The Holy State, Book 4 · Chapter 6
WILLIAM CECIL Baron of Burgleigh & Lord Treasurer of England. He dyed Anno 1598. Aged 77 yeares. W. Marshall sculp:
CHAP. 6. The life of William Cecil Lord Burleigh.
WIlliam Cecil born at Bourn in Lincolnshire, descended from the ancient and worshipfull Family of the Sitsilts or Cecils of Alterynnis in Herefordshire, on the confines of Wales; a name which a great *Verstegen, restitut. of decaid intelligence, pag. 312.Antiquary thinks probably derived from the Romane Cecilii. No credit is to be given to their pens, who tax him with meannesse of birth, and whose malice is so generall against all goodnesse, that it had been a slander if this worthy man had not been slandred by them: The servant is not above his master; and we know what aspersions their malice sought to cast on the Queen her self.
He being first bred in S. Johns Colledge in Cambridge, went thence to Grayes Inne (and used it as an Inne indeed, studying there in his Passage to the Court) where he attained good learning in the Laws: yet his skill in fencing made him not daring to quarrell, who in all his life-time neither *Cambd. Elizab. in Anno 1598.sued any, nor was sued himself. He was after Master of the Requests (the first that ever bare that office) unto the Duke of Sommerset, Lord Protectour, and was knighted by King Edward the sixth.
One *S•. Iohn Hayward in his Edward sixth, p. 417.challengeth him to have been a main contriver of that act, and unnaturall will of King Edward the sixth, wherein the King passing by his sisters, Marie and Elizabeth, entailed the Crown on Queen Jane; and that he furnished that act with reasons of State, as Judge Montague filled it with arguments of Law. Indeed his hand wrote it, as Secretary of State, but his heart consented not thereto; yea he openly *Cambden, ut priús.opposed it, though at last yielding to the greatnesse of Northumberland, in an age wherein it was present drowning, not to swim along with the stream. But as the *Aristot. lib. 2. de coelo cap. 4. & 10.Philosopher tells us, that though the Planets be whirled about daily from East to West by the motion of the Primum mobile, yet have they also a contrary proper motion of their own, from West to East, which they slowly yet surely move at their leisures: so Cecill had secret counter-endeavours against the strain of the Court herein, and privately advanced his rightfull intentions against the foresaid Dukes ambition; and we see that afterward Queen Marie not onelyonly pardoned but employ'd him; so that towards the end of her reigne he stood in some twilight of her favour.
As for Sr. Edward Montague Lord chief Justice, what he did was by command against his own will, as appears by his written protestation at his death, still in the hands of his honourable posterity. But whilest in this army of offenders, the Nobility in the …ront made an escape for themselves, Queen Maries displeasure overtook the old Judge in the rere, the good old man being not able with such speed to provide for himself; yea though he had done nothing but by generall consent and command, the rest of the Lords laid load on him, desirous that the Queens anger should send him on an errand to the prison, and thence to the scaffold, to excuse themselves from going on the same message. However, after some imprisonment he was pardon'd; a sufficient argument, that the Queen conceived him to concurre passively in that action.
In Queen Elizabeths dayes he was made Secretary of State, Master of the Wards, Lord Treasurer, and at last after long service Baron of Burleigh. For the Queen honoured her honours in conferring them sparingly, thereby making Titles more substantiall, wherewith she payed many for their service. The best demonstration of his care in stewarding her Treasure was this, that the Queen, vying gold and silver with the King of Spain, had money or credit, when the other had neither; her Exchequer, though but a pond in comparison, holding water, when his river, fed with a spring from the Indies, was dreined dry.
In that grand faction betwixt Leicester and Sussex, he meddled not openly, though 'tis easie to tell whom he wish'd the best to. Indeed this cunning Wrestler would never catch hold to grapple openly with Leicester (as having somewhat the disadvantage of him both in height and strength) but as they ran to their severall goles, if they chanced to meet, Burleigh would fairly give him a trip, and be gone; and the Earl had many a rub laid in his way, yet never saw who put it there.
