_Solicitor-General 1617. Attorney-General 1621. Lord Keeper 1625.
Created Baron Coventry 1628. Born 1578. Died 1640_.
By CLARENDON.
S'r Thomas Coventry was then L'd Keeper of the Greate Seale of
England, and newly made a Barron. He was a Sunn of the Robe, his
father havinge bene a Judge in the courte of the Common pleas, who
tooke greate care to breede his Sunn, though his first borne, in
the Study of the common law, by which himselfe had bene promoted to
that degree, and in which, in the society of the Inner Temple, his
Sunn made a notable progresse, by an early eminence in practice and
learninge, insomuch as he was Recorder of London, Sollicitor generall,
and Kings Atturny before he was forty yeeres of age, a rare ascent,
all which offices he discharged, with greate abilityes, and singular
reputation of integrity: In the first yeere after the death of Kinge
James, he was advanced to be Keeper of the Greate Scale of Englande,
the naturall advancement from, the office of Atturny Generall, upon
the remoovall of the Bishopp of Lincolne, who though a man of greate
witt, and good scholastique learninge, was generally thought so very
unæquall to the place that his remoove was the only recompence and
satisfaction that could be made for his promotion, and yett it was
enough knowne, that the disgrace proceeded only from the pri[v]ate
displeasure of the Duke of Buckingham[1]: The L'd Coventry injoyed
this place with a universall reputation (and sure justice was never
better administred) for the space of aboute sixteen yeeres, even to
his death, some months before he was sixty yeeres of age, which was
another importante circumstance of his felicity: that greate office
beinge so slippery, that no man had dyed in it before, for neere the
space of forty yeeres, nor had his successors for some tyme after him
much better fortune: and he himselfe had use of all his strenght and
skill (as he was an excellent wrastler) to præserve himselfe from
fallinge, in two shockes, the one given him by the Earle of Portlande,
L'd High Treasurer of Englande, the other by the Marq's of Hambleton,
who had the greatest power over the affections of the Kinge, of any
man of that tyme.
He was a man of wounderfull gravity and wisdome, and understood not
only the whole science and mistery of the Law, at least æqually with
any man who had ever sate in that place, but had a cleere conception
of the whole policy of the government both of Church and State, which
by the unskilfulnesse of some well meaninge men, justled each the
other to much. He knew the temper, and disposition and genius of the
kingdome most exactly, saw ther spiritts grow every day more sturdy,
and inquisitive, and impatient, and therfore naturally abhorred all
innovations, which he foresaw would produce ruinous effects: yett many
who stoode at a distance thought that he was not active and stoute
enough in the opposinge those innovations, for though by his place he
præsided in all publique councells, and was most sharpe sighted in the
consequence of things, yett he was seldome knowne to speake in matters
of state, which he well knew were for the most parte concluded, before
they were brought to that publique agitation, never in forrainge
affayres, which the vigour of his judgement could well comprehende,
nor indeede freely in any thinge, but what immediately and playnely
concerned the justice of the kingdome, and in that as much as he
could, he procured references to the Judges. Though in his nature he
had not only a firme gravity, but a severity, and even some morosity
(which his children and domestiques had evidence enough of) [yet][2]
it was so happily tempred, that his courtesy and affability towards
all men was so transcended, so much without affectation, that it
marvellously reconciled [him] to all men of all degrees, and he was
looked upon as an excellent courtyer, without receadinge from the
native simplicity of his owne manner. He had in the playne way of
speakinge and delivery (without much ornament of eloqution) a strange
power of makinge himselfe believed (the only justifiable designe of
eloquence) so that though he used very frankely to deny, and would
never suffer any man to departe from him, with an opinion that he
was inclined to gratify when in truth he was not, (holdinge that
dissimulation to be the worst of lyinge) yett the manner of it was
so gentle and oblieginge, and his condescension such, to informe the
persons, who[m] he could not satisfy, that few departed from him,
with ill will and ill wishes; but then this happy temper, and these
good facultyes, rather præserved him from havinge many enimyes, and
supplyed him with some well-wishers, then furnished him with any
fast and unshaken frends, who are alwayes procured in courtes by more
ardour, and more vehement professions and applications, then he would
suffer himselfe to be entangled with; so that he was a man rather
exceedingly liked, then passionately loved, insomuch that it never
appeared, that he had any one frende in the Courte, of quality enough
to prævent or diverte any disadvantage he mighte be exposed to, and
therfore it is no wonder, nor to be imputed to him, that he retyred
within himselfe as much as he could, and stood upon his defence,
without makinge desperate sallyes against growinge mischieves, which
he knew well he had no power to hinder, and which might probably begin
in his owne ruine: to conclude, his security consisted very much, in
the little creditt he had with the Kinge, and he dyed in a season most
opportune, and in which a wise man would have prayed to have finished
his cource, and which in truth crowned his other signall prosperity in
this worlde.
[Footnote 1: 'Buckinghman', MS.]
[Footnote 2: 'but', MS.]
5.