▁Wh ig ▁asc end ancy ▁was ▁w an ing , ▁and ▁his ▁appointment ▁as ▁const able ▁of ▁the ▁Tower ▁in ▁ 1 7 1 0 ▁on ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁Har ley ▁and ▁without ▁Mar l borough ' s ▁knowledge ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁un m ist ak able ▁int imation ▁to ▁the ▁Wh igs ▁of ▁their ▁imp ending ▁fall . ▁R ivers ▁now ▁met ▁with ▁marked ▁favour ▁at ▁court , ▁being ▁entr usted ▁with ▁a ▁del icate ▁mission ▁to ▁the ▁Elect or ▁of ▁Han over ▁in ▁ 1 7 1 0 , ▁which ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁his ▁appointment ▁in ▁ 1 7 1 1 ▁as ▁Master - General ▁of ▁the ▁Or dn ance , ▁a ▁post ▁h ither to ▁held ▁by ▁Mar l borough ▁himself . ▁ ▁Swift , ▁who ▁was ▁int imate ▁with ▁him , ▁speak s ▁of ▁him ▁as ▁an ▁arr ant ▁kn ave ; ▁but ▁the ▁de an ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁disappoint ed ▁at ▁being ▁un ment ioned ▁in ▁R ivers ' s ▁will , ▁for ▁he ▁made ▁a ▁fier ce ▁comment ▁on ▁the ▁ear l ' s ▁be quest s ▁to ▁his ▁mist ress es ▁and ▁his ▁neglect ▁of ▁his ▁friends . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 7 1 2 ▁R ivers ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁general , ▁and ▁became ▁commander - in - ch ief ▁in ▁England ; ▁he ▁died ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ▁later , ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁August ▁ 1 7 1 2 . ▁ ▁He ▁married ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 9 ▁Pen el ope