COKE. 
regard to the former fe'rvices of his lordfhip, the king 
was pleafed not to deal heavily with him : and therefore 
had decreed, i. That he be fequefiered from the council- 
table, until his majefty’s pleafure be further known, a. 
That he forbear-to ride his fumnier circuit as jullice of 
afilze. 3. That during this vacation, while he had time 
to live privately and difpofe himfelf at home, he take into 
confideration his books of reports; wherein, as his ma- 
jelty is informed, be many extravagant and exorbitant 
opinions fet down and publilhed for pofitive and good 
law : and if, in reviewing and reading thereof, he find' 
any thing fit to be altered .or amended, the correction is 
left to Ins dilcretion. Among other things, the king 
was not well pleafed with the title of thofe bocks, where¬ 
in he ltyled himlelf “ lord chief jullice of England;” 
"whereas he could challenge no more, but lord chief juf- 
tice of the king's-bench. And having corrected what in 
his dilcretion he found meet in thefe reports, his majelty’s 
pleafure was, he Ihould bring the fame privately to him¬ 
felf, that he might confider thereof, as in his princely 
judgment fhould be found expedient. Hereunto Mr. 
fecretary advifed him to conform himfelf in all duty and 
obedience, as he ought; whereby he might hope that 
his majelty in time would receive him again to his graci¬ 
ous and princely favour. To this-the lord chief jullice 
made, anfwer, that he did in ail humility profirate himlelf 
to his majelty’* good pleafure ; that he acknowledged 
that decree to be jr.It, and proceeded rather from his ma- 
jefiy’s exceeding mercy than his jullice; gave humble 
thanks to their lordfhips for their goodnefs towards him ; 
and hoped that his behaviour for the future would be 
inch as would dclerve their lordlliips favour. From 
which anfwer of fir Edward’s we may learn that he was 
as dcjefled in adverfity, as he was overbearing in pro- 
fperity. 
In OCtober he was called before the chancellor, and for¬ 
bid Well'minlter-hall; and alfo ordered to anfwer feveral 
exceptions againlt his reports. In November the king 
removed him from the office oTlord chief jullice. Upon 
his difgface, fir Francis Bacon wrote him an admonitary 
letter, in which he remonllrates to him feveral errors in 
liis former behaviour and conduct. We have made a ci¬ 
tation from this letter already ; we will here give the re¬ 
mainder of it: for though perhaps it was not very gene¬ 
rous in Bacon to write fuch a letter at fuch a feal'on, even 
to a prcfelled adverf'ary, yet it l'erves to illufirate the 
character and manners of Coke. In this letter he advifed 
fir Edward to be humbled for this vifitation ; and ob- 
ferves, “ that affliction only levels the molehills of pride 
in us, ploughs up the heart, and makes it fit for wildom 
to low her feed, and grace to bring forth her increafe.” 
He afterwards points out to him feme errors in his con¬ 
duct. “ In difcourle, fays he, you delight to fpeak too 
much, not to hear other men ; this fome fay becomes a 
pleader, not a judge. For by this fometimes your affec¬ 
tions are entangled with a love of your own arguments, 
though they be the weaker; and with rejecting ot thofe 
which, when your affeCtions were fettled, your own 
judgment would allow for llrongefl. Thus, while you 
fpeak in your element, the law, no man ordinarily equals 
you ; but when you wander, as you often delight to do, 
you then wander indeed, and never give fuch fatisfaClion 
as the curious time requires. This is not caufed by 
any natural defeCt, but riiil for want of ele&ion ; when 
you, having a large and fruitful mind, fhould not fo 
much labour what to fpeak-, as to find what to leave un- 
fpoken. Rich foils are often to be weeded. Secondly, 
you cloy your auditory. When you would be obferved, 
Jpeech mult be either liveet or fhort. Thirdly, you con¬ 
vene with books, not men, and books Specially humane ; 
and have no excellent choice with men, who are the bell 
books. For a man of aCiion and employment you fel- 
dom convetfc with, and then but with underlings; not 
freely, but as a fchooimalter, ever to teach, never to 
learn. But if fometimes you would in your familiar dif- 
CQurie hear others, and make election of fuch as knew 
what they fpeak, you fhould know many of thofe tales, 
which you tell, to be but ordinary; and many other 
things, which you delight to repeat and ferve in for no¬ 
velties, to be but llaie. As in your pleadings you were 
wont to infult evenmifery, and inveigh bitterly againff 
the perfon ; fo are you flill carelel's in this point. Vour 
too much love of the world is too much feen, when, hav¬ 
ing the living of io.oool. you relieve few or none. The 
hand that hath taken fo much, can it give fo little? 
