The History of Lynn, Vol. 1 [of 2]Richards, William
History
The History of Lynn, Vol. 1 [of 2]
Richards, William
Fens, The (England); King's Lynn (England)
_Sir_ EDWARD COKE, the famous Lord chief Justice. He was the son of
Robert Coke, Esq. of Mileham, where he was born in 1550, or as some say
in 1549. At ten years of age he was sent to the free school at Norwich;
and after having spent there a competent time, he was removed to Trinity
College in Cambridge, where he continued about four years, and then went
to Clifford’s Inn, and the next year was entered a student of the Inner
Temple. He was called to the bar at six years standing, which in that
age was held very extraordinary. Lloyd tells us that “the first occasion
of his rise was his stating the Cook’s case of the Temple, that all the
house, who were puzzled with it, admired him; and his pleading it so,
that the whole bench took notice of him.” His reputation increased very
fast, and he soon came into great practice. When he had been at the bar
about seven years, he married a lady of one of the best families in his
native county, and with a very large fortune for that age. He now rose
rapidly: the cities of Coventry and Norwich chose him their Recorder; and
he was engaged in all the great causes in Westminster Hall. He was also
in high credit with Lord Burleigh and the other rulers, and often
consulted in state affairs. He became moreover, one of the
representatives of his native county in parliament, Speaker of the House
of Commons, and successively Solicitor-general, Attorney-general, Lord
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and finally, Lord Chief Justice of
England, or rather _of the King’s Bench_, as king James would have it
called. Sir Edward was a high spirited man, and on many occasions
discovered much firmness and integrity, even when the other judges gave
way, and the mandates of the Sovereign required a different conduct.
This kind of behaviour, in time, rendered him obnoxious to the Court, and
brought upon him its heavy displeasure, which issued in his expulsion
from the Council Table, and his removal from the office of Lord Chief
Justice; the king declaring, “That he was for a tyrant the fittest
instrument that ever was in England.” He afterward joined the country
party, and made a distinguished figure among the great parliamentary
patriots, in the latter part of the reign of James and the former part of
that of Charles I. He died at his house at Stoke Pogey, in
Buckinghamshire, Sept. 3, 1634, in the 86 year of his age, and expired
with these words in his mouth, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” He
was one of the greatest Lawyers that England ever produced. He had quick
parts, a deep penetration, a retentive memory, and a solid judgement. He
was greatly honoured and esteemed among his brethren of the long robe;
and when persecuted by the Court, and a brief was given against him to
Sir John Walter, that gentleman, though Attorney-general to the prince,
laid aside the brief, with this remarkable sentence, “Let my tongue
cleave to the roof of my mouth, whenever I open it against Sir Edward
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