Tis true, the Sword-men accus'd him as too cold in the Queens credit, and backward in fighting against forein enemies. Indeed he would never engage the State in a warre, except necessity, or her Majesties honour, sounded the alarm: But no reason he should be counted an enemie to the Sparks of Valour, who was so carefull to provide them fewel, and pay the Souldier. Otherwise, in vain do the brows frown, the eyes sparkle, the tongue threaten, the fist bend, and the arm strike, except the belly be fed.
The Queen reflected her favour highly upon him, counting him both her Treasurer, and her principall Treasure. She would cause him alwayes to sit down in her presence, because troubled with the gout, and used to tell him: My Lord, we make much of you, not for your bad legs, but for your good head. This caused him to be much envied of some great ones at Court; and at one time no fewer then the *Cambden. Elizab. Anno 1579.Marquesse of Winchester, Duke of Norfolk, Earls of Arundel, Northumberland, Westmerland, Pembroke and Leicester combining against him, taking advantage about his making over some moneys beyond sea to the French Protestants, and on some other occasions; Sr Nicholas Throgmorton advised them first to clap him up in prison, saying, that if he were once shut up, men would open their mouths to speak freely against him. But the Queen understanding hereof, and standing, as I may say, in the very prison-doore, quash'd all their designes, and freed him from the mischief projected against him.
He was a good friend to the Church, as then established by Law; he used to advise his eldest sonne Thomas never to bestow any great cost, or to build any great house on an Impropriation, as fearing the foundation might fail hereafter. A Patron to both Universities, chiefly to Cambridge, whereof he was Chancellour; and though Rent-corn first grew in the head of Sr Thomas Smith, it was ripened by Burleighs assistance, whereby though the rents of Colledges stand still, their revennues increase.
No man was more pleasant and merry at meals; and he had a pretty wit-rack in himself, to make the dumbe to speak, to draw speech out of the most sullen and *Hottoman in descrip. of the Embassadour witnesseth so much, who had be…n at his table.silent guest at his table, to shew his disposition in any point he should propound. For forein intelligence, though he traded sometimes on the stock of Secretary Walsingham, yet wanted he not a plentifull bank of his own. At night when he put off his gown, he used to say, Lie there, Lord Treasurer, and bidding adieu to all State-affairs, disposed himself to his quiet rest.
Some looking on the estate he left, have wondered that it was so great, and afterwards wondred more that it was so little, having considered what Offices he had, and how long he enjoyed them. His harvest lasted every day for above thirty years together, wherein he allowed some of his servants the same courtesie Boaz granted to Ruth, to glean even among the sheaves, and to suffer some handfulls also to fall on purpose for them, whereby they raised great estates.
To draw to a conclusion: There arose a great question in State, whether warre with Spain should be continued, or a peace drawn up? The Sword and Gown-men brought weighty arguments on both sides, stamping also upon them with their private interests, to make them more heavy: Burleigh was all against warre, now old, being desirous to depart in peace, both private in his Conscience, and publick in the State. But his life was determined before the question was fully decided. In his sicknesse the Queen often visited him, a good plaister to asswage his pain, but unable to prolong his life; so that, Cum satis naturae, satisque gloriae, putriae autem non satis vixisset, in the seventy seventh yeare of his age, Anno 1598. he exchanged this life for a better. God measured his outward happinesse not by an ordinary standard: How many great Undertakers in State set in a cloud, whereas he shined to the last? Herein much is to be ascribed to the Queens constancy, who to confute the observation of Feminine ficklenesse, where her favour did light it did lodge; more to his own temper and moderation, whereas violent & boysterous meddlers in State cripple themselves with aches in their age; most to Gods goodnesse, who honoureth them that honour him. He saw Thomas his eldest sonne richly married to an honourable coheir; Robert, able to stand alone in Court, having a competent portion of favour, which he knew thriftily to improve, being a pregnant proficient in State-discipline.