A.D. 1622. Instead of being prosecuted for his speeches in the House of Commons, the true ground of his imprisonment, he was examined before the Privy Council on a stale and groundless charge, that he had concealed some depositions taken against the Earl of Somerset ; -he was accused of arrogant speeches when Chief Justice, especially in comparing himself to the prophet Samuel;-and an information was directed to be filed against him in the Star Chamber, respecting the bond for a debt due to the Crown, which he had taken from Sir Christopher Hatton. By way of insult, Lord Arundel was sent to him with a message that the King had given him permission to consult with eight of the best learned in the law on his case." But he returned thanks for the monarch's attention, and said "he knew himself to be accounted to have as much skill in the law as any man in England; and, therefore, needed no such help, nor feared to be judged by the law: he knew his Majesty might easily find a pretence whereby to take away his head; but against this it mattered not what might be said."* His confinement was, at first, so rigorous that neither his children nor servants could come at him ;† 66 He employs himself on "Co. Litt." 66 but he was soon allowed to send for his law books-ever his chief delight,—and he made considerable progress with his Commentary on Littleton, which now engrossed all his thoughts. After a few months' confinement, the proceedings against him were dropped; and in consequence of the intercession of Prince Charles he was set at liberty.‡ The King, however, finally struck his name out of the list of Privy Councillors, and, declaring his patriotism to pro He is re leased on the intercession of the Prince of Wales. * D'Israeli's James I., 126. + Roger Coke. The following dialogue is said to have passed between the Prince and the King on this occasion:-P. "I pray that your Majesty would mercifully consider the case of Sir Edward Coke." K. "I know no such man." P. "Perhaps your ceed from disappointed ambition, exclaimed in spleen, "He is the fittest instrument for a tyrant that ever was in England." * A.D. 1624. an attempt to banish him No parliament sitting for two years, Sir Edward Coke, during this interval, remained quiet at his seat in Buckinghamshire; but, there being an intention of calling a new parliament, he was, in the autumn of 1623, put into a commission with several others, requiring them to proceed to Ireland, and make certain inquiries there,―—a common mode, in the Stuart reigns, of inflicting banishment on obnoxious politicians. He had formerly complained of this Coke defeats abuse of the Royal prerogative; but on this occasion he dextrously said, "he was ready to conform to his Majesty's pleasure, and hoped in the sister isle to discover and rectify many great abuses." This threat so alarmed the Court that he was allowed to remain at home. Afterwards, when speaking of this practice, he said, "No restraint, be it ever so little, but is imprisonment; and foreign employment is a sort of honourable banishment. I myself was designed to go to Ireland; I was willing to go, and hoped, if I had gone, to have found some Mompessons there."† to Ireland. that he The Spanish match, which the nation so much disliked, having been suddenly broken off, and a war with Spain, which was greatly desired in England, now impending, a sudden change arose in the state of parties, and for a time a reconciliation was effected between Buckingham and the leaders of the Puritans. To court them he even went so far as to encourage schemes for abolishing the order of bishops, and selling Majesty may remember Mr. Coke." K. "I know no such man. By my saul, there is one Captain Coke, the leader of the faction in parliament."-Sloane MSS. Feb. 2. 1621-22, in the British Museum. 257. the dean and chapter lands in order to defray the expenses of the war. Coke for a short time reconciled to Buckingham. Under these circumstances the new parliament was called, and Sir Edward Coke was returned for Coventry, having still remained Recorder of that city, and kept up a friendly intercourse with its inhabitants. At the commencement of the session he appeared as a supporter of the Government, and he declared Buckingham to be the "saviour of his country."* Feb. 1624. He deserves much credit for carrying the act of parliament, which is still in force, abolishing monopolies, and authorising the Crown to grant patents securing to inventors for a limited time the exclusive exercise of their inventions as a reward for their genius and industry.