Volume II 1603-1660 - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

lxviii INTRODUCTION.
The will itself is an interesting document. The reference to
the patience of Job, whose example the writer has endeavoured to
follow after persecution and imprisonment, is not altogether inappropriate.
No definite disposition is made either of his lands or
goods beyond the gift to each of his executors of a piece of plate of
the value of ,4.3o. The testator refers, however, to certain deeds
and assurances by which he has assigned not only his real, but also
his personal estate to his executors, and to other good friends and
allies for their lives, and begs of them to dispose of the rents and
profits of those estates, as they shall be directed by his executors, for
the benefit of his offspring or his posterity. By his codicil he desires
to be buried in Tittleshall church beside his wife, Bridget Paston,
that a suitable monument be erected by his executors, but " noe
funerall pompe to bee made for mee." And, finally, he directs that
his books be kept for the use of his posterity. Of his executors,
Sir Thomas Coventry, who had long been a fellow bencher with him,
proved his will and acted as trustee. Sir John Walter was also a
member and bencher of the Inner Temple. According to Roger
Coke,' when Walter was instructed to appear against Sir Edward
in 1622, in respect of a claim arising out of an alleged debt of
Sir William Hatton (his wife's first husband) to Queen Elizabeth,
Sir John returned the brief with the words : " Let my tongue cleave
to the roof of my mouth whenever I open it against Sir Edward
Coke." Subsequently he became Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and
being ordered to cease his attendance in court with a view to his
being superseded, he declared that he held his office during good
behaviour, and declined to resign his judgeship unless cause were
shown. He predeceased Sir Edward Coke, having died in 1630. Sir
Randal Crewe was a member of Lincoln's Inn. He was speaker
of the house of commons in 1614, was Lord Chief Justice of the
Common Pleas in 1625, and was removed, by reason of his independence,
in 1626.
Two contemporary notices of Coke's death are worth recording.
Whitelock says : 2
Registry at Somerset House. It is in a ledger endorsed "Sadler," and was found for
me with very little difficulty by the officials at Somerset House.
" A Detection," etc., vol. i., p. 122.
2 " Memorials," etc., vol. i., p. 65. Oxford, 1853. Folio edition, 1732, p. 23.