Godolphin, who was created Viscount Rislton and Earl of Godolphin, 29th of December 1706, having also in 1701 been made a knight of the garter, continued to hold the office of lord-high-treasurer, eta as such to take the chief part in the direction of affairs, till tho interest of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough was effectually supplanted by that of Mrs. Meridiem and Harley in 1710. From the first how ever both Marlborough and Godolphin had taken a moderate course, and the latter especially continued to approximate more and more towards the Whigs, as that party acquired strength in the country and in the House of Commons. From about the beginning of the year 1706, Godolphin is to be considered as having openly attached himself to the Whig party. Soon after this a struggle for the chief power commenced between him and Harley, which was put a stop to for a time by the queen's reluctant dismissal of Harley, on the distinct declaration of Godolphin and Marlborough that they would leave her service unless that step were taken, but the contest was not terminated by that ejection of one of the two rivals from the cabinet. Harley
did not rest till, taking advantage of the ferment excited in the public mind in the summer of 1710, by the conduct of the ministry in the case of Sacheverel, he succeeded in emboldening the queen to venture upon the measure for which his intrigues had long given her a vehement inclination. The premier Godolphin was suddenly and rudely dismissed on the 8th of August: it is affirmed that the letter intimating the queen's commands was sent to him by the hands of n livery servant. He survived his loss of power about two years, having died on the 25th of September 1712. Lord Godolphin left au only son, Francis, on whose death, without any surviving male issue, in 1766, the titles became extinct. A new barony however of Godolphin of iielaton, which had been granted to this Francis iu 1735, was inherited by Frnncie Godolphin, the son of his uncle Henry; but on his death in 1785 it also became extinct.