Might he hope to have, in the royal handwriting, two lines containing a promise of pardon?
It was not, of course, for his own sake that he asked this.

But he was confident that, with such a document in his hands, he could bring back to the right path some persons of great note who adhered to the usurper, only because they imagined that they had no mercy to expect from the legitimate King.

They would return to their duty as soon as they saw that even the worst of all criminals had, on his repentance, been generously forgiven.

The promise was written, sent, and carefully treasured up.

Marlborough had now attained one object, an object which was common to him with Russell and Godolphin.