WARRANT FOR "PAY ONE YEARS FULL PAY ... FOR THE LOSS OF HIS ARM" GEORGE (Prince of Denmark, 1653-1708, Consort of Queen Anne)

Document signed ('George') as "Lord High Admiral of England and Ireland &c ..." to Walter WHITFIELD (1635-1712, Paymaster General of the Marines) instructing him to pay "out of such moneys as are or shall come to your hands by the deduction of Sixpence from every Twenty shillings by you issued pursuant to the Establishment of the Marine Regiments to pay unto Lieutenant William Squibb of the Regiment of Marines commanded by Colonel Joshua Churchill, the summ of Eighty five pounds, three shillings and four pence, or One years full pay as First Lieutenant in the marines according to His Post, which Her Majesty is graciously pleased to allow him in consideration of the Loss of his Arm; And for so doing this together with the Acquittance of the said William Squibb or his Assigns shall be you Warrant and Discharge. Given under my hand this 6th day of April ...", with a manuscript receipt on the second side, signed by Squibb, 3 sides folio., no place, 6th April slight tape residue to the margins

The Scilly naval disaster of 1707, in which a fleet commanded by Sir Cloudesley Shovell foundered, highlighted mismanagement at the Admiralty, for which George was nominally responsible. Pressure grew to replace Admiral Churchill with someone more dynamic. By October 1708, five powerful politicians, known as the Whig Junto—Lords Somers, Halifax, Orford, Wharton and Sunderlan - were clamouring for the removal of both Prince George and Churchill. Marlborough wrote to his brother telling him to resign,[59] but Churchill refused, protected by Prince George. Amid the political pressure, George was on his deathbed, suffering from severe asthma and dropsy. He died on 28th October 1708 at Kensington Palace. The Queen was devastated.

Item Date:  1708

Stock No:  41745      £775

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