love of music and the fame which had grown about his
Capellmeister's name. The offence lay far too deep for that, and
Handel realised that he must employ some special means of grace to
secure his master's pardon. The opportunity he sought for came ere
long. A royal entertainment on the Thames was arranged, in which there
was to be a grand procession of decorated barges from Whitehall to
Limehouse. An orchestra was provided, and Handel was requested by the
Lord Chamberlain to compose the music for the fete, in the hope that
by so doing he might pave the way towards a reconciliation. Handel
acquiesced, and the result was the series of pieces which have since
been known as the 'Water Music,' The King was so delighted with the
performance that he had it repeated, and, learning that Handel was
conducting it in person, he sent for him, and not only granted him a
full pardon, but conferred upon him an additional pension of L200. Nor
did the royal favour stop here, for he was shortly afterwards
appointed music-master to the daughters of the Prince of Wales at a
salary of L200 a year. Handel was thus raised to a position of
independence, for as the original grant from Queen Anne continued in
force he enjoyed a total income of L600 a year, a sum which in those
days was equivalent to a considerable fortune.

It was not long after this that Handel was appointed chapel-master to
the Duke of Chandos, at the latter's palace of Cannons, near Edgware.
The post up till then had been held by a certain Dr. Pepusch, but he
resigned at once in favour of Handel. Anything more princely in style
than Cannons could hardly be imagined; its size and magnificence were
the talk of the country for miles around, whilst the fabulous riches
of its owner and his luxuriousness of living earned for him the title
of 'The Grand Duke,' The palace itself has long since disappeared, but
the chapel originally attached to it has been preserved, and now forms
the parish church of Whitchurch, or Little Stanmore. The interior is
furnished and decorated after the fashion of the Italian churches, but
it is not on account of its structural beauty that the church has
become the object of interest to thousands of pilgrims who annually
make their way to the village of Edgware; it is the knowledge that it
was here that Handel composed his first English oratorio, 'Esther,' as
well as numerous anthems and other minor works. The manuscript score
of this fine work--which is bu