SOLICITOR GENERAL. 



Of Coke s bitter spirit there are so many painful instances, 

 that, unless Bacon had to complain of unfairness in other 

 matters, the acrimony which overflowed upon all, could 

 not be considered altogether the effect of personal rivalry. 

 It would have been well had his morbid feelings been con 

 fined to his professional opponents ; but, unmindful of the 

 old maxim, &quot; let him take heed how he strikes, who strikes 

 with a dead hand,&quot; his rancorous abuse extended to prisoners 

 on trials for their lives, (a) for which he was severely cen 

 sured by Bacon, who told him that in his pleadings he was 

 ever wont to insult over misery, (b) 



Who can forget Coke s treatment of Raleigh, entitled as 

 he was by station and attainments to the civil observances 

 of a gentleman, and, by long imprisonment and subsequent 

 misfortunes, to the commiseration of all men. It is true 

 that there were some persons present at this trial, who 

 remembered that Raleigh and Cobham had stood only a 

 few years before, with an open satisfaction, to witness the 

 death of Essex, against whom they had secretly conspired ; 

 but even the sense of retributive justice, though it might 

 deaden their pity, could not lessen their disgust at the 

 cruel and vulgar invectives of Coke, whose knowledge 

 neither expanded his intellect, or civilized his manners. 

 Fierce with dark keeping, his mind resembled some of 

 those gloomy structures where records and muniments are 

 piled to the exclusion of all higher or nobler matters. For 

 genius he had no love : with philosophy he had no sym 

 pathy. 



Upon the trial of Raleigh, Coke, after denouncing him 



(a) Coke, upon the trial of Mrs. Turner, told her that she was &quot; guilty 

 of the seven deadly sins ;&quot; that she was &quot; a whore, a bawd, a sorcerer, a 

 witch, a papist, a felon, and a murderer.&quot; 



(6) Letter of expostulation, vol. vii. p. 297. 

 VOL. XV. / 



