Early Career Devise of Succession I was puzzled to read that Cecil was responsible for this illegal document as I happen to be reading a biography of Cecil that has Northumberland writing it and is quite specific So I rewrote most of this paragraph citing my source I hope that if there is more than one credible account of this incident as I ve found to be the case for other aspects of the reign they ll be added This perspective illumunates the nature of Cecil s courage scroll down He had principles but would retreat from them under duress either in the interest of the state or to preserve himself