CECIL, IVILLI tut, Lord Burleigh or Burghley 11520-159S). One of England's foremost states men. the son of Richard Cecil. master of the rots'- to Henry VOL, He horn at Bourn, September 13. 1520. He was educated at Grant ham and Stamford grammar schools, and at Saint John's College, Cambridge, where he dis tingnished himself, especially in Creek. Before he could take his degree he was removed by his father, and entered as a law student at Gray's to prevent his marriage with Mary. the sister of Cheke. the Creek professor. William, however, married her two months after his ad vent in London: but his happiness was short lived. for she died on February -22, 1544. The following year (December 21. 15 t5) he married 'Mildred, daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, a union which increased his political influence. in 1547 be became ca.vtos brcriant in the Court of Com mon Pleas, the reversion of Ivhich Henry VIII. had previously• given him, and in 154S was ap pointed Secretary of State through the friend ship of the Lord Protector, Somerset. Ile shared in somerset's downfall and imprisonment: but two years later, by his and prudence. was reappointed Secretary of State by the Duke of Northumberland, Somerset's enemy. When Queen Mary ascended the throne Cecil, as it Prot estant. resigned offiee, but maintained good rela with the Roman Catholic party. and was ere of the few eminent Protestants who escaped in purse and person during her reign. Owing to his freedom from perseeution. lie has ]wen un justly aceused of being a 'trimmer.' Cecil was cautious and politie. and averse to extremes in religion. The rejeetion of the hill which the Boman Catholics introduced into Parliament. to confiscate the estates of l'Efilesta lEt 4, wil.s main
ly due to him. ('evil was merciful and tolerant, as compared with the narrow Whitgift or the bigoted Aylmer; but he was not guiltless of the cruel religious perseentions which disgraced reign. The use of the torture and the employment of spies arc a dishonor to his memory. Prior to Mary'A death, Cecil corre sponded with Elizabeth, slim recognized his capacity for government, ;Hid appointed him Sec retary Dt State in her aceession to the throne (November 16, 155S). For forty years he Wa9 the originator and director of that policy which made Elizabeth's reign memorable, and although Elizabeth occasionally favored other courtier-, Cecil was the statesman whose judgment she re lied on in all matters of importance. His policy at home and abroad was shrewd. cautions. lib eral. and comprehensive. and the quality. of prompt decision was also his. As a lie was above animosities and favoritism: his enemies never suffered and his friends profited nothing by his power. lie was a man of clas sical attainments and a voluminous writer. In 1564 Cambridge created him M.A., and Oxford conferred the same honor iu 156G. The Queen created him Baron Iturleigh. Knight of the Garter, and Lord High Treasurer, lie died August. 15, 1505. Consult: Hares. Memoirs of Lord Burghley (3 vols., London. IS2S-31) : Hal lam, Constitutional History, Vol. I., Chaps. 111., IV. (London. 1876) : Hume, Great Lord Bur leigh (Loudon, 1S98) ; Charlton. Life (Stam ford. 1547 1 : (Oxford, 1824) : Murdin (editor). Collection of State Papers Left by Cecil (London. 1759): Haynes editor). hetion of State Papers Left by Cecil (London. 1740).