During the remainder of King James's reign, Sir Ed ward continued to adhere firmly to his principles and opinions; nor is there any appearance of his having again attempted a reconciliation with the court. In the parliament which was held in the year 1628, he was chosen knight of the shire for the county of Bucks, and greatly distinguished himself by the strenuous support which he gave to all questions favourable to the liberty of the subject, and the privileges of the commons. He took a most active part in all the important discussions which occupied the attention of this parliament, and had the principal share in proposing and framing the famous Petition of Rights. On the 5th of June of the same year, he vindicated the right of the llonse of Commons to pro ceed against any subject, how exalted soever he might be, and expressly denounced the Duke of Buckingham as the " grievance of grievances," and the great cause of all the calamities of the country.
But the active and useful life of this distinguished statesman was now drawing towards a conclusion. Af ter the dissolution of this parliament, on the 28th of March 1628-9, he retired to his house at Stoke-Pogey's in Buckinghamshire, where he spent the remainder of his days in a state of seclusion from public life. He died there, on the 3d of September 1634, in the eighty sixth year of his age.
The person of Sir Edward Coke was well proportion ed, his features regular, his countenance grave, and his manner dignified. In his dress he was always neat, with out foppery or ostentation ; and it was a saying of his, " that the cleanness of a man's clothes ought to put him in mind of keeping all clean within." i lis mind was ac tive, vigorous, and penetrating ; his memory retentive, and his judgment solid. Strength and conciseness form ed the general characteristics of his legal pleadings; but in his writings and set speeches he adopted rather a dif fuse style ; which may have proceeded partly from the redundancy of his learning, and partly from the quaint manner of the times in which he lived. 1 le appears to have possessed all the qualities which are requisite to term a great lawyer ; and no man ever studied the laws and customs of his country with greater zeal, assiduity, 6.11(1 success, or displayed more acuteness in tracing the principles upon which they are founded. As a judge, he enjoyed the highest character for talents, learning, and integrity ; and there are few men w hose lives have been more entirely and sincerely devoted to the service of their country, and to the maintenance of its constitu tion. As a servant of the crown, he was zealous and faithful ; and while he supported the just prerogative of the executive, he did not hesitate to oppose any attempts to stretch it beyond the legal and constitutional bounds.
During the course of his public life, he experienced many changes of fortune ; but in every situation he pre served the same composure of mind and consistency of conduct : thus verifying the prediction of King James, who is reported to have said of him, " that which ever way be was thrown, he would fall upon his feet." When removed from his office of chief-justice, there is reason to believe, that he might have retained his situation had he shewn sufficient compliance with the wishes of the court ; but when such an overture was made to him, his answer was, " that as a judge ought not to take, nei ther ought he to give a bribe," nobly preferring the loss of office and emolument to the prostitution of his talents. Ile is said, indeed, to have valued himself chiefly upon having obtained all his steps of preferment, " without employing either prayers or pence." Towards the lat ter part of his life, although connected by various tics with the persons in power, he devoted himself zealously and steadily to the service of the people, and exerted his talents, upon every occasion, in the defence of their rights and liberties, against the arbitrary encroachments of the crown.
Sir Edward was twice married. His first wife was Bridget, daughter and co-heiress of John Paxton, Esq. with whom he acquired a considerable fortune, and by whom he had seven sons and three daughters. By his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter to Thomas, Earl of Exeter, he had Iwo daughters.
Although he was constantly engaged in the active bu JinC3S of life, he yet found leisure to compile several la borious and highly valuable works, illustrative of the laws and constitution of his country. These are, 1. His Reports of Cases and Matters in Law ; in thirteen parts : Of which eleven were published by him self, the other two having appeared after his death. These reports are so highly esteemed, that they are ge nerally cited without the author's name.
2. A " Book of Entries, containing perfect and ap proved precedents of Counts, Declarations," &c. 1614.
3. His " Institutes," in four parts ; the first of which contains a comment upon Littleton's treatise of tenures ; the second, a comment upon magna charta, and several other ancient acts of parliament ; the third, a treatise of the pleas of the crown ; and the fourth, an account of the several courts of the kingdom.
4. " A Treatise of Bail and Mainprize." London, 1637, 4to.
5. " Reading on the Stat. of Fines." London, 1662, 4to.
6. cc Complete Copyholder." London, 1640, 4to. See Biographia Britannica, vol. ii. (z)