OF

SIR EDWARD COKE,

LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF ENGLAND IN THE

REIGN OF JAMES I.

WITH

MEMOIRS OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES

BY

CUTHBERT WILLIAM JOHNSON, Esq.

OF GRAY'S INN, BARRISTER-AT-LAW.

SECOND EDITION.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER,

GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

M.DCCCXLV.

BIBLIOTHECA

REGLA

MONACENSIS.

Bayerische
Staatsbibliothek

München

Coke anxious to be restored to the favour of the court

-The quarrel between Secretary Winwood and the

Chancellor Bacon-Proposes a marriage between his

daughter Frances and Sir John Villiers, Buckingham's

brother-Lady Hatton opposes the match-Carries her

daughter off-Coke discovers her retreat, and recovers

possession of her-Both Coke and his wife complain

to the Privy Council-Memorial written for Lady

Hatton-Lady Hatton a court beauty-Her conduct

to Sir Edward Coke after his disgrace Notices

of them in the gossiping letters of that period-Letter

of Lady Hatton to the Privy Council-Is out of favour

at court-Petition to the King-Letters of Lady

-

Page

-

Hatton to Buckingham-To the King-Again restored

to favour at court Ben Jonson's " Masque of

Beauty" Coke addresses a letter to Buckingham-

-States the portion he intends to give his daughter

and what Lady Hatton will give -Lady Hatton's letter

to Buckingham.

CHAPTER II.

Page

1617.

The foolish position of Coke in the negociation-Bacon's

opposition to it-His letter to Buckingham-His letter

to the King and to Buckingham-Receives a letter

from the King, and changes his opinion of the match

-Bacon's letter to the King-The King's letter to

Bacon-Buckingham's to Bacon-Bacon becomes a

warm friend to the match-- His letter to Buckingham

-Sir Henry Yelverton's letter to Bacon-The mar-

riage settlements-Lady Hatton's letter to the King -

Her memorial to the King with regard to Coke's treat-

ment of her-The marriage celebrated-The history of

this union-Sir John Villiers made Viscount Purbeck

-Lady Purbeck's letter to her mother-Purbeck de-

serts his wife-Lady Purbeck's letter to Buckingham

-Gossiping letters of that period-Death of Lady

Purbeck History of Sir Robert Wright.

31

Commencement of Coke's second parliamentary career—

The first Parliament of James I-The King's procla-

mation-His address to the House of Commons on

the first day of the sessions-The Speaker's prosy reply

-The close of the session-The King's parting speech

to them-Brief sketch of the first Parliament of James

-Speech of Sir Edward Coke-Carries up a message

from the Commons to the House of Lords-His address

to the Lords on this occasion-His speech in the

Commons on the impeachment of Bacon-The Parlia-

ment several times prorogued and dismissed-Dispute

between the Commons and the King-The King's

letter to the Speaker-The Parliament dissolved—

Another summoned-Coke elected for Coventry-His

papers seized by the government-Memoir of Pym-

Another Parliament summoned-King James opposed

to any warlike assistance for his son-in-law-Parliament

is opposed to the marriage of his son Charles with the

Infanta of Spain-Conference with the Lords on the

occasion-Coke's address to them.

Page

90

CHAPTER IV.

1624.

mons

Coke manages a conference on behalf of the Com-

Impeachment of the Earl of Middlesex-

Coke's speech on the occasion-Prefers his charges-

The trial-the King defends his Lord Treasurer -

He is condemned-His character-Death of James I

-The character of the first Stuart and his Par-

liaments-Review of his treatment of them-The

first Parliament of Charles I-The subsidies granted

by Parliaments in that reign-Amount of a subsidy