WITH GREAT PLEASURE

THE AUTHOR DEDICATES THIS WORK

(BY PERMISSION)

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF LEICESTER,

AS IT AFFORDS HIM AN OPPORTUNITY

TO RECORD HIS SENSE

OF THEIR KINDNESS AND

HOSPITALITY.

CONTENTS

OF

THE FIRST VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.

The period in which Coke lived

-

His general character

-His birth in 1550-His parents His family-

Childhood Enters Trinity College Cambridge

Archbishop Whitgift-Coke's studies-His power of

intense application-Nature of his readings-Biogra-

phy of Whitgift-Coke becomes a Templar-Is called

to the Bar-The course of legal study followed in his

days-Mootings-Anecdotes of the law students-

Coke pleads his first cause-Gets into practice-Accu-

mulates considerable property-Rapidly acquires estates

-Notices of his landed property in Norfolk, Essex,

Bucks and Dorsetshire.

Page

1

CHAPTER II.

1578-1582.

Coke's early career at the bar—Account of his first cause

-Style of pleading-His emoluments-His legal con-

temporaries-Plowden-Bacon-Lord Ellesmere-Sir

George Croke-Sir Harbottle Grimstone-Sir Henry

Yelverton-Sir Lawrence Tanfield-Dodderidge-Da-

vid Jenkins,

Page

27

CHAPTER III.

1582-1593.

Coke's first marriage-The Paston family-Coke's father-

in-law--This the happiest period of his life-Trial of

Mary Queen of Scots-Coke made Recorder of Nor-

wich, Coventry and London-A bencher and reader

of Inner Temple-Elected into parliament for Nor-

wich-Made solicitor-general- Sketch of his parliamen-

tary demeanour-His description of the properties which

a member of parliament ought to possess-The mem-

bers of that age-Their character-Their pay-Coke

elected speaker-Sir John Puckering's speech on the

occasion-Coke's first speech in parliament in address-

ing Queen Elizabeth-The lord keeper's reply-The

Commons displease the Queen-Certain members com-

mitted to the Tower-Speech of Coke on the bill

for reforming the ecclesiastical courts-His address