Edward Coke PC MP
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Edward Coke PC MP (1552 - 1634)

Sir Edward Coke PC MP aka Cooke
Born in Mileham, Norfolk, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
Brother of , and
Husband of — married 1582 in Englandmap
Husband of — married 6 Nov 1598 in Holborn, London, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , , , and
Died at age 82 in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, Englandmap
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Biography

European Aristocracy
Sir Edward Coke was a member of the aristocracy in England.
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Edward Coke PC MP is Notable.
"Sir Edward Coke, judge and law writer, commonly called LORD COKE (or Cooke as the name was pronounced and frequently written in his own day) ... came of an old Norfolk family, whose pedigree is traced from a William Coke of Dodington, or Didlington, mentioned in a deed of 1206. His father, whom he describes as 'a gentleman of Lincolne's Inn,' was lord of the manor of Mileham, where Coke, the only son of a family of eight, was born on 1 Feb. 1551-2."[1]

One of eight children, Edward was the only son[1] of Robert Coke of Mileham, Norfolk, England, and his wife, Winifred, daughter of William Knightley, att., of Norwich, Norfolk.[2] His father Robert Cooke was the son of Anne Woodhowse and Robert Cooke.[3] His father died in 1561.[2]

Education

Sir Edward was educated at Norwich free school until September, 1567. He was then admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge, from where about three and a half years later he graduated master of arts. In 1571, Edward resided in Clifford's Inn, an inn of chancery dependent on the Inner Temple. On 24 April, 1572, he became a student of the municipal law in the Inner Temple. In a shorter time than was customary, Sir Edward was called to the bar on 20 April, 1578, and had already gained a "considerable reputation as a lawyer".[1]

Marriages and Children

Sir Edward, was married twice.[2] In 1582, he married Bridget Paston, a descendant of the family of the 'Paston Letters', who brought him a fortune of 30,000l and considerable property.[1] Bridget, was the daughter and heir of John Paston of Cookley, Suffolk, and Ann, daughter of Christopher Moulton.[4] Together they had seven sons and two daughters.[2] Lord Campbell said they had 10 children.[5] Their children included:

  1. oldest son, who was dead by 1606;[6]
  2. Sir Robert, oldest surviving son, b. 27 September 1587-d. 19 July, 1653, of Caludon Castle, nr. Coventry, Warwickshire, and Huntingfield, Suffolk, married Theophila (died 22 April, 1643), the daughter of Sir Thomas Berkeley on 12 August, 1613, was a sitting MP;[6]
  3. Sir John, b. 1590-d. 1661, who was knighted before 1625;[7]
  4. Henry, born 27 August, 1591- buried 19 November, 1661, of Baylis House, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamsire, and Thorington, Suffolk, 5th son but 3rd surviving son, married on 24 August 1619, Margaret, daughter and heir of Richard Lovelace of Hillingdon, Middlesex, was a sitting MP;[7]
  5. Arthur, appeared before the Privy Council on 20 December, 1626, for refusing to contribute to the Forced Loan;[7] An Arthur Cooke, esq, married Elizabeth, daughter of George Walgrave of Hitcham in co Suffolk, knt, and Mary daughter and coheir of John Moore, Portmann of Ipswich. Elizabeth had a twin sister, Amy.[8]
  6. Clement, b. 19 September, 1594- d. 23 March, 1630, of the Inner Temple, London and Longford, Derbyshire, 6th son, married pre-nuptial settlement by 14 Dec. 1613, Sarah (d. 30 January, 1624), daughter and heir of Alexander Reddish of Reddish, Lancester, who was a sitting MP.[9]
  7. Bridget, daughter of Sir Edward Cook, knight, Lord Chief Justice of England, married William Barney, the son of Sir Thomas Barney of Redham in co. Norfolk, knt, and Julyan, daughter of Sir Thomas Gawdy, of Rednell in co. Norfolk, Knt, they had no children.[10]
  8. Anne, married to Mr Sadler;[5]

