THE KING CHARLES SPANIELS 279 



the early voyagers to the East, and thence imported into 

 England. The English Toy Spaniels of to-day, especially the 

 Blenheim variety, are also said by some to be related to some 

 sporting Spaniels which belonged to Queen Mary about the 

 year 1555, and might have been brought over from Germany. 

 Mary kept a pack of Spaniels for hunting purposes. 



There is another theory advanced, and with some reason 

 that the English Toy Spaniel of the present day derived its 

 origin from the Cocker Spaniel, as these larger dogs have the 

 same colours and markings, black and tan, tricolour, and red 

 and white. The Cocker also occasionally has the spot on the 

 forehead which is a characteristic of the Blenheim. 



Be the origin of the King Charles Spaniel, and its advent in 

 this country, what it may, King Charles II. so much indulged 

 and loved these little friends that they followed him hither and 

 thither as they pleased, and seem to have been seldom sepa- 

 rated from him. By him they were loved and cherished, and 

 brought into great popularity ; in his company they adorn 

 canvas and ancient tapestries, and are reputed to have been 

 allowed free access at all times to Whitehall, Hampton Court, 

 and other royal palaces. 



There are now four recognised varieties of the English Toy 

 Spaniel, or, more properly speaking, five, as the Marlborough 

 Blenheims are considered a distinct type. The latter are said 

 by some to be the oldest of the Toy Spaniels ; by others to 

 have been first brought over from Spain during the reign of 

 Charles II. by John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, 

 from whose home, Blenheim Palace, the name was derived, and 

 has ever since been retained. 



If we may take the evidence of Vandyck, Watteau, Francois 

 Boucher, and Greuze, in whose pictures they are so frequently 

 introduced, all the toy Spaniels of bygone days had much 

 longer noses and smaller, flatter heads than those of the 

 present time, and they had much longer ears, these in many 

 instances dragging on the ground. 



The Marlborough Blenheim has retained several of the 



