John Coke
Encyclopedia
Sir John Coke was an English
politician
.
Coke, the son of Richard and Mary Coke of Trusley
, Derbyshire
, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
. After leaving the university he entered public life as a servant of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, afterwards becoming deputy-treasurer of the navy and then a commissioner of the navy, and being specially commended for his labours on behalf of naval administration. He became member of parliament for Warwick
in 1621 and was knight
ed in 1624, afterwards representing St Germans
from 1624 to 1625 and Cambridge University
from 1626 to 1629.
In the parliament of 1625 Coke acted as a secretary of state
; in this and later parliaments he introduced the royal requests for money, and defended the foreign policy of Charles I
and Buckingham
, and afterwards the actions of the king. His actual appointment as secretary dates from September 1625.
Disliked by the leaders of the popular party, his speeches in the House of Commons
did not improve the king's position, but when Charles ruled without a parliament he found Coke's industry very useful to him. The secretary retained his post until 1639, when a scapegoat was required to expiate the humiliating Pacification of Berwick with the Scots, and the scapegoat was Coke. Dismissed from office, he retired to his estate
at Melbourne
in Derbyshire
, and then resided in London
, dying at Tottenham
on 8 September 1644.
Coke's elder son, Sir John Coke
, sided with the parliament in its struggle with the king, while his younger son Thomas Coke
supported the King. Coke in his earlier year had been a defender of absolute monarchy and greatly disliked the papacy. He was described by Clarendon
as "a man of very dumb education and a narrower mind"; and again he says, "his cardinal perfection was industry and his most eminent infirmity covetousness."
The Coke family continued to own Melbourne Hall
until George Lewis Coke
, an ambiguous figure who died childless. His sister married the family's lawyer and the Coke name was lost.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Coke, the son of Richard and Mary Coke of Trusley
Trusley
Trusley is a parish and small village in South Derbyshire.The manor was given to Henry de Ferrers together with many villages in Derbyshire for his contribution to the Norman Conquest. More recently the hall and manor house have been the homes of the Coke family...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. After leaving the university he entered public life as a servant of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, afterwards becoming deputy-treasurer of the navy and then a commissioner of the navy, and being specially commended for his labours on behalf of naval administration. He became member of parliament for Warwick
Warwick (UK Parliament constituency)
Warwick was a parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Warwick, within the larger Warwickshire constituency of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then to the...
in 1621 and was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1624, afterwards representing St Germans
St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)
St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
from 1624 to 1625 and Cambridge University
Cambridge University (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridge University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.-Boundaries, Electorate and Election Systems:...
from 1626 to 1629.
In the parliament of 1625 Coke acted as a secretary of state
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....
; in this and later parliaments he introduced the royal requests for money, and defended the foreign policy of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
, and afterwards the actions of the king. His actual appointment as secretary dates from September 1625.
Disliked by the leaders of the popular party, his speeches in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
did not improve the king's position, but when Charles ruled without a parliament he found Coke's industry very useful to him. The secretary retained his post until 1639, when a scapegoat was required to expiate the humiliating Pacification of Berwick with the Scots, and the scapegoat was Coke. Dismissed from office, he retired to his estate
Melbourne Hall
Melbourne Hall, Derbyshire, England was once the seat of the Victorian Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, and thus is the ultimate origin for the naming of Melbourne, Australia. The house is now the seat of Lord Ralph Kerr and Lady Kerr and is open to the public...
at Melbourne
Melbourne, Derbyshire
Melbourne is a Georgian market town in South Derbyshire, England. It is about 8 miles south of Derby and 2 miles from the River Trent. In 1837 a then tiny settlement in Australia was named after William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, Queen Victoria's first Prime Minister, and thus indirectly takes...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, and then resided in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, dying at Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
on 8 September 1644.
Coke's elder son, Sir John Coke
John Coke (MP for Derbyshire)
Sir John Coke was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1640 to 1650. He supported the Parliamentarian side during the English Civil War....
, sided with the parliament in its struggle with the king, while his younger son Thomas Coke
Thomas Coke (MP for Leicester)
Thomas Coke was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645. He supported the Royalist side in the English Civil War....
supported the King. Coke in his earlier year had been a defender of absolute monarchy and greatly disliked the papacy. He was described by Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon was an English historian and statesman, and grandfather of two English monarchs, Mary II and Queen Anne.-Early life:...
as "a man of very dumb education and a narrower mind"; and again he says, "his cardinal perfection was industry and his most eminent infirmity covetousness."
The Coke family continued to own Melbourne Hall
Melbourne Hall
Melbourne Hall, Derbyshire, England was once the seat of the Victorian Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, and thus is the ultimate origin for the naming of Melbourne, Australia. The house is now the seat of Lord Ralph Kerr and Lady Kerr and is open to the public...
until George Lewis Coke
George Lewis Coke
George Lewis Coke inherited his father’s property at Melbourne, Derbyshire. Some accounts say he returned from his Grand Tour to complete his father’s work on Melbourne Hall...
, an ambiguous figure who died childless. His sister married the family's lawyer and the Coke name was lost.