Sir Francis Walsingham was born about 1530. He matriculated at King's College, Cambridge, and subsequently entered Gray's Inn. On Queen Mary's accession he left England and travelled on the Continent, but returned home on her death. He then entered Parliament as member for Banbury, and later represented Lyme Regis and Surrey. His knowledge of foreign affairs brought him under the notice of Burghley, and through his foreign friends and correspondents he obtained much valuable secret intelligence. In 1570 he went on an embassy to Paris, and later in that year was appointed resident ambassador at the French Court. In December 1573, Walsingham was appointed one of the principal Secretaries of State, and in 1577 was knighted. He was one of the Commissioners who tried Mary, Queen of Scots, and it was largely on the secret information obtained by him that she was condemned. Walsingham died in London on 6th April 1590 and was buried privately the next night in St. Paul's. The portrait here reproduced is from the engraving in the British Museum of the original formerly in the collection of the Duke of Dorset. 固opFoto