Crest.—Out of a ducal coronet or, a griffin's head arg., gorged gu., between 2 wings expanded of the second. Spencer.
Charles Spencer (born c. 1674, died 19th April 1722) was the son of Robert Spencer, second Earl of Sunderland, and succeeded his father in 1702. He was from an early age a great lover and collector of books, which he kept at Althorp.
In 1695 he was Member of Parliament for Tiverton; in 1706 he was a Secretary of State for the Southern Department, and became of much political importance as a Whig leader. He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1714.
In 1715 Lord Sunderland was made Lord Privy Seal, and shortly afterwards Vice-Treasurer of Ireland. He also held the posts of Groom of the Stole and Gentleman of the Bedchamber to George I.
Lord Sunderland was a great book collector, and a rival in this respect to most of his contemporaries. He was a great gambler, and his library was at one time pledged to the Duke of Marlborough, and in 1749 it was removed to Blenheim. The library was sold in 1881, and the books belonging to it were widely dispersed.
Lord Sunderland's son Charles, who in 1729 became fifth earl, on the demise of his aunt Henrietta, by special Act of Parliament Duchess of Marlborough, in 1733 succeeded to the Dukedom of the celebrated John Churchill. The Earldom of Sunderland from that time has been merged in the Dukedom of Marlborough.
