Robert Cecil Salisbury

SALISBURY, ROBERT CECIL, 1ST EARL or (c. 1612), English lord treasurer, the exact year of whose birth is unrecorded, was the youngest son of William Cecil, 1st Lord Burghley, and of his second wife Mildred Cooke, of Gidea Hall in Essex. He was educated in his father's house and at Cam bridge University. In 1584 he was sent to France, and was re turned the same year to parliament, and again in as member for Westminster. In 1588 he accompanied Lord Derby in his mission to the Netherlands to negotiate peace with Spain, and sat in the parliament of 1588, and in the assemblies of 1593, 1597 and 16o1 for Hertfordshire. About 1589 he appears to have entered upon the duties of secretary of state, though he did not receive the official appointment till 1596. In 1591 he was knighted, and sworn of the privy council. In 1597 he was made chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, and in 1598 despatched on a mission to Henry IV. of France to prevent the impending alliance be tween that country and Spain. The next year he succeeded his father as master of the court of wards.

On Lord Burghley's death on Aug.

4, both Essex and Bacon desired to succeed him in the supreme direction of affairs, but the queen preferred the son of her last great minister. At this period began Cecil's secret correspondence with James in Scot land. Hitherto Cecil's enemies had persuaded James that the secretary was unfavourable to his claims to the English throne. An understanding was now effected by which Cecil was able to assure James of his succession, ensure his own power and pre dominance in the new reign against Sir Walter Raleigh and other competitors, and secure the tranquillity of the last years of Elizabeth, the conditions demanded by him being that all attempts of James to obtain parliamentary recognition of his title should cease, that an absolute respect should be paid to the queen's feelings, and that the communications should remain secret.

Owing to Cecil's action, James took possession of the throne without opposition on the death of Elizabeth in 1603. Cecil was continued in his office, was created Baron Cecil of Essendine in Rutlandshire (1603), Viscount Cranborne (1604) and earl of Salisbury (1605). He was elected chancellor of the University

of Cambridge in 160i, and obtained the Garter in 1606. Mean while Cecil's success had completed the discontent of Raleigh, who, exasperated at his dismissal from the captaincy of the guard, became involved—whether innocently or not is uncertain—in the treasonable conspiracy known as the "Bye Plot." Cecil took a leading part in his trial in July 1603, and, though probably con vinced of his guilt, endeavoured to ensure him a fair trial and rebuked the attorney-general, Sir Edward Coke, for his harshness towards the prisoner. In 1608 the office of lord treasurer was added to Salisbury's other appointments, and the whole conduct of public affairs was placed solely in his hands. His real policy is not always easy to distinguish, for the king constantly interfered, and Cecil was often merely a follower, simulating approval of schemes opposed to his real judgment.

In foreign affairs Salisbury made it his aim to preserve the balance of power between France and Spain, and to secure the independence of the Netherlands from either state. He also hoped, like his father, to make England the head of the Protestant alliance abroad; and his last energies were expended in effecting the marriage in 1612 of the princess Elizabeth, James's daughter, with the Elector Palatine. He was in favour of peace, preoccupied with the state of the finances at home and the decreasing revenue, and, though sharing Raleigh's dislike of Spain, was instrumental in making the treaty with that power in 1604. In 1611 he disapproved of the proposed marriage between the prince of Wales and the Infanta. His bias against Spain and his fidelity to the national interests render, therefore, his acceptance of a pension from Spain a surprising incident in his career. At the conclusion of the peace in 1604 the sum Cecil received was £1,000, which was raised the following year to £1,500; while in 1609 he de manded an augmentation and to be paid for each piece of infor mation separately.