Herein you fhew no bowels of companion, as if you 
thought all too little for yourfeif, or that God had given 
you all that you have, only to that end you fhould Hill 
gather more, and never be fatisfied, but try how much 
you could gather, to account for all at the great and ge¬ 
neral audit day. We defire you to amend this, and let 
your poor tenants in Norfolk find fome comfort, where 
nothing of your eflate is f'pent towards their relief, but 
all brought up hither to the impoverifhing your coun¬ 
try.” He then telis him, “ that in cafe of Overbuty he 
ufed too many delays, till the delinquent’s hands were 
loofe, and his own bound ; and that he was too open in 
his proceedings, and fo taught them how to defend them- 
felves. But that,” continues he, “ which we commend 
you for, are thofe excellent parts of nature and knowledge 
in the law, which you are endued withal. But thefe are 
only good in their good ule. Wherefore we thank you 
heartily for Handing Houtly in the commonwealth’s be¬ 
half; hoping, it proceedeth not from a difpofition to op- 
pofe greatnefs, as your enemies fay, but to do jullice, and 
deliver truth indifferently without refpeCt of perfons.” 
Low as fir Edward Coke was fallen, he was afterwards 
rellored to credit and favour ; the firfl Hep to which was, 
his propofing a match between the earl qf Buckingham’s 
elder brother, fir John Villiers, and his younger daughter 
by the lady Hatton : for he knew no other way of gain¬ 
ing that favourite. This however occafioned a ferious 
quarrel between fir Edward and his wife; who, refenting 
her hufband's attempt to difpofe of her daughter with¬ 
out afking her leave, carried away the young lady, and 
lodged her at fir Edmund Withipole’s houfe near Oat- 
lands. Upon this fir Edward wrote immediately to the 
earl of Buckingham, to procure a warrant from the pri¬ 
vy-council to reltore his daughter to him ; but before he 
received an anfwer, difeovenng where fhe was, he went 
with his fons, and took her by force, which occafioned 
lady Hatton to complain in her turn to the privy coun¬ 
cil. Much confufion followed; and this private match 
became at length an affair of Hate. The differences were 
at length made up, in appearance at leaft, Sep. 1617; fir 
Edward was rellored to favour, and reiivflated in his place 
as privy-councillor; and fir John Villiers was married to 
Mrs. Frances Coke, with great fplendour, at Hampton- 
court. This wedding however colt fir Edward dear. 
For befides io,oool. paid in money at two payments, he 
and his fon fir Robert did, purfuant to articles and direc¬ 
tions of the lords of the council, affure to fir John Villiers 
a rentcharge of aooo marks per annum during fir Ed¬ 
ward’s life, and of 900I. a year during lady Hatton’s life, 
if file furvived her hulband; and after both their deaths, 
the manor of Stoke in Buckinghamfhire, of the value of 
900I. per annum, to fir John Viiliers and his lady, and to 
the heirs of her body. All this time tlie quarrel fubfilled 
between him and his wife : and many letters are Hill ex¬ 
tant, which fhew a great deal of -violence and refentment 
in both parties. At the time of the marriage, lady Hat¬ 
ton was confined at the complaint of her hulband : for, 
fince her marriage, Hie had purchafed the ifland and caf- 
tle of Purbetk, and leveral other effates in different coun¬ 
ties ; which made her greatly independent of her bufi- 
and. However, their reconciliation was afterwards effect¬ 
ed, but not till July 1621, and then by no lei's a media¬ 
tor than the king. 
A parliament was fummoned, and met January 1621 ; 
and in February there was a great debate in the houfe of 
commons upon feveral points of impoitance, fuch as 
liberty of ipeech, the increafe of popery, and other griev¬ 
ances. 
