[1] The Privy Council was a group of specially chosen advisors that functioned as the principal executive branch of Elizabeth's government.
[2] Membership was decided entirely by the Queen however, certain powerful noblemen were necessary for the Council so that their and their realms' interests were represented to avoid a rebellion.
[2] Cecil played an important role in some of the first businesses of the Queen's government; the making of peace with France and Scotland and the re-establishment of a reformed polity in the church.
Some of his most critical work was driving French forces from Scotland and winning his Queen the right to interfere in Scottish affairs in order to sustain the terms of the 1560 treaties.
[4] At the time he was widely considered to be Elizabeth’s favorite and this favor meant he immediately became part of the Council’s senior members.
Exact information on Dudley’s political role and influence is unavailable due to the dispersed nature of his personal papers and correspondence.
Generally, the monarch paid for daily administration with ordinary revenues (customs, feudal dues, and sales of land) while Parliament covered extraordinary expenditures (such as war) with taxation.
Royal representatives (Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs, and Lords Lieutenant) were appointed in every county; they ensured that the queen's commands and laws were obeyed.
Uses of the pillory, ducking stool, the brank, the drunkards cloak, burning, the breaking wheel, and other forms of punishment and torture were also common during this time.
[2] William Cecil and Robert Dudley played major roles in the queen’s domestic policy, and much of the queen’s time was spent navigating all the issues that would rise up and dealing with the survivors of the Marian Council, whose support carried much weight, but the members of which were not wont to take initiative in important actions.
This appears true in the later part of her reign, post-Armada, when factions led by the Earl of Essex and the Cecils (William and Robert), argued over which way the war against Spain should proceed.
The traditional view put forward by Read and Neale, suggests that William Cecil (later Lord Burghley) was continually in faction against Robert Dudley, over issues such as marriage and most importantly intervention in the Netherlands.
Revisionist historian Adams defines faction as "one group of people employed in direct opposition to another", and it is on this premise that historians such as John Guy argue there was no true faction in the Council at this stage, disagreements were primarily over individual opinions, and judgements over how to proceed; all councilors, after the removal of conservative Norfolk, were agreed that Elizabeth should look to further and protect the Protestant cause.
William Cecil was one of the first people to champion this policy which would go on to greatly impact how the Crown and Government would interact with mainland European polities.
A major goal of the Elizabethan government, at the direction of Elizabeth herself, was the strengthening of the Anglican Church, which was something they succeeded greatly in.
Before Elizabeth, many Englishmen still practiced their faith in a way that was broadly similar to their Catholic roots, but her reign helped establish a firm identity for the Church of England.