Sir Edward's wife Bridget died on 27 June 1598, and a little over five months later, on 6 November 1598, according to Coke,[11] he married Lady Elizabeth Hatton, daughter of Thomas Cecil, 1st earl of Exeter, granddaughter of William Cecil, First Lord Burghley, and the widow of Sir William Hatton, of Holdenby, Northants and Hatton House, Holborn, London.[2] He was 46 and she was 20.[5]

Chamberlain wrote of this second marriage: "The seventh of this moneth, the quenes atturney married the Lady Hatton, to the great admiration of all men, that after so many large and likely offer she shold decline to a man of his qualitie, and the will not beleve it was without a misterie'(Letters, Camden Soc. p. 29 and see p. 63)."[11] The marriage was held in a private house without banns or license, and everybody at the wedding was prosecuted in the archbishop's court for falling 'under the greater excommunication and the consequent penalties' (Collier, Ecel. Hist. ii 662). They submitted and were absolved.[11] "Lady Hatton's fortune and her own character proving fruitful causes of quarrel in his later years."[11]

With his second wife, Sir Edward had two daughters: the first, Elizabeth, born August 1599 at Hatton House, on the Strand; [12] [2] and Frances, the younger, born in August 1602 and baptised at St Andrew Holborn on 2 September as "Francis Cook, doughter of Mr Cook the Quene's Maygesties Atorney general." [13] Burke says Coke and Lady Elizabeth had two daughters, Elizabeth who died unmarried, and Frances, the future Lady Purbeck; Lord Campbell makes no mention of a child Elizabeth.[5] However, Smyth, in The Berkeley Manuscripts, asserts that Elizabeth was married to Sir Maurice Berkeley, MP for Goucestershire. [14] The marriage took place in 1622 and Elizabeth died in November 1623, having given birth to a daughter, Frances Berkeley. [15] [16]

In September 1601, the queen, previously godmother to his first daughter, was lavishly entertained by Coke at Stoke Poges, a Buckinghamshire manor, brought to him by his second marriage,[2] on the event of his daughter Anne's marriage to Ralph Sadler. [17]

He agreed to the marriage of Frances, his step-daughter[2]/youngest daughter, then 14,[18] to Sir John Villiers,[2] the elder brother of the Duke of Buckingham, but his wife, Lady Hatton, had not given her consent and she took her daughter to her cousin's house at Oatlands, "and a famous and undignified squabble ensued. Coke applied for a warrant from the privy council. Bacon refused, but Winwood granted it. Coke, without his warrant, went to Oatlands and recovered his daughter by force. His wife in turn appealed to the privy council, where Bacon, now lord keeper, took up her quarrel, and an information against Coke was filed in the Star-chamber."[18] James, the king, ordered the Privy Council to return Frances to her father/stepfather, and Bacon was censured by the king.[2] [18] Lady Hatton was confined to the house of a London alderman until she consented to the marriage, Frances' marriage took place without her mother on 29 September 1617, at Hampton Court, in the presence of the King and Queen.[5]

When he was 64, Elizabeth Cecil, Lady Hatton, divided herself from him ... disfurnished his houses in Holborn and at Stoke of whatever was in them, and carried all the moveables and plate she could come by God knows where, ... There was a brief reconciliation in 1621.[19]

Lord Coke's fourth son, Henry, was the great-great-grandfather of the first earl of Leicester.[20]

Sir Edward's grandson Roger Coke was a political writer. Roger was also the son of Henry Coke of Thorington, Suffolk, Sir Edward Coke's fifth son, and his wife Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Richard Lovelace of Kingsdown, Kent, born after 1626.[21] Roger married Frances and they had a daughter, Mary, baptised at Mileham, Norfolk on 3 Feb 1649.[21]

Career

In 1579, he was "appointed reader of Lyon's Inn, a post generally held by an utter barrister of ten or twelve years' standing."[1]

In 1581, Coke was counsel in the famous Shelley's case (1 Rep. 94), which was still one of the leading cases in the law of real property three hundred years later when Volume XI of the Dictionary of National Biography was published.[1]

