The Alchemical Patronage of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley

Introduction
William Cecil, through the careful acquisition of royal favour, became Queen
Elizabeth I‘s most trusted counsellor. As the Queen‘s Principal Secretary, Cecil was the
gatekeeper to royal patronage, and exercised enormous influence over England‘s domestic
and foreign policy. Even before he became Lord Burghley in 1571 and Lord Treasurer the
following year, Cecil‘s affluence and influence allowed him to become an important patron
in his own right. 1 Historians, therefore, have considered Cecil to be one of the most
important figures of the Elizabethan regime. As such he has been the subject of an
immense amount of historical research analysing his impact on England‘s economic,
religious, and foreign policy. This thesis examines a hitherto overlooked aspect of Cecil‘s
career: his patronage of alchemy. The research for this thesis has uncovered neglected
evidence of Cecil‘s relationship with a number of alchemists and alchemical projects,
revealing their involvement in his intricate network of patronage.
As a result of his Aristotelian education, Cecil shared with the alchemists a unified
view of nature. This natural philosophy encouraged the Elizabethan elite to believe in
humanity‘s ability to perfect the world both spiritually and physically. The alchemist‘s
quest to achieve perfection—gold in the case of base metals and spiritual redemption in the
case of humanity—correspondingly appealed to many renaissance intellectuals. While, like
many Elizabethans, Cecil could be sceptical about some alchemical promises, the concept
of transmutation was consistent with his understanding of the world. Where Cecil differed
from his contemporaries was in his determination to utilize alchemical knowledge for the
benefit of both himself and the Elizabethan state. Throughout his career he patronised,
invested in, and supported a remarkable range of alchemical activities. A detailed
1 From his ennoblement as Lord Burghley on 25 February 1571, Cecil became known by his title. As this
thesis is not entirely chronological, for the purposes of clarity he will be referred to as Cecil throughout.
1