William Cecill,

Lord Burleigh.

I COME now to the next, which was Secretary William Cecill,* for on the death of the old Marquesse of Winchester, he came up in his roome, a person of a most subtile, and active spirit.

He stood not by the way of constellation, but was wholly intentive to the service of his Mrs. and his dexterity,

He was born at Bourne in the County of Lincoln, in the year 1521. His father was Richard Cecil, of the House of Alterynnis, of the wardrobe to King Henry VIII. His mother's name, Jane, heiress of the noble family of Ekington, and of the Walcots. He took to wife Mary the sister of Sir John Cheeke, (a most learned man ;) which wife died in a year or two. After this, when he had a while studied the law in Gray's-Inn, he married Mildred the daughter of Sir Anthony Coke, (who was School-master to Edward VI.) a woman learned

experience and merit therein, challenged a roome in the queenes favor, which eclipsed the others overseeming greatnesse, and made it appeare that there were others steered, and stood at the helme besides himselfe, and more stars in the

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firmament of grace, then Ursa Major.

He was borne as they say, in Lincolnshire, but as some aver, upon knowledge of a younger brother, of the Cecills of Hartfordshire, a family of my owne knowledge, though now private, yet of no mean antiquitie; who being exposed, and sent to the citie, as poore gentlemen use to do their sons, who became to be a rich man on London Bridge, and purchased in Lincolnshire, where this man was borne.

He was sent to Cambridge, and then to the innes of court, and so came to serve the Duke of Summerset, in the time of

in Greek and Latin, by his first wife Mary Cheeke, he had issue Thomas Earl of Exeter; by his second Mary Coke, he had Robert Earl of Salisbury, and two daughters, Anne Countess of Oxford, and Elizabeth wife to William Wentworth. He was made Secretary to Edward VI. and by him honoured with the dignity of Knighthood, was in favor with Queen Mary, and enjoyed the utmost confidence with Elizabeth, who was highly indebted to his wisdom and sagacity forty years of her reign. He died worn out in her service in the year 1598.