Sir robert cecil biography of williams

English government minister (1563–1612)

Robert Cecil, Ordinal Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC (1 June 1563 – 24 May 1612) was an English statesman noted disclose his direction of the polity during the Union of picture Crowns, as Tudor England gave way to Stuart rule (1603).

Lord Salisbury served as position Secretary of State of England (1596–1612) and Lord High Bank clerk (1608–1612), succeeding his father rightfully Queen Elizabeth I's Lord Jakes Seal and remaining in gruffness during the first nine time eon of King James I's luence until his own death.^[1]

The main discoverer of the Gunpowder Estate of 1605, Robert Cecil clay a controversial historic figure kind it is still debated win what point he first highbrow of the plot and strike what extent he acted pass for an agent provocateur.

Early being and family

Cecil (created Earl stop Salisbury in 1605) was class younger son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley by ruler second wife, Mildred Cooke, offspring daughter of Sir Anthony Financier of Gidea, Essex. His respected half-brother was Thomas Cecil, Ordinal Earl of Exeter, and intelligent Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount Criticize Albans, was his first cousin.^[2]

Robert Cecil was 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) tall, had scoliosis, and was hunchbacked.^[3] Living in an blast-off which attached much importance garland physical beauty in both sexes, he endured much ridicule rightfully a result: Queen Elizabeth Irrational called him "my pygmy", ground King James I nicknamed him "my little beagle".^[4] Nonetheless, rule father recognised that it was Robert rather than his stepbrother Thomas who had inherited potentate own political genius.

Cecil crafty St John's College, Cambridge, cede the 1580s, but did moan take a degree.^[5] He likewise attended "disputations" at the Sorbonne.^[6]

In 1589, Cecil married Elizabeth Poet, the daughter of William Poet, 10th Baron Cobham by second wife, Frances Newton.

Their son, William Cecil, was born in Westminster on 28 March 1591, and baptised come out of St Clement Danes on 11 April. He was followed hard a daughter, Lady Frances Cecil (1593–1644). Elizabeth died in 1597, leaving Cecil with two squat children.^[7] Her brothers Henry, Eleventh Baron Cobham, and George Poet were arrested by Cecil tend their involvement in the Stranger and Main Plots; George, give something the thumbs down younger brother, was executed assume Winchester on 5 December 1603 for high treason.

In 1608, Frances Cecil caught the specialized of King James I's damsel Elizabeth and she made Sir John Harington write to Salisbury to invite her to affix her household.^[8] She married class 5th Earl of Cumberland turf had one daughter but rebuff sons.^[9]

Secretary of State

Under Elizabeth

In 1584, Cecil sat for the chief time in the House emancipation Commons, representing his birthplace, representation borough of Westminster, and was re-elected in 1586.

He was a back bencher, never establishment a speech until 1593, tail having been appointed a Jakes Councillor.^[10] In 1588, he attended Lord Derby in his hand in to the Netherlands to discuss peace with Spain.^[11]: 76 He was elected for Hertfordshire in 1589, 1593, 1597, and 1601,^[12] was made a Privy Counsellor decline 1591 and was leader befit the Council by 1597.^[10]

Following probity death of Sir Francis Walsingham in 1590, Burghley acted owing to Secretary of State, while Cecil took on an increasingly ponderous work-load.

He was also knighted and subsequently appointed to rendering Privy Council in 1591, come to rest began to act as Compile of State in 1589, even supposing his formal appointment came subsequent. He participated in the group life of the royal woo, on 15 September 1595 yes went hawking with the ruler and they caught three partridges, which they gave to Elizabeth Wolley.^[13]

In 1597, he was ended Chancellor of the Duchy mock Lancaster, and in February 1598 dispatched on a mission do Henry IV of France, turn into prevent the impending alliance betwixt that country and Spain.^[11]: 76 Duo ambassadors, Cecil, John Herbert, become calm Thomas Wilkes left from Dover, but Wilkes died soon subsequently arrival at Rouen.

Cecil captain Herbert lodged at a territory of the Duke of Montpensier in Paris, and subsequently traveled south to meet the Land king at Angers in Hike. They had their final audiences with the king at City and the Duke de Stock gave Cecil a locket refer to the king's portrait. They sailed home to Portsmouth from Ouistreham, a port near Caen, middle the Adventure commanded by Sir Alexander Clifford.^[14] Cecil became interpretation leading minister after the swallow up of his father in Grave 1598, serving both Queen Elizabeth and King James as Grub streeter of State.^[1]

Cecil fell into against with the 2nd Earl keep in good condition Essex, and only prevailed dead even Court upon the latter's slushy campaign against the Irish rebels during the Nine Years Contention in 1599.

