[William Guidott embezzles John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough.] Two printed documents: 'The Case of the Appellants' (including Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough) and 'The Respondent's Case', the latter carrying the judgement in a contemporary hand.

The background to the two documents is given in Guidott's entry in the History of Parliament, which states that his uncle Anthony was 'for many years a lawyer to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and described the latter in his will as “my particular good friend”. Guidott benefited from the connexion, succeeding his uncle as lawyer to the Marlboroughs. […] He proved a disappointment to the Duchess of Marlborough, however, as by 1711 he had begun the embezzlement of funds from the Marlborough estates for which he was sued in 1725. Described by the Duchess of Marlborough as “certainly very cunning, though his foolish awkward way has hitherto inclined some to think that he was honest”. The case in question is the subject of 'An account of Mr. Guidott's proceedings : which occasion'd the late trial between the late Duke of Marlborough's executors and the said Mr. Guidott' (1727?), which, according to ESTC (T141008) was 'Probably written to the instructions of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough'. Despite being forced to repay £5,000, Guidott was re-elected MP for Andover in 1730, serving until 1841, and left extensive estates to his widow. The two documents are in good condition, disbound and continuously paginated in manuscript 107-118. The 'Case of the Appellants' has the margin cropped at the foot of the gutter, for insertion in a bound volume. ONE: 'The Case of the Appellants.' ESTC T109680. Docket title: 'Her Grace the Dutchess of Marlborough and Others} Appellants. | William Guidott, Esq; Respondent. | The Appellant's Case. | To be Heard at the Bar of the House of Lords, on Monday the 4th Day of March, 1727.' Drophead title: 'Sarah Dutchess Dowager of Marlborough, Francis Earl of Godolphin, William Clayton, Esq; and John Hanbury, Esq; the four acting Executors of the Most Noble John late Duke of Marlborough} Appellants. | William Guidott, Esquire Respondent. | The Case of the Appellants.' Signed in type at end: 'C. Talbot. | Tho. Reeve.' 4pp., folio. In small print. The final two words of the document have been amended in manuscript from 'great falsified' to 'greatly falsifyed'. TWO: 'The Respondent's Case.' ESTC T109679. Docket title: 'Dutchess Marlborough and Others, Appellants. | William Guidott, Esq; Respondent. | The Respondent's Case. | To be heard at the Bar of the House of Lords, on the Fourth Day of March, 1727.' Drophead title: 'The Most Noble Sarah, Dutchess Dowager of Marlborough, the Right Honourable Francis Earl of Godolphin, William Clayton, Esq; and John Hanbury, Esq; the four acting Executors of the last Will and Testament of the Most Noble John Duke of Marlborough, and others,} Appellants. | William Guidott, Esq; Respondent. | The Respondent's Case.' Signed in type at end: 'P. Yorke. | Tho. Lutwytche.' 8pp., folio. In small print. The judgement in the cause is closely written out in a clerk's hand over thirteen lines at the end of the document, beginning: 'Order'd and Adjudg'd that the Respondt. do pay Interest for the 420l. receiv'd by him from Sr. Charles Hedges and for the 150l. receiv'd from the Dutchess of Bedford from the time of the respective Receipts […]'. Scarce: the only copies of the two in America noted by ESTC are at Yale, with only a handful of copies in Britain.