Prime Ministers... before Walpole

Sir Robert Walpole is regarded as first "Prime Minister" in British history. In the very detailed and interesting (for those who care) book "Biographical Dictionary of British Prime Ministers", the list starts consequently with Walpole, but the editors point out that there are "two earlier candidates for the title of the first prime minister - the Earl of Godolphin and Robert Harley", because they dominated the governments at least as Walpole did it later.

Before Sir Robert Walpole, the most powerful man in a government could be the "Chancellor of the Exchequer", "Lord High Treasurer", "Chief Minister" or the "Commissioner", which makes it a bit difficult to find out who really was the political leader.  

Anyway, as you can imagine, the farer we get into the past, the harder to find are the autographs of persons who lived in that time. I have only very few government leaders before the Commonwealth (1649-60), so I only listed the few I have, while I listed all the names of the heads of the government since the restoration (1660), according to Haydn´s Book of Dignities 1894:

William Laud (1573-1645), First Lord of the Treasury 1635-36, Archbishopof Canterbury: 1633-1645. He was educated in  St. John´s college, Oxford, but made himself unpopular with the university authorities by his open antipathy to the dominant Puritanism.Nevertheless, his abilities and unselfish churchmanship soon won him friends and patrons. Laud became president of his old college (1611), Archdeacon of Huntingdon (1615), Dean of Gloucester (1616), Bishop of St. Davids (1621), Dean of the Chapel Royal and Privy Councillor (1626), Bishop of London (1628) and finally Archbishop of Canterbury (1633). After the Duke of Buckingham´s assassination (1628), he had virtually become the first Minister of the Crown, working with King Charles I towards absolutism in Church and State. He was to raise the Church of England to its rightful position as a branch of the Church Catholic. To achieve this, he drew up a list of 'Orthodox' and 'Puritan' ministers, whom he proceeded to separate by scolding, suspending and depriving. In Scotland, his measures led to the 'Biship´s war', and this to the meeting of the 'Long Parliament' which impeached him of treason in and sent him to tower in 1640. He was urged to escape but didn´t, and in 1645 the Archbishop was beheaded on Tower Hill.   

William Juxon (1582-1663), Lord High Treasurer 1636-41, Archbishop of Canterbury 1660-63. After studying law at Oxford, he took holy orders and served in different positions in and around Oxford, among them as vicar and rector. In 1621, he succeeded his friend William Laud (see above) as president of St. John´s college, and after several other important posts, he again followed Laud as Bisop of London, which he remained until 1649. In 1636, he was made Lord High Treasurer by King Charles I and effectively led the government (again suceeding Laud). During the civil war, he lived undisturbed at his Fulham Palace, and finally, he attended King Charles I during his trial and received his last words on the scaffold (30 Jan. 1649). At the restoration, he became Archbishop of Canterbury and took part in the new King´s coronation. Due to his short time as Archbishop, his usual signature that can be found is "Guil: London" as Bishop of London (like this one on the right from a document dated "Seventh March 1637").

1649-60 Commonwealth (leaders "Lord Protectors" Oliver Cromwell and Richard Cromwell)

Sir Edward Hyde (1609-74, later 1st Earl of Clarendon), 1660.

Sir Thomas Wriothesley (1608-68, later the 4th Duke of Southampton), Lord High Treasurer 1660-67. A Republican and supporter of Oliver Cromwell before the Restoration, he was shocked to see how brutal Cromwell´s forces handled the opposition. He became a Royalist long before King Charles II returned to England.

George Monck (1608-70, later the Duke of Albermarle), 1667-68.

Thomas Clifford (1630-73, later Baron Clifford of Chudleigh), 1668-73. A member of parliament since 1660, he joined the court party in 1663 and became a trustee of the Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate, Protestant son of King Charles II. After several high offices, he became treasurer in 1668 and soon became aware of the King´s wishes to establish Roman Catholicism in England. He intrigued in France against the Triple Alliance (1669) and was privy to secret clauses of the Treaty of Dover (Dec. 1670). He was granted  estates by the King (1671) and created Baron Clifford (1672), but his career ended when he resigned under the Test Act (1673). He retired to his estates and probably committed suicide.  

