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