412 THE HOUSE OF GODOLPHIN. 



James I. On the death of his father, in 1608, Sir William came 

 into possession of Godolphin, but he did not survive very long 

 to enjoy it. He died in 1613 and was buried at Breage. He 

 was followed by his son, Francis, who stood for the king 

 during the civil war, but was compelled to capitulate to the 

 parliamentary forces. He was, however, permitted to compound 

 for his lands. On the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, 

 Francis became a Knight of the Bath. He died seven years 

 later leaving a large family, most of whom reached positions of 

 distinction. The eldest son, and heir. Sir William, had in 1661 

 been created by Charles II " the five hundred and fifty-second 

 Baronet of England." The third son was the celebrated Sydney, 

 probably the most famous member of the whole line of Godolphin. 

 He had a long and successful parliamentary career in the gov- 

 ernments of Charles II and William III, and finally rose to be 

 Lord High Treasurer of England and First Minister of State 

 under Queen Anne. 



Sir William Godolphin died in 1710 without direct heirs; 

 and his next brother, Francis, having also died unmarried, the 

 property passed to Sydney, who was then a peer of the realm 

 with the title of Earl of Godolphin. Sydney died two years 

 later, on Sept. 15th, 1712, and was given a public funeral in 

 Westminster Abbey. His career marks the zenith of the family 

 fortunes ; but the name was not destined to survive much longer. 

 He was succeeded by his only son, Francis, who died in 1766, 

 leaving one child, the Lady Mary Godolphin. The earldom thus 

 became extinct in the second generation. Before the death of 

 the second earl, however, the barony of Helston had been con- 

 ferred upon him, with remainder to the heirs male of his uncle, 

 Henry Godolphin, D.D., who had been Provost of Eton and 

 Dean of St. Paul's. In default, therefore, of a male heir in the 

 direct line, Henry's son, Francis, succeeded his cousin as Baron 

 Godolphin of Helston. But this title also passed away without 

 a third successor. In 1785 Francis died childless, and with his 

 death the great name of Godolphin came to an end. Lady Mary, 

 the only daughter of Francis the second earl, had in the mean- 

 time married Thomas Osborne, the 4th Duke of Leeds ; and 

 thus the manor-house and estates passed into the hands of a 

 distant family, and the Osbornes became, and still are, the lords 

 of the Manor of Godolphin. 