Thomas Osborne (1632-1712), Lord Treasurer 1673-79. He started his political career after the Restoration in 1660 when Charles II. became King. After some time in the House of Commons, he became the Chief-Minister (and a "Privy Councillor") in 1673. He was created "Earl of Danby" in June 1674, but his position (especially the way he held it) was questionable, and after an impeachment by the Parliament he was committed and sent to the Tower (1679-84). He was one of the Seven who invited William of Orange to challenge catholic King James II in 1688, and was one of the most important ministers for William III. until 1699. By then, his influence had declined again, after he was impeached for taking a bribe once more in 1695. You can see his signature as "Danby" on the right. He signed as "Leeds" since 1694, when he was created "Duke of Leeds".

Arthur Capel (1631-83, 1st Earl of Essex since 1661), First Lord of the Treasury March - Nov. 1679. The son of Arthur Capel, a follower of King Charles I - both were beheaded in 1649. His son Arthur was raised to the Earldom in 1661 after the monarchy was restored. Essex was very sceptical regarding the growing pro-Catholicism among King Charles II and his brother, nevertheless he held many crown-appointed offices. In 1680, in the "Exclusion Act", he voted against James, the Duke of York, who was to follow his brother King Charles II (because of his openness towards  Catholicism), and favoured an illegitimate Protestant son of King Charles instead, the Duke of Monmouth (1682). Enough was enough, and in 1683, Essex was sent to the Tower, where one morning he was found dead with his throat cut. Possibly a suicide, but as likely murdered by order of the court.

Laurence Hyde (1641-1711, 1st Earl of Rochester), First Lord of the Treasury 1679-85. The son of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (see above), he was dismissed from his offices in 1687 when King James II wanted to turn England back to Catholicism (see above).

Sidney Godolphin (1645-1712, 1st Earl of Godolphin since 1706), Head of the Treasury 1684-85, "First Commissioner of the Treasury" 1690-98 and 1700-01, Lord Treasurer 1702-1710. He had entered parliament as a Whig in 1668 and held important offices until he was dismissed by Queen Anne in August 1710. When his close friends, the D uke and Duchess of Marlborough (John and Sarah Churchill) fell out of favour with the Queen, it was the end of Godolphin´s career as well.

John Belasyse (1615-89, Baron Belasyse since 1645), "First Lord Commissioner of the Treasury" 1687-89.

Charles Mordaunt (1658-1735, later Viscount Mordaunt, created 1st Earl of Monmouth -2nd creation- in 1689, suceeded his uncle as 3rd Earl of Peterborough in 1697), First Lord of the Treasury 1689-90.

Sir John Lowther (1655-1700, 1st Viscount Lonsdale since 1696), First Lord of the Treasury 1690.

Charles Montague (1661-1715, the 1st Earl of Halifax later), Lord Treasurer 1698-99 and 1714-15. He became a Whig-member of parliament in 1688, a Lord of the Treasury in 1692 and established the "Bank of England" in 1694. As Chancellor of the Exchequer (1694-95) he introduced a new coinage, his "Mint Warden" was Sir Isaac Newton. He was leader of the House of Commons up to 1699 but resigned his posts when the Tories came to power for a short time. He was knighted "Baron Halifax" in 1700. When Queen Anne died in 1714, he was a member of the "Council of Regency"; on the arrival of King George I, he was created "1st Earl of Halifax" and became his first "Prime Minister" for a few months until his death in May 1715.

Forde Grey (1655-1701, 3rd Baron Grey of Werk since 1675, Earl of Tankerville since 1695), First Commissioner of the Treasury 1699-1700. He was a zealous exclusionist who wanted to keep the Catholics from the succession. That's why he supported the Protestant Duke of Monmouth (illigetimate son of King Charles II) in his unsuccessful attempt to succeed after King Charles' death in 1685. Monmouth was beheaded, but Grey gave evidence against his associates and was restored to his title. He held several posts before leading the government since 1699.

Charles Howard, (1674-1738, 3rd Earl of Carlisle since 1692), First Lord of the Treasury 1701-02 and May-Oct. 1715.

