Passage: In the Middle Ages the kings of England were attended by a cleric called the "king's clerk" and later "secretary", who dealt with their correspondence. Until the reign of Henry VIII, there was usually only one secretary, but under him a second appeared. In the time of Elizabeth I (1558–1603) these men gained the title "Secretary of State". With Cabinet government after 1688, the Secretaries of State took on higher duties. Their posts came to be known as the Secretary of State for the Northern Department and the Secretary of State for the Southern Department.  Both dealt with home affairs, but they divided foreign affairs, so that one dealt with the Protestant states of northern Europe and the other with the Roman Catholic states of southern Europe. The Secretary of State for the Southern Department ranked above the one for the Northern Department.

Question: When was Elizabeth time?
1558–1603