GODOL'PHIN, SIDNEY, first Earl of (1645 1712). An English statesman. The third son of Sir Francis Godolphin, he was born at Hel ston, Cornwall, and was educated at Oxford, where he received the degree of M.A. in 1663. The previous year he was page of honor to Charles II., and in 1678 he became master of the robes. From 1668 to 1679 he was a member of Parliament for Helston, then two years for Saint Mawes. In 1678 he was one of the com missioners sent to Holland to negotiate the Peace of Nimeguen. Next year the Government ap pointed him a Lord of the Treasury, and in 1684 Secretary of State, with the title of Baron Godolphin of Rialton. Although his dislike of Roman Catholicism led him to vote for the exclu sion of the Duke of York from the succession, on the Duke's accession as James II. Godolphin be came chamberlain to the Queen, and afterwards the King gave him a place on the commission sent to treat with William of Orange. In 1690 Wil liam appointed him First Lord of the Treasury, and five years afterwards one of the seven lords justices for the administration of government during the King's absence. As Godolphin was guilty of secret correspondence with James II. at Saint Germain, he resigned his office in trepi dation upon Sir John Fenwick's confession. When
Fenwick was hanged and his story discredited. however, Godolphin again became a Lord of the Treasury (1700). Appointed Lord Treasurer on the accession of Anne (1702), he remained head of the home Government during eight years, mainly through the influence of the Duke of Marlborough, whom Godolphin stanchly support ed with funds for the prosecution of the Duke's wars. In 1706 Godolphin was created Earl of Godolphin and Viscount Rialton. His position as head of the Whig Government came to an end in 1710, when he fell from power and was sup planted by Harley. He died two years after wards at Saint Alban's. A man of remarkable intelligence and of business-like habits, he was thorough in everything he did, and in an age of corruption he kept his hands pure. Consult: Elliot, Life of Sidney, Earl of Godolphin (Lon don, 1888), very favorable; Collins, Peerage (9 vols., London, 1812) ; Evelyn, Diary (4 vols., London, 1879) ; Clarke, Life of James II. (2 vols., London, 1816) ; Macpherson, Original Papers (2 vols., London, 1775) ; Burnet, History of His Own Time (Oxford, 1833) ; and the various histories of England.