Edward advanced rapidly in public life thanks to the assistance of Cecil, Lord Burghley.[1]

The offices Sir Edward held include:[1]

  • 1585 Recorder of Coventry;
  • 1586 Recorder of Norwich;
  • 1589 sat in parliament as one of the burgesses of Aldborough/Aldeburgh in Suffolk;[11] [2]
  • 1590 Bencher of the Inner Temple;
  • 1592 Solicitor-general, reader of the Inner Temple, Recorder of London;
  • 1592-3 Speaker of the House of Commons; The plague of 1592 forced him to leave London and reside in Huntingfield in Suffolk.[11]
  • 1592-3 returned as one of the knights of the county of Norfolk;[11] [2]
  • 1593-4 Attorney-general;
  • 1596 Treasurer of the Inner Temple;
  • 1606 chief justice of the common pleas;
  • 1613 chief justice of the king's bench; and
  • 1614 high steward of the university of Cambridge.
  • 1620-1 returned as member for Liskeard, 'by the king's commandment';[19] [2]
  • 1624-5 MP for Coventry;[2]
  • 1625-6 MP for Norfolk;[2]
  • 1628 Buckinghamshire;[2]
  • [1628] Suffolk;[2]
"The struggle between the queen and the parliament as to the right of the latter to meddle with ecclesiastical affairs was then at its height, and, standing between them, Coke occupied a very delicate position, in which he showed much subtlety in avoiding a conflict."[11]

Edward was knighted on 22 May, 1603, and later in 1603 appointed gentleman of the Privy Chamber, and counsel to the new queen, Anne of Denmark.[2]

Fleming, the chief justice of the king's bench died in August 1613, and Bacon proposed that Coke should be transferred to the vacant place.[22] Coke shed many tears about it, but eventually agreed to the change and within a few days of being sworn as head of King's Bench was also admitted to the Privy Council.[2]

Death and Legacy

Coke died at Stoke Poges on 3 September, 1634, and was buried at Tittleshall in Norfolk. Fuller says of him "'His parts were admirable, he had a deep judgment, faithful memory, active fancy; and the jewel of his mind was put into a fair case, a beautiful body, with a comely countenance; a case which he did wipe and keep clean, delighting in good cloaths, well worne, and being wont to say, that the outward neatness of our bodies might be a monitor of purity to our souls' (Worthies, Norfolk, 251)"[23]

Under a warrant issued in July 1634, Sir Francis Windebank went to Coke's and secured over 60 of Coke's manuscripts and papers, including his last will, which were kept for seven years until 1641 when one of Sir Edward's sons moved the House of Commons that the papers be delivered to Sir Robert Coke, heir of Sir Edward, which the king granted, and the papers that could be found were delivered but his will has never been found.[20] Directly contradicting this, Sir Edward's biography at "The History of Parliament: British Political, Social & Local History" says his will was drafted November, 1623, and proved early 1635.[2]

"Coke was a great man who has exercised a really profound influence on English law."[20]
"Some contemporaries believed that Coke was unhinged. In 1624 the earl of Kellie reported that Coke had been so soundly upbraided by Prince Charles that he was likely to be driven mad, ‘which is not difficult matter to be done, he being already half mad’."[2]