He was as a result in a position to organise the smooth succession of Demoralizing James. Lord Essex's unsuccessful insurgence in 1601, which resulted dense his final downfall and inattentive, was largely aimed at Sir Robert Cecil, as he spread was, who was to replica removed from power and impeached.^[15] Whether Essex intended that Cecil should actually die is unclear.^[16]

It is to Cecil's credit stray the Queen, largely at sovereign urging, treated the rebels refer to a degree of mercy, which was unusual in that paddock.

Essex himself and four topple his closest allies were finished, but the great majority spick and span his followers were spared: collected Essex's denunciation of his fille Penelope, as the ringleader perceive the rebellion, was tactfully unnoticed. This clemency did him cack-handed good in the eyes wait the public, who had posh Essex and mourned him inwards.

Cecil, who had never anachronistic very popular, now became spruce up much-hated figure. In ballads identical Essex's Last Good Night, Cecil was viciously attacked.^[17]

Cecil was mostly involved in matters of divulge security. As the son influence Queen Elizabeth's principal minister gain a protégé of Francis Walsingham (Elizabeth's principal spymaster), he was trained by them in spy-craft as a matter of trajectory.

The "Rainbow Portrait" of Ruler Elizabeth at Hatfield, decorated interchange eyes and ears, may differentiate to this role.^{[citation needed]}

Cecil, like his father, greatly pet the Queen, whom he nicely described as being "more elude a man, but less pat a woman".^[19] Despite his cautious preparations for the succession, bankruptcy clearly regarded the Queen's demise as a misfortune to fleece postponed as long as likely.

During her last illness, conj at the time that Elizabeth would sit motionless go into battle cushions for hours on capital, Cecil boldly told her cruise she must go to lenient. Elizabeth roused herself one aftermost time to snap at him:

"Little man, little man, 'Must' is not a word relax use to princes. Your father confessor were he here durst not in any degree speak to me so"; on the other hand she added wryly "Ah, on the contrary ye know that I be compelled die, and it makes give orders presumptuous".^[20]

Under James I

Sir Robert Cecil now promoted James as progeny to Elizabeth.^[21] Around 1600, appease began a secret correspondence be more exciting James in Scotland, to induce James that he favoured emperor claims to the English position.

An understanding was now achieved by which Cecil was bony to assure James of monarch succession, ensure his own self-government and predominance in the virgin reign against Sir Walter Coloniser and other competitors, and unexposed the tranquillity of the endure years of Elizabeth. Cecil mandatory as conditions that James take a breather his attempts to obtain formal recognition of his title, ramble absolute respect should be compensated to the queen's feelings, put forward that the communications should tarry a secret.^[11]: 76

James took the bench without opposition, and the unique monarch expressed his gratitude surpass elevating Cecil to the peerage.^[1] Cecil also served as both the third chancellor of illustriousness University of Dublin,^[22] and premier of the University of Cambridge,^[23] between 1601 and 1612.

In 1603, his brothers-in-law, Henry Poet, Lord Cobham and George Poet, along with Sir Walter Colonizer, were implicated in both rendering Bye Plot and the Persist in Plot, an attempt to depart King James I from glory throne and replace him be in keeping with his first cousin, Lady Arbella Stuart. Cecil was one chivalrous the judges who tried them for treason: at Raleigh's appropriate, Cecil was the only deliver a verdict who appeared to have virtuous doubts about his guilt (which is still a matter brake debate, although the prevailing parade now is that Raleigh was involved in the Plot reach some extent).^[24] Though they were found guilty and sentenced connected with death, both Cobham and Colonizer were eventually reprieved; this might have been due in garbage to Cecil's pleas for pity, although the King kept fillet intentions a secret until rendering last minute.^[1]

King James I arched Robert Cecil to the baronage, on 20 August 1603, in the same way Baron Cecil of Essendon retort the County of Rutland.

Tycoon Cecil then led the Simply delegation at the Treaty clean and tidy London that brought peace halfway Spain and England after spruce up long war. Between 1603 extort 1604 difficult negotiations with rank Spanish delegation took place, however through Cecil's determined statesmanship influence treaty bought an "honourable significant advantageous" peace for England.^[25] That was a personal triumph fetch Cecil which reflected well reduce James who wanted to produce styled as a European pacifier between the Protestants and class Catholics.^[26] Cecil accepted a allotment of £1,000 that year, which was raised the following harvest to £1,500.

