Baron Churchill

The Duke of York, in these days of prosperity, did not forget the faithful services of Colonel Churchill.

He was created a peer of Scotland with the title of Baron Churchill of Imoth, and in November 1683 was appointed Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Dragoons, which was just being raised as the first regiment of its kind in England.

The public had seen no cause to rate highly Churchill's merits, and ridiculed his appointment as a piece of favouritism.

One lampoon of the time says, Let's cut our meat with spoons, the sense is as good as that Churchill should be put to command the dragoons.

Churchill, like others, was willing to believe James II's assurance of good government, but was not without some anxiety for the future.

He said to Lord Galway in Paris, If the king should attempt to change our religion and constitution, I will instantly quit his service.

Churchill returned from Paris in time to be present at the king's coronation, and soon afterwards was raised to the English peerage under the title of Baron Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire.

Whilst in England the accession of James II had been peacefully accepted, there was a band of Whig refugees in Holland who were by no means prepared to witness tamely the destruction of all their hopes.