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 G P Macdonell, "Coke, Sir Edward (1552-1634)," Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. XI. Clater—Condell. ed., Leslie Stephen, (London: Smith, Elder, & Co., 1887), 229. e-Book Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofnati11stepuoft/page/229/mode/1up : accessed 10 April, 2023). Citing Blomefield, Norfolk, v. 807; Collins, Peerage, 3rd ed. iii. 678; Hasted, Kent, i. 288 n; Fenn, Paston Letters, ii. 158; Extinct Baronetages, p. 402; Stowe, 6th ed. i 125.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 Andrew Thrush, COKE, Sir Edward (1552-1634), of Godwick, Norf.; Stoke Poges, Bucks.; Broad Street and the Inner Temple, London; formerly of Huntingfield, Norf., The History of Parliament: British Political, Social & Local History, Crown copyright and The History of Parliament Trust 1964-2014, ( 1964-2014), accessed 10 May 2014, http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/coke-sir-edward-1552-1634 .
  3. ↑ Walter Rye, ed., The Visitation of Norfolk, made and taken by William Hervey, Clarencieux King of Arms, anno 1563, enlarged with another visitacion made by Clarenceux Cook, with many other descents; and also the visitation made by John Raven, Richmond, Anno 1613, XXXII, ( The Harleian Society, 1891), accessed 11 May, 2014, https://archive.org/stream/visitacionievisi32ryew#page/323/mode/2up pp.323.
  4. ↑ Walter Rye, ed., The Visitation of Norfolk, made and taken by William Hervey, Clarencieux King of Arms, anno 1563, enlarged with another visitacion made by Clarenceux Cook, with many other descents; and also the vissitation made by ohn Raven, Richmond, Anno 1613, XXXII, ( The Harleian Society, 1891), accessed 11 May, 2014, https://archive.org/stream/visitacionievisi32ryew#page/216/mode/2up pp.216.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 By the Author of "The life of Sir Kenelm Digby", "The Adventures of King James II", "Marshal Turenne" "The Life of a Prig" Etc, The Curious Case of Lady Purbeck: A Scandal of the XVIIth Century, (London: Longmans, Green, and co, 1909), http://archive.org/stream/cu31924027999071#page/n17/mode/2up pp.2.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 John. P. Ferris, COKE, Sir Robert (1587-1653), of Caludon Castle, nr. Coventry, Warws. and Huntingfield, Suff.; later of Epsom, Surr., The History of Parliament: British Political, Social & Local History, Crown copyright and The History of Parliament Trust 1964-2014, ( 1964-2014), accessed 11 May 2014, http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/coke-sir-robert-1587-1653 .
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 John. P. Ferris, COKE, Henry (1591-1661), of Baylis House, Stoke Poges, Bucks. and Thorington, Suff., The History of Parliament: British Political, Social & Local History, Crown copyright and The History of Parliament Trust 1964-2014, ( 1964-2014), accessed 11 May 2014, http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/coke-henry-1591-1661 .
  8. ↑ Walter Rye, ed., The Visitation of Norfolk, made and taken by William Hervey, Clarencieux King of Arms, anno 1563, enlarged with another visitacion made by Clarenceux Cook, with many other descents; and also the vissitation made by ohn Raven, Richmond, Anno 1613, XXXII, ( The Harleian Society, 1891), accessed 11 May, 2014, https://archive.org/stream/visitacionievisi32ryew#page/299/mode/2up pp.299.
  9. ↑ John. P. Ferris, and Ben Coates, COKE, Clement (1594-1630), of the Inner Temple, London and Longford, Derbys., The History of Parliament: British Political, Social & Local History, Crown copyright and The History of Parliament Trust 1964-2014, ( 1964-2014), accessed 11 May 2014, http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/coke-clement-1594-1630 .
  10. ↑ Walter Rye, ed., The Visitation of Norfolk, made and taken by William Hervey, Clarencieux King of Arms, anno 1563, enlarged with another visitacion made by Clarenceux Cook, with many other descents; and also the vissitation made by ohn Raven, Richmond, Anno 1613, XXXII, ( The Harleian Society, 1891), accessed 11 May, 2014, https://archive.org/stream/visitacionievisi32ryew#page/16/mode/2up pp.17.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Leslie Stephen, ed., Dictionary of national biography, Vol. XI Clater-Condell, (London: Smith, Elder, & co., 1887), https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati11stepuoft#page/230/mode/2up pp.230.
  12. ↑ "From Sir Edward Coke's "Vade Mecum", J B, ed. Collectanea Topographica Et Genealogica, Volume 6, p. 118. London: John Bowyer Nichols and Son, 1840. Vade Mecum
  13. ↑ Luthman, Johanna. Love, Madness, and Scandal: The Life of Frances Coke Villiers, Viscountess Purbeck, pp. 8-9. Oxford University Press: 2017. Luthman
  14. ↑ Smyth, John. The Berkeley Manuscripts: The Lives of the Berkeleys, Lords of the Honour, Castle and Manor of Berkeley, in the County of Gloucester, from 1066 to 1618; with a Description of the Hundred of Berkeley and of Its Inhabitants. Volume 1. p. 265. Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society: 1883. Smyth
  15. ↑ History of Parliament Online: BERKELEY, Maurice (1599-1654), of Stoke Gifford, Glos. Berkeley
  16. ↑ Will of Sir Maurice Berkeley of Stoke Gifford, Gloucestershire, proved 22 May 1655. PROB 11/249/637
  17. ↑ Chamberlain, John, 1554?-1628, and Norman Egbert McClure. The Letters of John Chamberlain, p. 131. Philadelphia: The American philosophical society, 1939. Stoke
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Leslie Stephen, ed., Dictionary of national biography, Vol. XI Clater-Condell, (London: Smith, Elder, & co., 1887), https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati11stepuoft#page/235/mode/2up pp.235.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Leslie Stephen, ed., Dictionary of national biography, Vol. XI Clater-Condell, (London: Smith, Elder, & co., 1887), https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati11stepuoft#page/236/mode/2up pp.236.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Leslie Stephen, ed., Dictionary of national biography, Vol. XI Clater-Condell, (London: Smith, Elder, & co., 1887), https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati11stepuoft#page/240/mode/2up pp.240.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Leslie Stephen, ed., Dictionary of national biography, Vol. XI Clater-Condell, (London: Smith, Elder, & co., 1887), https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati11stepuoft#page/246/mode/2up pp.246.
  22. ↑ Leslie Stephen, ed., Dictionary of national biography, Vol. XI Clater-Condell, (London: Smith, Elder, & co., 1887), https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati11stepuoft#page/232/mode/2up pp.232.
  23. ↑ Leslie Stephen, ed., Dictionary of national biography, Vol. XI Clater-Condell, (London: Smith, Elder, & co., 1887), https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati11stepuoft#page/238/mode/2up pp.239-40.

