Secretary of State Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury

the rainbow portrait of elizabeth @ hatfield house has been seen reflecting cecil s role spymaster after death of sir francis walsingham, due eyes , ears in pattern of dress.

cecil extensively involved in matters of state security. son of queen elizabeth s principal minister , protégé of sir francis walsingham (elizabeth s principal spymaster), trained them in spycraft matter of course. rainbow portrait of queen elizabeth, decorated eyes , ears, may relate role.

cecil, father, admired queen, whom famously described being more man, less woman . despite careful preparations succession, regarded queen s death misfortune postponed long possible. during last illness, when elizabeth sit motionless on cushions hours on end, cecil boldly told must go bed. elizabeth roused herself 1 last time snap @ him: must not word used princes, little man... late father here never had dared speak such word me ; added wryly ah, ye know must die, , makes presumptuous .

under king james i

sir robert cecil served both third chancellor of trinity college, dublin, , chancellor of university of cambridge, between 1601 , 1612.

in 1603, brother-in-law, henry brooke, lord cobham, along sir walter raleigh, implicated in both bye plot , main plot, attempt remove king james throne , replace him first cousin, lady arbella stuart. cecil 1 of judges tried them treason: @ raleigh s trial, cecil judge appeared have doubts guilt (which still matter of debate, although prevailing view raleigh involved in plot extent). though found guilty , sentenced death, both cobham , raleigh reprieved @ last minute; due in part cecil s pleas mercy, although king kept intentions secret until last minute.

king james raised robert cecil peerage, on 20 august 1603, baron cecil of essendon in county of rutland, before creating him viscount cranborne in 1604, , earl of salisbury in 1605. salisbury appointed order of garter 401st knight in 1606.

although king james speak disparagingly of salisbury little beagle , gave him absolute trust. though little man, shall shortly load shoulders business , king joked him @ first meeting. salisbury, had endured lifetime of jibes height (even queen elizabeth had called him pygmy , little man ; had curvature of spine , barely 5 feet tall), unlikely have found joke funny, while crushing weight of business king duly loaded him hastened death later @ age of 48.

salisbury principal discoverer of gunpowder plot of 1605: @ point first learned of it, , extent acted agent provocateur, has been subject of controversy ever since. on balance, seems had heard rumours of plot, had no firm evidence until catholic peer, william parker, 4th baron monteagle, showed him celebrated anonymous letter, warning monteagle stay away opening of parliament. gunpowder plot belated reaction seen king s betrayal of pledge repeal, or @ least mitigate, penal laws. salisbury undoubtedly among advised king james not tamper existing laws. however, attitude roman catholics not, time, harsh: admitted unhappy notorious statute of 1585, catholic priest found guilty of acting priest in england liable death penalty in gruesome form. moderate englishmen, thought exile, rather death, appropriate penalty priests.

quartered arms of sir robert cecil, 1st earl of salisbury, kg

in 1606, earl of salisbury entertained king james , brother-in-law, king christian iv of denmark, @ hertfordshire house, theobalds palace (theobalds house), under sardonic eye of queen elizabeth s godson, sir john harrington. both monarchs notoriously heavy drinkers, , according of present, occasion orgy of drunkenness, few english or danish courtiers had rulers capacity hold drink. according harrington, masque put on honour 2 kings drunken fiasco: entertainment , show went forward, , of players went backward, or fell down, wine did occupy upper chambers . later in 1607, king james persuaded salisbury exchange theobalds palace royal palace of hatfield, relatively old-fashioned property king disliked. salisbury, had disposition building, tore down parts of royal palace , used bricks build hatfield house in 1608. in 17th century, remodelled cranborne manor, hunting lodge, , built salisbury house (also referred cecil house), london residence.

the cecil family fostered arts: supported musicians such william byrd, orlando gibbons, , thomas robinson. robert cecil s motto sero, sed serio , can translated late in earnest .

the kingdom of ireland major source of concern , expense during time in government. 9 years war there had ended leader of rebels, hugh o neill, earl of tyrone, submitting crown , being restored estates, following treaty of mellifont (1603). 4 years later, tyrone had led followers exile during flight of earls. response of government plan plantation of ulster, share out tyrone s lands between gaelic irish lords , settlers britain. in 1608, sir cahir o doherty launched o doherty s rebellion attacking , burning derry. in wake of o doherty s defeat @ kilmacrennan, larger plantation undertaken.

in 1610–11, salisbury worked hard persuade parliament enact great contract, under king give feudal , customary sources of revenue in return fixed annual income of £200,000. project 1 salisbury attached great importance, neither king james nor parliament showed enthusiasm it, , lapsed when king, against salisbury s advice, dissolved parliament in 1611. double blow salisbury, sick , prematurely aged, , conscious king increasingly preferred company of male favourites, robert carr, 1st earl of somerset. although failure in short term, great contract revived solution nation s financial problems in 1660, , formed basis financial settlement @ restoration of charles ii.