CECIL, William, Visct. Cranborne (1591-1668), of Hatfield, Herts., Cranborne, Dorset and Salisbury House, The Strand, Westminster.

Family and Education

b. 28 Mar. 1591, o.s. of Robert Cecil†, 1st earl of Salisbury, and Elizabeth, da. of William Brooke†, 10th Lord Cobham. VCH Herts. Fams. 113-14. educ. Sherborne sch.; HMC Hatfield, x. 459. Claims that Cecil attended Westminster sch. apparently stem from the the dean of Westminster’s role as an adviser on his univ. curriculum in 1608: Rec. of Old Westminsters comp. G.F.R. Barker and A.H. Stenning, i. 172; HMC Hatfield, xxiv. 140-1. St. John’s, Camb. 1602, MA 1605; MA Oxf. 1605; G. Inn 1605; Al. Cant.; HMC Hatfield, xvii. 343; Al. Ox.; GI Admiss. travelled abroad (France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Low Countries) 1608-11. HMC Bath, ii. 56; HMC Hatfield, xxi, 104, 111, 239, 244-5, 247-8. m. 1 Dec. 1608, Katharine (bur. 27 Jan. 1673), da. of Thomas Howard, 1st earl of Suffolk, 8s. (2 d.v.p.) 5da. (3 d.v.p.). VCH Herts. Fams. 115-17. KB 6 Jan. 1605; Shaw, Knights of Eng. i. 157. styled. visct. Cranborne 4 May 1605; CP, xi. 405. suc. fa. as 2nd earl of Salisbury 1612; VCH Herts. Fams. 113. KG 31 Dec. 1624. Shaw, i. 31. d. 3 Dec. 1668. VCH Herts. Fams. 115.

Offices Held

Member, Virg. Co. 1611–12, HMC Hatfield, xxi. 318; A. Brown, Genesis of US, 542. N.W. Passage Co. 1612. CSP Col. E.I. 1513–1616, p. 238.

Commr. swans, Herts. 1612, 1619, 1634, C181/2, ff. 173, 340v; 181/4, f. 178v. Essex 1619, 1635, C181/2, f. 340v; 181/5, f. 28. Mdx. 1619, W. Country 1629, Suff. 1635; C181/2, f. 340v; 181/4, f. 2; 181/5, f. 28. ld. lt. Herts. 1612 – 42, Dorset 1642; CP, xi. 405; A. and O. i. 1; LJ, v. 193a. j.p. St. Albans, Herts. 1612 – at least41, 1644–d., C181/2, f. 172; 181/5, ff. 212v, 241; 181/7, p. 283. Dorset by 1614 – 42, by 1650 – 53, to 1660, C66/1988; C231/5, p. 530; C193/13/3, f. 15; 193/13/4, f. 21v; Perfect List of JPs (1660), p. 13. Essex by 1614 – 42, Hants by 1614 – 42, by 1650–3, C66/1988; C231/5, pp. 528, 530; C193/13/3, f. 56; 193/13/4, f. 85v. Herts. by 1614 – 42, by 1650–d., C66/1988; C231/5, p. 530; Names of the JPs (1650), p. 26; C193/12/3, f. 45. Kent by 1614 – at least40, Mdx. by 1614 – 42, by 1650 – 53, to 1660, C66/1988; 66/2858; C231/5, p. 533; C193/13/3, f. 40v; 193/13/4, f. 59; Perfect List, p. 31. Northants. by 1614 – at least40, by 1650-at least 1656, C66/1988; 66/2858; C193/13/3, f. 47v; 193/6, f. 64v. Surr. by 1614 – 42, Wilts. by 1614 – 42, by 1650–3, C66/1988; C231/5, pp. 529, 532; C193/13/3, f. 68v; 193/4, f. 108. Westminster 1618 – at least40, by 1650 – 53, 1660–d., C181/2, f. 331; C66/2859; C193/13/3, f. 81v; 193/13/4, f. 127v; C220/9/4, f. 114v; C193/12/3, f. 129v. custos rot., Herts. 1619 – 42, from 1650; C231/4, f. 89; Names of the JPs, 73. ranger, Enfield Chase, Mdx. 1612 – 49, 1660–1; HMC Hatfield, xxii. 5, 421; CSP Dom. 1660–1, p. 588. commr. oyer and terminer, St. Albans 1612 – at least39, 1644, 1656-at least 1659, C181/2, f. 176; 181/5, ff. 134v-5, 241; 181/6, pp. 178, 180, 397. Home circ. 1614 – 41, 1654-at least 1659, C181/2, f. 212v; 181/5, f. 221v; 181/6, pp. 12, 372. Hertford, Herts. 1620, Dorset 1626, C181/3, ff. 14v, 212. London 1629, 1641, 1644 – 45, 1654–d., C181/4, f. 15; 181/5, ff. 214, 230, 264v; 181/6, p. 1; 181/7, p. 454. Western circ. 1635 – 42, 1654-at least 1659, C181/4, f. 193; 181/5, f. 220v; 181/6, pp. 8, 377. Surr. 1640, 1644, Herts. 1640, 1644, 1664, C181/5, ff. 169, 175v, 238v, 240; 181/7, p. 303. Mdx. 1644 – 45, 1660, C181/5, ff. 231, 246; 181/7, p. 67. Oxf. circ. 1654 – at least58, Midland circ. 1659; C181/6, pp. 10, 302, 370. high steward, St. Albans 1612 – at least40, 1663–d.; C.F. Patterson, Urban Patronage in Early Modern Eng. 248; CP, xi. 406. commr. sewers, St. Albans 1617, C181/2, f. 297. Herts. and Essex 1623 – 38, 1645, 1657, 1663, Mdx. 1623, 1635 – 38, 1645, 1655 – 57, 1663, C181/3, f. 91v; 181/5, ff. 20v, 112v, 114v, 252; 181/6, pp. 67, 221; 181/7, p. 223. Lincs. 1623, Rutland 1623, 1634, Notts. 1626, C181/3, ff. 99, 199v; 181/4, f. 160v. Camb., Cambs. 1627, 1631, I. of Ely 1627, Cambs. 1627, 1638, C181/3, ff. 219–20v; 181/4, f. 87; 181/5, f. 120v. Kent 1628, 1645, Northants. 1633–4, C181/3, f. 252; 181/4, ff. 140, 180; 181/5, f. 263v. Westminster 1634, 1645, 1659–60, C181/4, f. 190v; 181/5, f. 254v; 181/6, p. 398; 181/7, p. 37. Surr. and London 1645, C181/5, ff. 263v, 266. subsidy, Herts. 1621 – 22, 1624, C212/22/20–1, 23. highway repairs, Herts. 1622, preservation of royal game, Herts. 1622, C181/3, ff. 69, 76v. commr. inquiry, Cheshunt commons, Herts. 1624, C181/3, f. 128v. Forced Loan, Mdx., Surr., Westminster 1626 – 27, Dorset, Herts., London 1627, T. Rymer, Foedera, viii. pt. 2, pp. 141, 144; C193/12/2, ff. 11v, 22v, 34, 56v, 74v, 90. knighthood fines, Herts. 1630–2, E178/5345, ff. 3, 7; 178/7154, f. 678. repair of St. Paul’s cathedral 1631, CSP Dom. 1631–3, p. 6. member, co. cttee. Dorset 1644, Hants 1645, A. and O. i. 460, 696. commr. defence, Wilts. 1644, cts. martial, London, Western Assoc. 1644; Ibid. i. 475, 487, 490. gov. Charterhouse, London 1644, Westminster sch. 1649; HMC Hatfield, xxii. 384; A. and O. ii. 257. commr. appeals, Oxf. univ. 1647, A. and O. i. 927. militia, Dorset 1648, 1659, Herts. 1648, 1659–60, Ibid. i. 1236, 1238; ii. 1323, 1325, 1432. assessment 1649 – 52, 1657, 1660, Dorset 1650 – 52, 1657, 1660, Westminster 1657, Ibid. ii. 35, 464, 468, 661, 665, 1066, 1070, 1074, 1367, 1370. drainage, Bedford level, Cambs. 1649. Ibid. 139.