See also:

  • Wikidata: Item Q75258783, en:Wikipedia help.gif
  • Source: Repository: #R-1547781532 Title: Chalmers' General Biographical Dictionary Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc APID: 1,7077::0




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The Right Honourable Sir Edward Coke, SL PC MP
The Right Honourable Sir Edward Coke, SL PC MP
Coke's Pedigree
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Wodehouse pedigree (page 2 of 3)
Wodehouse pedigree (page 2 of 3)


Comments: 9

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Boultbee-189 Ditch Boultbee
The entry for his daughter Bridget makes no mention of her second husband and she does have a Wikitree ID Bridget Coke (abt.1599-aft.1648) who I have connected to her mother but am unable to connect her to her father as his profile is protected.

See ThePeerage.com Bridget Coke is the daughter of Sir Edward Coke and Bridget Paston. She married, firstly, William Barney, son of Sir Thomas Barney. She married, secondly, William Skinner, son of Sir Vincent Skinner.

posted by Ditch Boultbee
Fitz-Henry-9 Jo Fitz-Henry
Thanks Richard - it was entered in 2017 before the England Project adopted the profile. I have removed it as there was no context in the biography and it is not a recognised abbreviation.
posted by Jo Fitz-Henry
Richard Swetenham
What does the abbreviation SL stand for?
posted by Richard Swetenham
Thompson-14289 Maryann (Thompson) Hurt
SL is the abbreviation for Serjeant-at-Law.
posted by Maryann (Thompson) Hurt
Richard Swetenham
Fair enough to point out that Edward Coke was a Serjeant-at-Law which was an important qualification in its time - see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serjeant-at-law, but even if the Wikipedia article uses SL as an abbreviation, this was not in common use at the time or since (unlike KC or QC) - until he became a judge he would have been referred to as Mr. Serjeant Coke.
posted by Richard Swetenham
edited by Richard Swetenham

Rejected matches › Edward M. Cook › Edward Bruce Cooke (1930-1980)

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