I would like to thank the many people who helped in the preparation of this volume. I must thank Dr Patrick Zutshi, Cambridge University Archivist, for his kind permission to edit the volume for publication as well as the staff in the Cambridge University Library Manuscripts Room, Rare Books Room and Official Publications Room, the Seeley History Library at Cambridge, the British Library Manuscripts Room staff, and the staffs of the old Public Record Office at Chancery Lane and the National Archives at Kew. My doctoral supervisor, the late Sir Geoffrey Elton, was a great source of encouragement in plumbing the vast Cecil archives and related state papers, and the administration of the Principal Secretariat. The late Wallace MacCaffrey, a great friend and examiner, was always willing to discuss finer points on Burghley at the tea room of the Library and I miss him very much. The late Patrick Collinson was, in a real sense, the inspiration behind this publication. He saw that the manuscript materials relating to the Cecils’ transfer of power could be better worked through in an edition of these papers than by a traditional monograph. He called the volume the ‘spine’ of the work of father and son.

The 128 letters sent by William Cecil, Lord Burghley (1520–1598) to his son, Sir Robert Cecil, later 1st earl of Salisbury (1563–1612), represent the majority of their extant correspondence in what had been a nearly daily exchange of notes and papers between 1593–1598. The correspondence demonstrates how Burghley directed affairs and communicated with the Queen through his son as well as devolving responsibility for certain matters to him. In doing so, Burghley trained Cecil in the role of Principal Secretary to Queen Elizabeth, a role which he came to perform de facto before his official appointment. Burghley trained his son during a particularly difficult period which was characterized by dearth, war, Irish rebellion, and waning continental commitments, as well as domestic strain throughout the shires, towns, and cities.

I commend me very humbly unto yow / and wher yow have begun to deale in a course of Sir Thomas Greshams ther, although I know his owne friendshipp / and thankfulness will mene as much as yow can do for hym, yet can I not forbeare but both to prayse yow and thank yow, praying you to procede by all good meanes that you come to bring his sute to a good end / and so thy[n]ky[n]g shortly to wryte now unto yowe, at this tyme for lack of Lesure / doe end.