Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter
Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter KG (
May 5,
1542 –
February 8,
1623), was the eldest son of
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley.
Thomas Cecil served in government under
Elizabeth I of England, first serving in the
House of Commons in
1563 and representing various constituencies for most of the time from then until
1593. He was knighted in
1575. After his father's death in
1598 brought him a seat in the
House of Lords, the 2nd Lord Burghley, as he then was, served from
1599 to
1603 as
Lord Lieutenant of Yorkshire and Lord President of the
Council of the North. It was during this period that Queen Elizabeth made him a
Knight of the Garter in
1601. He was created
Earl of Exeter on
May 4,
1605, the same day his half-brother
Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cranborne was created 1st Earl of Salisbury. Unlike his brother, however, he did not become a Government minister under
James I.
Thomas Cecil is buried in a tomb in the warrior chapel at St Mary's church in Wimbledon village.
