The Earl of Salisbury and His Influence on the Gunpowder Plot

Few scholars have actually pointed their literal fingers at Robert Cecil, accusing him of being the original conspirator of the Gunpowder plot. Historian Francis Edwards identifies Cecil as the, "manager" and the "encourager of the plot" (316-317). He also claims that, "All of the plotters were undoubtedly playing roles thrust upon them by Cecil" (310). C. Northcote Parkinson was another historian that was not afraid to point his finger at Cecil either. Parkinson openly suggests that, "Cecil was probably one of the conspirators of the plot" (35). As keeper of the Privy Seal, and eventually the Secretary of the State- there was no doubt that Cecil had the means to achieve his goal as well. Robert Cecil parallels the Shakespearean vice characters Iago and Richard III.

Robert Cecil slithered through history as swiftly as his father, Lord Burghley (of Queen Elizabeth's Privy Council as well). Like his father, Cecil was unwilling to tolerate Catholicism. Edwards claims that, "Cecil was against the toleration of Catholicism claiming that 'such ideas were anathema,'" (308). Parkinson noticed these similarities between father and son and comments that, "under the administration of the Cecils there was a treasonable plot every five or ten years" (14); there was the Ridoplhi Plot of 1570, the Babington plot of 1587, the Gowrie Conspiracy of 1600." Parkinson also recognizes that, "These plots closely follow the pattern established by Lord Burghley during his reign" (34). The Cecil men of 16^th century England seem to possess a haunting likeness of the Bush men of 20^th-21^st century America- both of which can be viewed as vice figures.