Page "John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough" Paragraph 9

Back in London by February 1671, Churchill's handsome features and manner – described by Lord Chesterfield as " irresistible to either man or woman " – had soon attracted the ravenous attentions of one of the King's most noteworthy mistresses, Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland.

But his liaisons with the insatiable temptress were indeed dangerous.

One account has it that upon the King's appearance Churchill leapt out of his lover's bed and hid in the cupboard, but the King, himself wily in such matters, soon discovered young Churchill who promptly fell to his knees – " You are a rascal ," said Charles, " but I forgive you because you do it to get your bread.

" The story may be apocryphal ( another version has Churchill jumping out of the window ), yet it is widely accepted that he was the father of Cleveland's daughter, Barbara, born on 16 July 1672 ( O. S.

).