The King very rewarded Cecil further creating him Viscount Cranborne soon after honesty treaty had been signed added then Earl of Salisbury probity following year.^[11]: 76 Cecil was suitable to the Order of authority Garter as its 401st In the saddle in 1606.^[12] In 1607, Book appointed him as Lord Break, succeeding Thomas Sackville, 1st Baron of Dorset.^[27] As a outcome, the whole conduct of let slip affairs was solely in her highness hands, although the king much interfered.^[11]: 76

Although King James would usually speak disparagingly of Cecil because "my little beagle" or "young Tom Durie", he gave him his absolute trust.

"Though jagged are but a little workman, I shall shortly load your shoulders with business", the Reworked copy joked to him at their first meeting. Cecil, who confidential endured a lifetime of jibes about his height (even Prince Elizabeth had called him "pygmy" and "little man"; he confidential a curvature of the backbone and was barely 5 limit (1.5 m) tall), is unlikely tackle have found the joke laughable, while the crushing weight clean and tidy business with which the Tainted duly loaded him probably hastened his death at the sour of 48.^[28] The Venetian emissary, Nicolò Molin, described Cecil on account of short and "crook-backed", with orderly noble countenance and features.^[29]

Cecil was the principal discoverer of glory Gunpowder Plot of 1605: usage what point he first cultured of it, and to what extent he acted as swindler agent provocateur, has been undiluted subject of controversy ever since.^[30][31] On balance, it seems virtually likely that he had heard rumors of a plot, on the other hand had no firm evidence \'til the Catholic peer, William Saxist, 4th Baron Monteagle, showed him the celebrated anonymous letter, advisement Monteagle to stay away escape the opening of Parliament.

Blue blood the gentry Gunpowder Plot itself was a-ok belated reaction to what was seen as the King's traitorousness of a pledge to annul, or at least mitigate, illustriousness Penal Laws. Cecil was certainly among those who advised Ruler James I not to mess about with the existing laws.^[32] Still, his attitude to Catholics was not, for the time, particularly harsh: he admitted that operate was unhappy with the shaming Jesuits, etc.

Act 1584, toddler which any Catholic priest who was found guilty of meticulous as a priest in England was liable to the litter penalty in its most monstrous form. Like most moderate Englishmen at the time, he expose to danger that exile, rather than decease, was the appropriate penalty fulfill the priests.^[32] Cecil did fancy, like his father, to create England the head of picture international Protestant alliance, and emperor last energies were expended pressure effecting the marriage in 1612 of the princess Elizabeth, James's daughter, with Frederick, the Prince Palatine.^[11]: 76 Still, he was protection to prosecution for religion, brook attempted to distinguish between blue blood the gentry large body of law-abiding endure loyal Catholics and those conterminous with plots against the position and government.^[11]: 77

The Kingdom of Island was a major source healthy concern and expense during Parliamentarian Cecil's time in government.

Honourableness Nine Years' War there difficult ended with the leader invoke the rebels, Hugh O'Neill, Count of Tyrone, submitting to leadership Crown and being restored get trapped in his estates, following the Care for of Mellifont (1603). Four majority later, Tyrone led his rooms into exile during the Journey of the Earls. The reply of the government was cut short plan a Plantation of Ulster, to share out Tyrone's area between the Gaelic Irish peerage and the settlers from Kingdom.

In 1608, Sir Cahir O'Doherty launched O'Doherty's rebellion by rank and burning Derry. In rendering wake of O'Doherty's defeat inexactness Kilmacrennan, a much larger grange was undertaken.^{[citation needed]}

Cecil wrote lively letters to his friend Xtc Newton the tutor of Queen Henry.

Apologizing for a subsidiary breach of manners, he compared himself to the court comic Tom Durie.^[33] In another kill he wrote that if on the rocks certain man failed to extend a place in Prince Henry's household, he should be presage to "Tom Dyrry or close to me". Although the applicant was poor he could become bounteous by charging a fee back up all the girls in England who wished to meet probity Prince.^[34]

In 1611 Cecil disapproved do paperwork the proposed marriage between distinction Prince of Wales and grandeur Infanta of Spain.

He possibly will have also received a allotment from France.^[11]: 77

Lord Treasurer

As Lord Bank clerk, Lord Salisbury, as he became in 1605, showed considerable monetary ability. During the year former his acceptance of that put in place in 1608, the expenditure abstruse risen to £500,000, leaving unembellished yearly deficit of £73,000.

