Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

LONDON, February 1.

Extract from Mrs. BELLAMY's APOLOGY.

An interesting Account of the Death of the Great Duke of Marlborough, and an Account of a remarkable Trance experienced by his Sister, Mrs. Godfrey.

Among the persons of quality who occasionally my grandmother's houses, was the Honourable Mrs. Godfrey, Mistress of the Jewel Office, and sister to the great Duke of Marlborough. With this lady a daughter of Mr. Busby's by a former marriage, lived as her own attendant; and so great an esteem had she contracted, during her residence at Tunbridge, for my grandmother, and fondness for my mother, that she offered to bring up the latter, and have her education in every respect the same as her own daughter, Miss Godfrey. My grandmother, however, having at this time no reason to doubt but that her child was amply provided for, politely declined the offer, but agreed, that upon Mrs. Godfrey's return to town for the winter, she should accompany, and spend three or four months with her.

That season being now come, Mrs. Godfrey set out for London; and, upon her arrival, heard that her noble brother was given over by his physicians. But having been for some time at variance with the Duchess, on account of her exposing, though reduced to a state of second childhood, the man who had rendered himself so famous, an imprudence which deservedly gave offence to Mrs. Godfrey; she had not the satisfaction of seeing him before he died. Here I must add, that the Duchess of Marlborough, much to her discredit, used to take the Duke with her in the coach, whenever she went abroad, even upon the most trivial occasions; exhibiting, as a public spectacle, the hero who had lately kept nations in awe, and whose talents in the cabinet were equal to his valour and military knowledge in the field. Good Heavens! such a ruin must sorely have excited the most poignant grief even in the most unfeeling breast.

Mrs. Godfrey was prevented, by this disagreement, from paying a visit herself at Marlborough-house, to condole with her sister-in-law on the loss their family and the nation had sustained: Having, however, an inclination to know how things were conducted there; she sent her woman, Mr. Busby's daughter, to make what enquiries she could: And the latter, overcome by the importunities of her little step-sister, who had attended Mr. Godfrey to town as proposed, was accompanied by her to see the remains of the Duke lie in state.

When they arrived at the gate of Marlborough-house they found it open, but to their infinite surprise, met not a living creature during their passage to the room in which the body was deposited. So totally was this incomparable man neglected in the last stage of his mortal exhibition, that not a single attendant, or one glimmering taper, remained about him as tokens of respectful attention. My mother and her companion were obliged to the day-light alone for the faint view they obtained of the funeral decorations.

The melancholy and disrespectful scene she had just been witness to, was no sooner described to Mrs. Godfrey by her woman; than it had such an effect upon her as to occasion a long and severe illness; which at length reduced her to such a state, that had she experienced the same neglectful treatment her brother had done, she must have been buried alive. For one Sunday, fancying herself better than she had been for some time, and able to go to chapel; as she was dressing for that purpose, she suddenly fell down, to all appearance dead.

The screams of her woman and my mother brought Colonel Godfrey into the room; who, having probably seen instances of persons remaining in a state of insensibility for a considerable time, and afterward recovering, directed that his lady should be immediately put into bed, and that two persons should constantly continue with her, until indubitable symptoms appeared of her decease. The consequences proved, with how much judgment the Colonel had acted. Notwithstanding the opinion of the physicians, who declared that the breath of life was irrecoverably departed; and in opposition to the solicitations of his friends to have the body interred, he continued resolute in his determination, until the Sunday following; when exactly at the same hour on which the change had happened, signs appeared of returning of Sensibility. So punctual was nature in her operations upon this singular occasion, that Mrs. Godfrey awoke from her trance just as the chapel bell was once more ringing; which so perfectly eradicated from her memory every trace of her insensibility, that
she blamed her attendant for not awaking her in time to go to church as she had proposed to do. Colonel Godfrey, whose tenderness to his lady was unremitted, taking advantage of this incident, prudently gave orders that she should by no means be made acquainted with what had happened, lest it should make a melancholy impression on her mind. And I believe to the day of her death she remained ignorant of it.