| Post: | England Secretary of State |
| Flagsize: | 120px |
| Insignia: | File:Coat of Arms of England (1603-1649).svg |
| Insigniasize: | 120px |
| Insigniacaption: | Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of England from 1603 to 1649 |
| Appointer: | The English Monarch |
| Member Of: | Privy Council |
| Seat: | Westminster, London |
| Termlength: | No fixed term |
| Formation: | 1253–1645 |
| First: | John Maunsell |
| Last: | George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol |
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Elizabeth I, the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary.
From the time of Henry VIII, there were usually two secretaries of state. After the restoration of the monarchy of 1660, the two posts were specifically designated as the Secretary of State for the Northern Department and the Secretary of State for the Southern Department. Both dealt with home affairs and they divided foreign affairs between them.
The medieval kings of England had a clerical servant, at first known as their Clerk, later as their Secretary. The primary duty of this office was carrying on the monarch's official correspondence, but in varying degrees the holder also advised the Crown, and by the early fourteenth century, the position was in effect the third most powerful office of state in England, ranking after the Lord Chancellor.
Most administrative business went through the royal household, particularly the Wardrobe. The Privy Seal's warrants increased rapidly in quantity and frequency during the late Middle Ages. The Signet warrant, kept by the Keeper of the Privy Seal, could be used to stamp documents on authority of chancery and on behalf of the Chancellor. During wartime, the king took his privy seal with him wherever he went. Its controller was the Secretary, who served on military and diplomatic missions; and the Wardrobe clerks assumed an even greater importance.
Until the reign of King Henry VIII (1509–1547), there was usually only one such secretary at a time, but by the end of Henry's reign there was also a second secretary. At about the end of the reign of Henry's daughter Elizabeth I (1558–1603), the secretaries began to be called "Secretary of State". After the Restoration of 1660, the two posts came to be known as the Secretary of State for the Northern Department and the Secretary of State for the Southern Department. Both of the secretaries dealt with internal matters, but they also divided foreign affairs between them. One dealt with northern Europe (the mostly Protestant states) and the other with southern Europe. Following the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Cabinet took over the practical direction of affairs previously undertaken by the Privy Council, and the two secretaries of state gained ever more responsible powers.[1]
For the Secretaries of State following the Union with Scotland of 1707, see Secretary of State for the Northern Department, Secretary of State for the Southern Department, and Secretary of State (United Kingdom)
| Date | One | Two | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| (April 1540) | Thomas Wriothesley Wriothesley was the first secretary to share the office with a colleague. | ||
| (23 April 1543 – April 1548) | |||
| (January 1544 – March 1557) | |||
| (17 April 1548 – 15 October 1549) | |||
| (15 October 1549 – 5 September 1550) | |||
| (5 September 1550 – July 1553) | |||
| (June 1553 – July 1553) | Sir John Cheke (served as a third Secretary of State) | ||
| (July 1553 – April 1558) | |||
| (March 1557 – November 1558) | |||
| (sole Secretary - April 1558 – November 1558) | |||
| (November 1558 – 13 July 1572) | Sir William Cecil[2] | ||
| (13 July 1572 – March 1576 - sole Secretary until 20 December 1573) | Sir Thomas Smith[3] | ||
| (20 December 1573[4] – April 1590) | |||
| (sole Secretary - March 1576-12 November 1577) | |||
| (12 November 1577 – 16 June 1581) | |||
| (sole Secretary - 16 June 1581-September 1586) | |||
| (September 1586 – February 1587) | |||
| (sole Secretary - February 1587-April 1590) | |||
| (5 July 1590 – July 1596 - Acting-Secretary[5]) | William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (formerly Sir William Cecil) | ||
For the subsequent period see: