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............................................................................................................................DescriptionEdward Coke was, as john Hosteller remindsus, “a Skilful lawyer, a great judge, an outstanding Jurist and aremarkable Parliamentary leader, who suffered imprisonment and riskedhis life in defence of freedom and of its essential ingredients, theprinciples of public trial, habeas corpus, the right to bail andagainst self-incrimination.”Neverthless, he had a darker side and he is, perhaps, revealed at hisworst when, for example, as Attorney General he paid scant regard toboth the law and evidence during his prosecution of Sir Walter Raleighfor treason.This thorough, well-rounded and eminently readable account of Coke’sLife Pulls no punches as it guides the reader from Coke’s early days,through his activities while holding the highest judicial offices ofstate and, after his dismissal, to his time in parliament............................................................................................................................ContentsPart 1 - Law and ParliamentChapter 1 - Obscure Early Life• Background of Law• Call to the Bar• Patronage• Speaker of the House of Commons• Attorney-General• Ill-fated MarriageChapter 2 - Rancour and Brutality in Treason Trials• Hatred of Roman Catholics• Torture• Father Gerard(1) The Rebellion of the Earl of Essex• Prosecution• Playing the Orator(2) The Trial of Sir Walter Raleigh• Enmity of the King• Alleged Plot to Depose the King• Coke v. Raleigh• Cobham's "Confession"• Trial by Inquisition• Message in an Apple• Last Voyage• A Star Falls(3) The Gunpowder Plot• Conspiracy• Guy Fawkes Captured• Trial• Obscene Punishment• Last ProsecutionChapter 3 - Chief Justice of the Common Pleas• The Law Supreme• Conflict with King and Archbishop• Bates' Case• High Commission• Fuller's Case• The King No Judge• Challenging the Prerogative• Bonham's Case• Refusing to Sit Down• "Mirth and Wisdom"• DismissalChapter 4 - Chief Justice of the King's BenchThe King's Concern• James's Opinion of Parliament• Consulting the Judges• Prosecution of Peacham• Challenging Chancery• Murder• The Case of Commendams• Coke Overthrown• Renewed Marital Trouble• Bleeding Heart YardChapter 5 - Parliament and Liberty• Opposition Leader• Impeachments• Bacon at Bay• Remonstrance for Liberty• Imprisoned in the Tower• Journey to Spain• A New King• Attack on the Duke of Buckingham• The Favourite Impeached• Habeas Corpus under Threat• Opposing Tyranny• Defending Magna CartaChapter 6 - The Petition of Right• Liberty of the Subject• A "Spectacle of Passions"• Assassination• Persecution in Retirement• Death• DescendantsPart 2 - Coke's WritingsChapter 7 - The Reports• The Supremacy of the Law• Transforming the Common Law• Single-minded• Lawyers-to-beChapter 8 - The Institutes• Setting Down the LawFirst Institute - Commentary Upon Littleton• Land LawSecond Institute• Magna Carta and Ancient Statutes• Statute of Westminster 1 (1275)• Statute of Winchester (1285)Third Institute• The Law of Crimes• Treason• Witchcraft, Conjuration and Sorcery• Murder• Felony/Murder• Theft• Taking and Carrying Away• Miscellaneous FeloniesChapter 9 - The Courts of England Fourth Institute• One Map• The High Court of Parliament• The Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas• The Star Chamber• Court of Chancery• Justices of the Peace• Architect of a New WorldSelect BibliographyIndex............................................................................................................................Author DetailsDr. John Hosteller is one of the best know legal biography/historians of his generation. He is the biographer of Thomas Wakley, Thomas Erskine, Sir James Fitjames Stephen and Sir Edward Carson; other books by him have included “The Politics of Punishment” and “The Politics of Criminal Law”. During 1998, he is to have Published a biography of the First Lord Halsbury, and also “At the mercy of the State”. He has also been a frequent contributor to the “Justice of the Peace” on Legal/Historical subjects.He is a solicitor (retired) has served on the Bench as a magistrate and was a part-time chairman of social Appeal Tribunals............................................................................................................................
