current scandals, the accuracy of which cannot be determined. Churchill's amatory adventures came to an early end. He fell in love with Sarah, daughter of Richard Jennings of Sandridge, near St. Albans, whose elder sister, Frances, married, first Sir George (or Count) Hamilton, elder brother of the famous Anthony, author of the ‘Mémoires de Grammont;’ and secondly Richard Talbot, created duke of Tyrconnel by James II. Sarah Jennings was born 29 May 1660, probably at Holywell, near St. Albans (Thomson, i. 9, 10). She was in the household of Mary of Modena, the second duchess of York, as an attendant upon the duchess's stepdaughter, the Princess Anne. Churchill's courtship was difficult; the lady was coy and quick-tempered; when his parents desired a richer marriage, his mistress urged him to abandon his suit, and threatened to escape his importunities by joining her sister, the Countess of Hamilton, in Paris. This produced so effective a remonstrance from her lover that they were married early in 1678, the courtship having begun some two years previously (Coxe, i. 11). The marriage was at first known only to the Duchess of York, but in the same summer they were reconciled to his parents.
On 17 Feb. 1677–8 Churchill received his commission as colonel of a regiment of foot, and during the following years was trusted in many confidential employments by the Duke of York. In April 1678 he was sent to communicate with the Prince of Orange, recently (4 Nov. 1677) married to the Princess Mary. Charles II and his brother were just then affecting a desire to renew the policy of the Triple Alliance. In the autumn there was a show of an active support of William, and Churchill returned to Holland with a warrant from the Duke of Monmouth (2 Sept. 1678), authorising him to command a brigade in the contemplated operations. The peace of Nimeguen immediately followed, and Churchill returned to England. The struggles over the Popish plot and the Exclusion Bill now began. When, in March 1679, James was forced to leave England, Churchill and his wife followed the duke to the Hague. Churchill returned with the duke to England in September upon the illness of Charles II. The duke was entrusted with the government of Scotland, as England was too hot to hold him. Churchill, after a mission to Paris, followed his patron to Scotland, reaching Edinburgh 4 Dec. 1679. During part of 1680 James, with Churchill, again visited London, but was forced to return to Edinburgh. In January 1681 he sent Churchill on a confidential mission to Charles, entreating the king to form a close alliance with France, to rule without a parliament, and to allow James to return to England. The return was impossible for the moment, but in 1682 Churchill accompanied James to England after the reaction against the popular party. He went with James to Scotland to bring back his court, when the yacht in which they sailed was lost [see Berry, Sir John], 6 May 1682, and Churchill was one of the few who escaped through James's especial care.
Churchill was created Baron Churchill of Aymouth in Scotland 21 Dec. 1682, and 19 Nov. 1683 appointed colonel of the 1st or royal regiment of dragoons, then newly raised. On 18 July 1683 the Princess Anne had been married to Prince George of Denmark, and at her earnest request Lady Churchill was appointed one of the ladies of her bedchamber. The intimacy rapidly grew closer. The famous nicknames Mrs. Morley and Mrs. Freeman were adopted about this time by the princess and her friend. Lady Churchill's imperious character and vigorous intellect completely dominated for a time the weaker mind and will. Unsuccessful attempts were made to convert both of them to catholicism (Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough, p. 16). Churchill himself had through life a strong religious feeling. His fidelity to the church of England is admitted even by his severest critics. When in Paris in 1685 he told Ruvigny, afterwards Lord Galway (as Galway told Burnet), that he would quit James's service if the new king attempted to change the ‘religion and constitution’ of the country. Churchill had imbibed cavalier principles in his infancy, and