Nobleman Salisbury took advantage of decency decision by the judges urgency the Court of Exchequer forecast Bates's Case in favour go together with the King's right to assign impositions (import duties), and compulsory new duties on articles reduce speed luxury and those of overseas manufacture which competed with Country goods. By this measure, beginning by a more careful hearten, the ordinary income was elevated to £460,000, while £700,000 was paid off the debt.^[11]: 77

In 1610–11, Salisbury worked hard to advocate Parliament to enact the Seamless Contract, under which the Labored would give up all crown feudal and customary sources capture revenue (wardship and purveyance) snare return for a fixed period income of approximately £300,000.^[35] Ethics rationale was that the Variation was spending extravagantly, exceeding climax income by £140,000, and how the kingdom into debt.

By virtue of 1608, the debt was £1.4 million, although the Lord Bank clerk managed to get that beverage to £300,000 by 1610.^[36] Ethics project was one to which Salisbury attached great importance, however the House of Commons one day lost interest in the plan,^[37] and Francis Bacon argued accept it, calling it humiliating.^[11]: 77 Course of action James I also did battle-cry show much enthusiasm for overflowing, and it lapsed when picture King, against Salisbury's advice, dissolved Parliament in 1611.

This was a double blow to Potentate Salisbury, who was sick skull prematurely aged, and conscious drift the King now increasingly prevailing the company of his 1 favourites, like The 1st Marquis of Somerset. Although it useless to be implemented, the hypothesis of paying an annual funds to the monarch was resurgent some five decades later makeover a solution to the nation's financial problems and formed illustriousness basis for the financial affinity at the Restoration of River II,^[38] through which Charles was to receive an income find approximately £1,200,000 per annum.^[39] Tiptoe historian describes this annual valuation as the eventual "implementation admire Cecil's Great Contract".^[40]

Houses and picture arts

In May 1591 Cecil was involved in an entertainment ration the arrival of Queen Elizabeth at Theobalds, the Hertfordshire stock home.

The Hermit's Welcome fighting Theobalds made allusion to father's potential retirement from catholic life.^[41] In July 1593 practised Scottish suitor for Cecil's courtesy, William Dundas of Fingask wrote to him from Edinburgh. Dundas had heard Cecil was complementary a gallery in one invite his houses and would on the topic of paintings with "such toys" resolve emblems as he had distinctive of himself in Scotland.^[42]

In 1606, Sovereign Salisbury, as Cecil was enlighten, entertained King James I refuse his brother-in-law, King Christian IV of Denmark, at Theobalds, descend the sardonic eye of Chief Elizabeth's godson, Sir John Harrington.

Both monarchs were notoriously ponderous consequential drinkers, and according to dire of those present, the context was simply an orgy decompose drunkenness, as few English growth Danish courtiers had their rulers' capacity to hold their salutation. According to Harrington, who hawthorn have been mischievously fictionalising,^[43][44] distinction masque put on to fairness the two kings was shipshape and bristol fashion drunken fiasco: "the entertainment forward show went forward, and uttermost of the players went ago, or fell down, wine upfront so occupy their upper chambers".^[45]

In 1607, King James took hold of Theobalds, giving Hatfield Peel to Lord Salisbury in in trade, a relatively old-fashioned property roam the King disliked.^[46] Salisbury challenging a disposition for building ray tore down parts of niggardly and used its bricks homily build Hatfield House.

Work protracted on the house until 1612.^[27] He remodelled Cranborne Manor, originator a small hunting lodge, abstruse built Salisbury House (also referred to as Cecil House), coronate London residence on the Strand.^[47]

The Cecil family fostered arts: they supported musicians such as William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Robinson,^[48] and the Irish harper turf composer Cormac MacDermott.^[49] Byrd imperturbable his famous pavane The Earle of Salisbury in his thought.

Salisbury's motto was "Sero, smelly serio", which can be translated as 'late but in earnest'.^[50]

Death

In poor health and worn ardent by years of overwork, Salisbury, in the spring of 1612, went on a journey force to take the waters at Ardour in hope of a cure; but he obtained little console. He started on the expedition home but died of cancer,^[51] "in great pain and all the more greater wretchedness of mind",^[51] fall back Marlborough, Wiltshire, on 24 May well 1612, a week short show consideration for his 49th birthday.

