FRANCIS WAS BORN ON 3 SEPTEMBER 1678, THE ONLY CHILD OF SIDNEY, 1ST EARL OF GODOLPHIN, AND HIS WIFE MARGARET. HIS EDUCATION AT ETON AND KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, WAS SUPERVISED BY JOHN EVELYN, AN OLD FRIEND OF THE FAMILY. HE BEGAN HIS POLITICAL CAREER AS MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR EAST LOOE, FOLLOWED BY HELSTON, HOLDING THE POSTS OF LORD WARDEN OF THE STANNARIES, HIGH STEWARD OF THE DUCHY OF CORNWALL AND RIDER AND FORESTER OF DARTMOOR. ON THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER IN 1712 HE SUCCEEDED AS 2ND EARL OF GODOLPHIN. BY NOW MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR OXFORD AND THEN TREGONY, HE WAS APPOINTED LORD LIEUTENANT OF OXFORD, LORD OF THE BEDCHAMBER TO KING GEORGE I, HIGH STEWARD OF BANBURY AND MADE A PRIVY COUNCILLOR IN 1723. TO KING GEORGE II HE BECAME GROOM OF THE STOLE AND 1ST LORD OF THE BEDCHAMBER; SUBSEQUENT APPOINTMENTS INCLUDED GOVERNOR OF THE SCILLY ISLES, ONE OF THE LORDS OF JUSTICE AND LORD PRIVY SEAL. HE WAS CREATED BARON GODOLPHIN OF HELSTON, HIS OLD CONSTITUENCY, WHICH WAS UNDER HIS PATRONAGE FOR MANY YEARS. HE DIED ON 17 JANUARY 1766 AND WAS BURIED IN KENSINGTON.

IN MARCH 1698 HE MARRIED HENRIETTA, ELDEST DAUGHTER OF JOHN CHURCHILL, 1ST DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, WHO SUCCEEDED AS DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH ON HER FATHER'S DEATH ON 16 JULY 1722