Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 09.pdf/560

 The Historic Case of Coke v. Bacon. office of attorney general that Coke ob had expired Coke moved for and obtained tained. It was partly hatred of Bacon for a new trial in the court of Hymen by wed having sought that office, and partly hatred ding widow Lady Hatton, nicce-at-law of of Essex for having tried to aid Bacon and Lord Chancellor Hatton. She was twentyto disadvantage Coke, which united to nerve six years Coke's junior; but her youth and Coke in the prosecution of Essex. While beauty were not his beckoners, for these lay at the same time at court Bacon was fur in the fact that she had a large fortune, was tively, diplomatically aiding the conviction Bacon's cousin and had been sought by of his benefactor. Were there ever such Bacon in marriage. Coke broke the law by contretemps of motives in human actions? a secret marriage, and the gossips said he We can bring to mind Coke at his cham did so fearing that public attention might bers in Clifford's Inn burning the midnight direct Bacon to successful accomplishment oil over legal studies, while Bacon did the of suit. The latter had his first revenge of same in Gray's Inn. Bacon had taken a Coke in that Madame Coke (for the hus degree at the University; Coke quitted it band had not yet been knighted) spurned without fully qualifying for one. Bacon had his company and his dry pursuits, retained genius plus plod. Coke had great plod her widowed name of Lady Hatton and minus genius. Coke, stony-hearted and went to the Continent to live a life of pleas stony-minded, loved neither pleasure nor ure. Coke on the rights and duties or poetry; but Bacon could combine love of institutes of marriage was therefore a vol all the Muses with his toil. To Coke, ume never written. Spenser was practically a myth; but Bacon Both Bacon and Coke became obsequious would linger over that poet's " Daphnaida." to her who was (whether ironically or not is One of Coke's biographers has èpigram- a question for debating societies) called matically said : " At the commencement " Good Queen Bess," but doubtless Coke of his career he resolutely foreswore friend best practiced on the Shakespearean line ships not convertible to cash; and he was about " thrift following fawning." When blessed with none at its close." Bacon James succeeded to the crown Coke deep sought friendships for their own sake, even ened obsequiousness and for a time believed if he betrayed them. Bacon could also in royal prerogative. The king continued taste the sweets of vengeance. him as attorney general, and made him Sir In 1594, when the office of attorney Edward. He who had badgered one favor general became vacant, both Bacon and ite of Queen Elizabeth in her reign by a Coke contended for it. The former -was six bullying prosecution, now in the reign of her years the younger and lost " because," successor was called upon to exhibit fresh wrote Coke, ".a precedent of so raw a youth arrogance and official brutality in the trial being promoted to so great a place it was of Sir Walter Raleigh — if the word trial impossible to find." Nevertheless, Coke can be applied as understood in modern could have made Bacon solicitor general; times. It was presided over by " that re who would have accepted the subsidiary formed highwayman, Judge Popham, who post, but Coke refused to give it, and then made amends for the delinquencies of his it was Bacon swore vengeance. Four years youth by hanging every criminal within his later Coke lost his wife, and in a diary that reach." Says another biographer of Coke, afterwards saw the public light he annotated referring to his disgraceful bullying of the her virtues much as he would have collected high-souled prisoner on the occasion : " So authorities for his reports. But before a long as Coke could find payment for unclean third of the traditional year of mourning work he betrayed no uneasy desire to wash