Member, council for New Eng. plantations 1620; CSP Dom. 1619–23, p. 188. PC 1626–42; APC, 1626, p. 117; PC2/53, p. 207. commr. financial aid for foreign allies 1628; CSP Dom. 1627–8, p. 574. member, High Commission, Canterbury prov. 1629-at least 1633; R.G. Usher, Rise and Fall of High Commission, 357. commr. knighthood fines 1630, CSP Dom. 1629–31, p. 174. fisheries 1630, poor relief 1631, Rymer, viii. pt. 3, pp. 136, 147. transportation of felons 1633; CSP Dom. 1631–3, p. 547. capt. band of gent. pens. 1635–42; CP, xi. 405. member, Assembly of Divines 1643, A. and O. i. 181. commr. treaty of Uxbridge 1645, provision for New Model Army 1645, excise 1645, propositions for relief of Ireland 1645, Ibid. 609, 658, 691, 723. Admlty. from 1645, from 1650, Ibid. 783; CSP Dom. 1650, p. 18. heraldic abuses 1646, plantations 1646, exclusion from sacraments 1646, A. and O. i. 839–40, 852. gt. seal July-Oct. 1646, CP, xi. 405. sale of bps.’ lands 1646, complaints about indemnity 1647, managing assessment 1647, navy and customs 1647, A. and O. i. 905, 937, 1016, 1047. member, Derby House cttee. 1648, CSP Dom. 1648–9, p. 90. commr. scandalous offences 1648, treaty of Newport 1648, removing obstructions to sale of bps.’ lands 1648; A. and O. i. 1208, 1227; CSP Dom. 1648–9, p. 277. cllr. of state 1649–51; A. and O. ii. 2; CSP Dom. 1650, p. xli. commr. indemnity 1649, security of Ld. Protector 1656. A. and O. ii. 149, 1039.

Parlimentarian

CECIL, William, Visct. Cranborne (1591-1668), of Hatfield, Herts., Cranborne, Dorset and Salisbury House, The Strand, Westminster.

Main residences: Hatfield, Herts.; Cranborne, Dorset; Salisbury House, The Strand, Westminster.

Author

J.P.F.

P.M.H.

Volume

Commons 1604-1629

Web Title

CECIL, William, Visct. Cranborne (1591-1668)

Will

Estates

Oxford 1644

Addresses

Religion

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