† May, 1624. ducts the im The most exciting proceeding before this parliament was the impeachment of Lionel Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex, with whom Buckingham had quarrelled, after having made him, from a City merchant, Lord High Treasurer of England. He was charged with bribery and other malpractices in the execution of his office. peachment of the Earl of Middlesex. Sir Edward Coke, now in his seventy-third year, appeared at the bar of the House of Lords as chief manager for the Commons. After a somewhat prolix preamble respecting impeachments in general, he said,— "The House of Commons have appointed me to present three enormities to your Lordships, much against my inclination, other * Clarendon says, with great spite, "Sir Edward Coke blasphemously called him OUR SAVIOUR."-Hist. vol. i. p. 9. Stat. 21 James I. c. 3. Hume says, "This bill was conceived in such terms as to render it merely declaratory; and all monopolies were condemned as contrary to law and to the known liberties of the people. It was then supposed that every subject of England had entire power to dispose of his own actions, provided he did no injury to any of his fellow subjects, and that no prerogative of the king, no power of any magistrate, nothing but the authority alone of the laws, could restrain that unlimited freedom."-Vol. vi. p. 143. Members of their House being far more sufficient, as well in regard of my great years, as of other accidents; yet I will do it truly, plainly, and shortly. The first is gross and sordid bribery. Here I crave favour if I should seem tedious in some particulars; for circumstances to things are like shadows to pictures, to set them out in fuller representation." His long opening he at last concluded in these words :-"All this I speak by command; I pray your Lordships to weigh it well with solemn consideration, and to give judgment according to the merits." The noble defendant had done various things, as head of the Treasury, which would now be considered very scandalous; but he had only imitated his predecessors, and was imitated by his successors. Yet he was found guilty, and adjudged "to lose all his offices which he holds in this kingdom; to be incapable of any office or employment in future; to be imprisoned in the Tower during the King's pleasure; to pay a fine of 50,000l.; never to sit in parliament any more; and never to come within the verge of the Court.' May 29. At the close of the session, Sir Edward Coke retired to Stoke Pogis, and there occupied himself with his legal studies till he heard of the death of James I., in the spring of the following year. He immediately came to his house in Holborn upon the report that there was an intention to March 27, reassemble the old parliament, which had 1625. expired with the King who called it; but he found that, although Charles had expressed a wish Accession of to that effect, a proclamation soon came out Charles 1. for the election of a new parliament. He was again returned for Coventry. June 22. At the commencement of the session his demeanour was marked by moderation. He entertained good hopes of the new sovereign, and was Coke's moderesolved to give him every chance of a quiet * Lords' Journals; 1 Parl. Hist. 1411-1478. ration. and prosperous reign. Therefore, on the first day of business, when it was expected that he would move, as he had done on former occasions, to appoint a committee for grievances, "he moved that there might be no committee for grievances, because this was the very beginning of the new King's reign, in which there can be no grievances as yet."* His motion for an in However, he speedily quarrelled with the Court; and when the motion for a supply was made, he moved, by way of amendment, for a comthe expendi- mittee to inquire into the expenditure of the Crown; speaking in this wise: quiry into ture of the Crown. "Necessitas affectata, invincibilis et improvida. If necessity comes by improvidence, there is no cause to give. No king can subsist in an honourable estate without three abilities:-1. To be able to maintain himself against sudden invasions. 2. To aid his allies and confederates. 3. To reward his well-deserving servants. But there is a leak in the government, whereof these are the causes-Frauds in the customs-new invented offices with large fees-old unprofitable offices which the King might justly take away with law, love of his people, and his own honour-the King's household out of order-upstart officers-voluntary annuities or pensions which ought to be stopped till the King is out of debt and able to pay them-costly diet, apparel, buildings, still increase the leakage: the multiplicity of forests and parks, now a great charge to the King, might be drawn into great profit to him."+ In his reply he said,— "Two leaks would drown any ship. Solum et malum concilium, is a bottomless sieve. An officer should not be cupidus alienæ rei, parcus suæ. Misera servitus est ubi lex vaga aut incognita. Segrave, Chief Justice, was sentenced for giving sole counsel to the King against the commonwealth. I would give 10007. out of my own estate, rather than grant any subsidy now." The committee was carried, and was proceeding so vigorously in the inquiry into grievances, that the King abruptly dissolved the parliament. Aug. 12. Abrupt dissolution of parliament. |