William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury

William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, (28 March 1591 – 3 December 1668), known as Viscount Cranborne from 1605 to 1612, was an English peer, nobleman, and politician.

Early years, 1591–1612 Cecil was the son of Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury and Elizabeth (née Brooke), the daughter of William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham. He was born in Westminster on 28 March 1591 and baptized in St Clement Danes on 11 April. He was educated at Sherborne School and at St John's College, Cambridge, where he started his terms in 1602, at age eleven. In 1603 Anne of Denmark held court at Worksop Manor on the king's birthday, 19 June. She tied a jewel in William's ear, and he danced with Princess Elizabeth.

James I raised Cecil's father to the Peerage of England, creating him Baron Cecil in 1603; Viscount Cranborne in 1604; and Earl of Salisbury in 1605. However, in mid-1610, James I determined to have his son Henry installed as Prince of Wales and Salisbury (who was currently serving as Lord High Treasurer) instructed his son to return for the ceremony: Cranborne subsequently held the king's train for the ceremony. Salisbury was soon named Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, where he gained a reputation for punctilious service to the king. James I made him a Knight of the Garter in 1624. Harsher critics doubted whether he had any faculties to fail in the first place, describing him as a man who never spoke of anything but hunting and hawking.

Salisbury died at Hatfield House on 3 December 1668.

He was succeeded as Earl by his grandson James Cecil, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, as his son Charles (1619–1660) had predeceased him.

Issue Lord Salisbury married Lady Catherine Howard, a daughter of the 1st Earl of Suffolk, on 1 December 1608. They had twelve children, including: James, Viscount Cranborne (born and died 1616) Charles Cecil, Viscount Cranborne (1619–1660), father of the 3rd Earl of Salisbury. Anne (died 1637), who married the 10th Earl of Northumberland and had issue. Diana (1622–1633), died young. Catherine (died 1652), who married the 3rd Earl of Leicester and had issue. Elizabeth (died 1689), who married the 3rd Earl of Devonshire and had issue. Algernon (died 1676) Mary, who married Lord William Sandys (died 1668).