Saturday, April 2, 2011

Chronology of William Cecil

1549: (13th October) he was sent to the Tower of London with the Duke of Somerset, but was released on a bail of a thousand marks.

1550: He acquired the Manor of Wimbledon, and he bought a house at Canon Row, Westminster.

1551: (October) he was Knighted.  After the fall of the Duke of Somerset, Cecil was made a member of the Privy Council, but unhappy at signing the instrument which sought to disinherit Princesses Mary and Elizabeth.

1552: Appointed Chancellor of the Order of the Garter

1553: (19th March) Death of his Father. (July) King Edward VI dies, and Cecil is forced out of office. The Burghley estate was settled on his Mother for life, but he was left estates in Rutland, Lincoln, and Northamptonshire.

1556: Birth of his daughter, Anne

1557: (10th March) Death of his Mother. His Mother's family had owned the estates at Burley which now made the Cecil's wealthy landowners.

1558: During the reign of Queen Mary, he conformed strictly to the law, at her death on the 17th November he was one of the earliest visitors to Princess Elizabeth, whom he had secretly kept in touch with for years. Cecil was the first of the new Privy Council to take the oath, and was made Secretary of State.

1559: Birth of his son, William, who died in infancy.

1560: (February) he was elected Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

1561: (January) Cecil was granted the office of Master of the Court of Royal Wards, and he began a much overdue reform of the Court. Birth of his third son, also called William, who again died in infancy.

1562: The estate of Theobald's in Hertfordshire was purchased and became Cecil's principal seat.

1563: Birth of his only surviving son, Robert, at Westminster. Cecil has been frequently charged with preventing the promotion of his nephew, Francis Bacon. There appears to be little doubt that this was true, as he was ambitious for his clever son, Robert, and not inclined to encourage a talented rival. Although chosen as a Speaker of the House of Commons, his other duties at Court made acceptance of the post impossible.

1571: (25th February) He was raised to the Peerage under the title of Lord Burghley. Queen Elizabeth was very sparing in her new creations, and in the year of her accession only three new Peerages were created, and during her reign there were only fifteen new creations.

1572: (March) The elderly Marquis of Winchester died, and Burghley became Lord High Treasurer.

1577: Grand extensions built to Burghley House.

1586: Cecil was chiefly responsible for the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, after the discovery of the plot by Thomas Babington, to assasinate Queen Elizabeth. Other members of the Privy Council appear to have put the responsibility firmly upon the Lord Treasurer. Davison, the Queen's Secretary, who had affixed the seal to the Warrant for the execution of Mary, Queen of Scot's, was sent to the Tower, though it is said he only acted under dures from Burghley and Leicester. Burghley soon recovered his position with the Queen. His son, Robert, was appointed temporary secretary to the Queen, a post which lasted through into the reign of King James the First.

1590: Burghley became deaf, but continued to be active in the Queen's affairs until 1595.

1594: (February) The Earl of Essex and Francis Bacon had their own intelligance service which was resposible for the conviction and execution of Dr.Lopez, the Queen's physician, for High Treason on a charge of attempting to poison her, although the Cecil's and the Queen believed in his innocence, he was executed at Tyburn on the 7th June.

Marriage 1 to Mary Cheke, sister of his Classics tutor, died 1544. 
Marriage 2, 21st March, 1545 to Mildred Cooke, daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, of Gidea Hall, Essex.
Date and place of death: 4th August, 1598 - London, England
Age at death: 77
Site of Grave: St.Martin's Church, Stamford, Lincolnshire.

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