as speaker to the Queen at the close of the session -The Queen's speech in reply-Appointed attorney general-Sketch of the parliamentary proceedings during the last years of Elizabeth and the first of James I. Page 65 CHAPTER IV. 1593-1603. Coke's residence at Huntingfield Hall-The mansion and its remains-Coke's children-His wife-Her deathHer epitaph-Coke again thinks of marriage-The treaty with Lady Hatton successful-His illegal marriage -Whitgift puts him into the Spiritual Court-Death of Burleigh Notice of Sir William Hatton Rivalry of Bacon-Letters of Lord Essex-Character of Lady Hatton-Trial of Essex and Southampton-Speech of Coke-Notice of Essex and of his son-Criminal trials of that age-The public quarrel of Coke and Bacon- Queen Elizabeth-Her conduct to Coke-Her gift to him-Her death-Coke continued attorneygeneral by her successor. . 119 CHAPTER V. 1602-1606. Coke knighted-Trial of Raleigh-His speech-Raleigh's defence His condemnation-Sir Henry Montague's speech to him on judgment being passed-Notice of Raleigh-The gunpowder plot-Trial of the cons pirators-Coke's speech to the judges-Notice of this plot and of the conspirators-Many of its particulars doubted-Coke made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas-Coke's emoluments when at the bar-His fees of office. Page 155 CHAPTER VI. 1606-1614. Coke's upright character as a judge-Ceremony of his investiture-Is previously made a king's sergeantHis introduction into the Court of Common PleasBacon's letter to him--The case of Marmaduke Langdale-Opposes the court-Refuses to give his opinions --Opposes the Court of High Commission-History of this court-Coke nominated a commissionerRefuses to sit-Conference in consequence-Archbishop Bancroft's speech to him-The Court of Common Pleas, and the High Commission Court come into contact in the case of chancery-Coke summoned before the Privy Council-Coke succeeds in his opposition-Is made Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench-The real cause of his promotion— The case of Edward Peacham —the King desirous of ascertaining Coke's opinion-Bacon demands it-Coke finally baffles him-King James writes his opinionCoke made High Steward of Cambridge. 213 at the trial of the murderers of Overbury-Weston -Ann Turner -Sir John Elvis-Sir Robert Monson - The Earl and Countess of Somerset-Roger Coke's account of the detection of the plot - King James' fears-The plots which attended him-Coke's address -The declining health of the Lord Chancellor Bacon intrigues to be his successor- -Contest between the Courts of King's Bench and Chancery --Coke consulted by the King. 256 CHAPTER VIII. 1616-1617. The Case of Commendams-Bacon's letter to Sir Edward -- sentence of the Privy Council upon him-Desired to revise his reports-Suspended from his office-Again appeared before the Privy Council-Letter of Buckingham to Bacon-The King himself enters into the examination of Coke's reports-Coke again summoned before the Privy Council-The Chancellor's reports to the King, of the examination - The examination suspended-Letter of Coke to Buckingham. Page 293 CHAPTER IX. 1616. The real causes of Coke's suspension from the Court of King's Bench-The case of the chief clerkship of the Pleas-Resolution to discharge him-Bacon's letter to the King enclosing a form for the purpose-Warrant for his successor-Bacon advises the King as to Montague-Further notices of the review of Coke's reports-Copy of Coke's supersedeas-Coke's behaviour. on the occasion-The opinion of his legal contemporaries-The letters of Mr. Chamberlain-The Queen befriends him-Sir Henry Montague appointed his successor-Bacon's letter to Buckingham-Speech of the Chancellor to Sir Henry Montague when he was sworn to his place-Incomes of the judges in the time of Coke-Notice of Robert Cecil first Earl of Salisbury -Of Villiers Duke of Buckingham. 328 INTRODUCTION. THE works of Sir Edward Coke have been long familiar to the legal profession; to no English lawyer, indeed, are his gigantic labours unknown. But with regard to the life of their great author, with the exception of the able notice by Oldys, in the Biographia Britannica, little has yet been accomplished. To the readers of English history, Coke is principally known as the pleader who so rancorously conducted the prosecution of Sir Walter Raleigh; and he is hardly remembered for anything except the part which he played in that melancholy trial. To this, many circumstances have contributed; he was much too independent in his political conduct to be a favourite with the historians of either party; too patriotic for the royalists; his high prerogative legal opinions were, on the other hand, equally distasteful to the republicans. |