Note 366 — Chapter XVII

The following account, supplied by William Upcott, Esq., from some one of the daily papers of that day, is curious. “Woodstock, June 19. Yesterday being Monday, about six o’clock in the evening, was laid the first stone of the Duke of Marlborough’s house, by Mr. Vanbrugge, and then seven gentlemen gave it a stroke with a hammer, and threw down each of them a guinea; Sir Thomas Wheate was the first, Dr. Bouchel the second, Mr. Vanbrugge the third; I know not the rest. There were several sorts of musick; three morris dances; one of young fellows, one of maidens, and one of old beldames. There were about a hundred buckets, bowls, and pans, filled with wine, punch, cakes, and ale. From my lord’s house all went to the Town-hall, where plenty of sack, claret, cakes, &c., were prepared for the gentry and better sort; and under the Cross eight barrels of ale, with abundance of cakes, were placed for the common people. The stone laid by Mr. Vanbrugge was eight square, finely polished, about eighteen inches over, and upon it were these words inlayed in pewter—In memory of the battel of Blenheim, June 8, 1705, Anna Regina.”