CECIL, ROBERT, EARL OF SALISBURY, son of Lord Burleigh, by his second wife Mildred, was born about 1550. He was of a weakly constitution and deformed in his person, upon which account be was not sent to school; he afterwards went to St. John's College, Cam bridge. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, who scut him as assistant to the Earl of Derby, the English ambassador iu France. On his return, in 1596, he was appointed second secretary of state ; and on the death of Sir Francis Walsingham, became principal secretary, in which office ho continued till his death. He was appointed to various offices of trust by Elizabeth; and on the decease of his father, succeeded him as prime minister. He privately corresponded with James I., and, on his accession, was confirmed in his office. In 1603, he was created baron of Essenden ; in 1604, Viscount Cranbourne ; and in 1605, Earl of Salisbury ; his elder brother Thomas being created Earl of Exeter on the evening of the same day. He was also elected chancellor of the university of Cambridge, and installed a knight of the garter in the same year. In 1603, on the death of the Earl of Dorset, he suc ceeded to the office of lord high treasurer, in which capacity he effected great reformation in the Exchequer. He was unquestionably the ablest minister of his time, and appears to have repressed the increasing encroachments of the crown to the utmost of his power; but be was of a cold-hearted and intensely selfish disposition, and remorselessly sacrificed ;very ow who either Interfered or appeared likely to inter fere with Lie pummel or pulello ooluemea. He exposed himeelf to
eseehlerable odium, and made many enemies as the chief promoter of the digress sad fell of the Earl of Ksaex, and afterwards of Sir W. Raleigh_ Indeed with regard to Raleigh, subscqueut Inquirers have ekargad him with criminal and disgraceful conduct; but he wee never enamel of peeenlary eorruptIou or dishonesty. lie married Elisabeth, dergister of William Brooke, Lord Cobbam, by whom he had a daughter goad a bee. Wore out with business, he died at Marlborough, on his road from Rath, where be had been for the recovery of his health, on the 2Ith of Mae 1612, otemtetaag to Sir Walter Cope—" Ease and plea sures quake to hear of death; but my life, full of cares and miseries, dealt-fib to be dissolved: li wrote A Travelsr onscernIng the Stets and Dignity of a Secre tary of Stale, with the Caro and Peril thereof ;" A Treatise against the Papists; sad ' Notes on Sir John Deets Disoounse about the Befeensation of the Calendar.' (Aut DP I& ; Peek, Doriderata Cariceset.) oceicors. rAylinNs, in Gnoo. Div., i., cot. 633.)