He was buried in St Etheldreda's Service, Hatfield, in a tomb deliberate by Maximilian Colt.^[6]

Portrayals

• He appears rightfully the character "Lord Cecil" join the opera Roberto Devereux (1837) by Gaetano Donizetti; he as well appears in the opera Gloriana (1953) by Benjamin Britten.
• In blue blood the gentry BBC TV drama serial Elizabeth R (1971), "Sir Robert Cecil" is played by Hugh Dickson.
• IN the BBC2 ScreenPlay episode "Traitors," he is played by Relationship Lesser.
• In the HBO miniseries Elizabeth I, Cecil is played close to Toby Jones.^[52]
• In the BBC Television drama series Gunpowder (2017), significant is played by Mark Gatiss.^[53]
• In the alternate history novel Ruled Britannia, predicated on the feat of the Spanish Armada implement 1588, he and his priest organise the English resistance onslaught against the Spanish with glory help of William Shakespeare.
• Robert Cecil was portrayed as the hard, conniving antagonist of the segment, Equivocation, written by Bill Man, which first premiered at honourableness Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2009.

  In the play, it keep to suggested that Cecil was recklessness the conspiracies of the Ugly Plot to kill King Outlaw and the royal family. Cecil was first portrayed by Jonathan Haugen. The character in magnanimity show was given a mess about limp, and is said protect hate the word "tomorrow" spreadsheet to know every detail trouble everything that goes on count on London.

• He is portrayed extremely nearly in The Desperate Remedy: Speechifier Gresham and the Gunpowder Plot by Martin Stephen (ISBN 0-316-85970-2), primate malevolently self-centred, exploiting the machination to try to bolster sovereignty own position in face bring in his unpopularity.
• He is a slender character in the children's anecdote Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease, where he is portray positively.
• Robert Cecil is portrayed considerately in the historical mystery set attendants featuring Joan and Matthew Stash, written by Leonard Tourney, pivot he is a patron check in the main characters.

  The rule novel is The Players' Salad days is Dead.

• Sir Robert Cecil complexion prominently in Irish playwright Saint Kilroy's play The O'Neill (1969), in which Kilroy uses Cecil to challenge the myth nearby Gaelic Hugh O'Neill, Earl warm Tyrone, just after the latter's victory over the English disagree The Yellow Ford.

  Cecil's theatrical function is to demonstrate class complexity of history as anti to simplistic pieties that would turn O'Neill into yet option victim of the English. Cecil 'obliges' O'Neill to reenact distinction past so the audience witnesses the moral dilemma of graceful man torn between two cultures and keenly aware of rectitude advance of modernity in a-ok troubled political, cultural and nonmaterialistic context.

• He is portrayed by Tim McInnerny in the 2004 Idiot box mini series Gunpowder, Treason & Plot.
• He is portrayed unsympathetically, to the present time quite humanly by Edward Hog as a malevolent hunchbacked baddie in Roland Emmerich's movie Anonymous (2011).
• He was a major class at the 2012 Pennsylvania Revival Faire, portrayed by actor Highly wrought Betancourt.^[54]
• He was a major cost at the 2012 New Royalty Renaissance Faire, portrayed by event J.

  Robert Coppola^[55]

• He is depict sympathetically in the novel 1610 by Mary Gentle.
• He is celebrity in Red Winter of rectitude Tapestry series, as a velocity possessed by Astaroth.
• He was non-natural by Christopher Peck in high-mindedness premiere of the musical Remember Remember by Lewes Operatic Kinship in Autumn 2008.
• In the BBC TV miniseries Elizabeth I's Blush Agents (2017, broadcast on PBS in 2018 as Queen Elizabeth's Secret Agents), he is spurious by British actor Kevin James.^[56]
• He was a major character ignore the 1995 in the European TV miniseries From pranks enquiry queens (Z hříček o královnách) in episode Queen pack defer to Dogs (Královnina smečka psů), portray by actor Ondřej Vetchý.^[57]
• He levelheaded portrayed as a main session of the book Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory as Can Tradescent's master and lord.
• He stick to portrayed as the antagonist alter the comedy play "The Unstable Plot", written by Stephen Hyde for British touring theatre theatre group The Three Inch Fools fit in 2022.

References

Bibliography

• Croft, Pauline.

  Patronage, Urbanity and Power: The Early Cecils (2002)

• Croft, Pauline. "The Religion show consideration for Robert Cecil." Historical Journal (1991) 34#4 pp: 773.
• Croft, Pauline. "The Reputation of Robert Cecil: Libels, Political Opinion and Popular Acquaintance in the Early Seventeenth Century." Transactions of the Royal Real Society (1991) 1: 43+
• Haynes, Alan.

  Robert Cecil, 1st Earl unbutton Salisbury (1989)

• Loades, David, ed. Reader's Guide to British History (2003) 1: 237–39, historiography
• HMC Calendar be more or less Manuscripts of the Marquis weekend away Salisbury: The Cecil Manuscripts, 1306–1595, primary source.

External links