John Poulett (1663-1743, Baron Poulett later, Earl Poulett since 1706), First Lord of the Treasury 1710-11, nominally, in fact Robert Harley directing affairs.

Robert Harley (1661-1724) started in politics as a Whig-member of parliament in 1689 and became secretary of state in 1704. Later he joined the Tories, became the "Chancellor of the Exchequer" (1710/11) and as "1st Earl of Oxford" (knighted 1711) was the last "Chief Minister" (called "Lord High Treasurer") of Queen Anne from 1711-14, until a few days before her passing. When she died without a heir (her children had all died early; see also "Intro"-page) the "Council of Regency" went on to give the crown to the "Hanoverians" (according to the "Act of Settlement", 1701). Harley and other Tories (who were mostly followers of the catholic Stuarts) favoured another solution, however. They wanted to help to get James Stuart, the "Old Pretender", on the throne, but failed. Soon after George I. arrived, Harley was imprisoned (along with other traitors) in the Tower of London for two years. After his release in 1717, he retired from politics.  

James Stanhope (1673-1721, created Viscount Stanhope in 1717, Earl Stanhope in 1718), First Lord of the Treasury 1717-18. A soldier, diplomat and politician, he died after a vehement speech. A monument in his honour was errected in Westminster Abbey.

Charles Spencer (1674-1722, 3rd Earl of Sunderland since 1702), First Lord of the Treasury 1718-21. He married Anne Churchill, daughter of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, in 1700, whose influence helped him  the following years. He was forced to retire and was followed by Robert Walpole on 3rd April 1721. 

No leader of the government, but nevertheless a prominent figure during Queen Anne´s reign as well: The Duchess of Marlborough (Sarah Churchill, an ancestor of future Prime Minister Winston Churchill).

The Duchess (1660-1744) became a close friend of the future Queen Anne while serving her father (the Duke of York, King James II later), since 1673. In 1677, Sarah married John Churchill (1st Duke of Marlborough), who would become the most important military leader for decades. The Marlboroughs were among the most influential advisors of Queen Anne (Sarah became her "Lady of the Bedchamber"), until 1710, when the Queen "transferred" her friendship to Lady Abigail Masham and the Tories (see above Robert Harley; Lady Abigail was related to him).

On the left, you can see a part of a document, signed by "Sarah Marlborough" and Francis,  the 2nd Earl Godolphin. 

One of the most famous families in English and British history is the Cecil´s. Beginning with William Cecil (1520-98), his sons Thomas (1542-1623) and Robert (1563-1612), among the significant members was a Prime Minister (Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, the third Marquess of Salisbury, 1830-1903) and a Peace Nobel Prize winner (Edgar Algernon Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, first Viscount Cecil, 1864-1958).

William Cecil (1520-98, Lord Burghley from 1571 on) was the most important minister and adviser to Queen Elizabeth I.. He served Her Majesty loyal for 40 years until his death (the last 26 years as Her Lord Treasurer), a duration and significance which remains unequalled in English and British history. On the left you can see an unsigned payment order (left part, "Make an order for 1214£") in his hand on a piece cut from a document - as close as I got to his signature up to now.  

Thomas Cecil (1542-1623) was the older son of William Cecil. He enjoyed his youth in Paris (where his father had sent him to get a better education, in the first place), but later he became a member in five different parliaments and a leading soldier for Elizabeth I, a.o. in her legendary victory over the Spanish Armada (1588). He followed his father as the 2nd Lord Burghley and was knighted himself First Earl of Exeter in 1605. This signature on the right (as "Exeter") is on a part of a document from November 1606.

His younger brother Robert Cecil (1563-1612) became the most important secretary of the Queen after his father died. He studied at Cambridge, but was educated in political matters by his father. In 1590, after the death of Sir Francis Walsingham, Robert took over the duties as secretary of state, even though he was not officially appointed since 1596. From 1598 on, after his father´s death, until 1608, he remained the the most important adviser of Queen Elizabeth (until 1603) and King James I. Robert Cecil became First Earl of Salisbury in 1605.

(More to come)