Edward Nicholas was born in 1593, the son of John Nicholas and his wife Susan, daughter of William Hunton. After Queen's college, Oxford, he entered the Middle Temple. In 1625 he became Secretary to the Admiralty and two years later became Member of Parliament for Dover. He continued as secretary to the Naval Commissioners and came to the attention of King Charles I, who made him his Secretary of State. He was with the King at Oxford and until the Royalist cause surrendered, when he was given leave to go into exile with his family, and settled in France. He was attached to King Charles II's court in exile but disliking the intrigue at it remained on the fringe. He was created a baronet in 1653 and the following year, the King's Secretary of State. He returned to the King in England at the Restoration, but by now, an old man, was forced to give up his duties. He died in September 1669. He married Jane, third daughter of Henry Jay of Holston; they had several children.

A portrait of Nicholas by Hanneman of 1653 is at Balcarres and by Lely of 1660 is in the National Portrait Gallery.