Historian Stephen Alford’s discovery of a 1596 document unveils an ancient espionage network led by Robert Cecil under Queen Elizabeth I, believing it to be the origin of the first English secret service. The 428-year-old dossier, titled “The names of the Intelligencers,” reveals Cecil’s covert operations to monitor European monarchs and safeguard the English throne. Alford has written a book on his discoveries titled “All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil,” which is being published by Penguin.
