John Coke

Who was John Coke?

Sir John Coke was an English office holder and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1629.

Coke was the son of Richard and Mary Coke of Trusley, Derbyshire. He was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. After leaving the university he entered public life as a servant of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, afterwards becoming deputy-treasurer of the navy and then a commissioner of the navy, and being specially commended for his labours on behalf of naval administration.

In 1621 Coke was elected Member of Parliament for Warwick. He was appointed a Master of Requests in 1622 and was knighted in 1624. In 1624 he was elected MP for St Germans and was re-elected for the seat in 1625. In the parliament of 1625 Coke acted as a secretary of state; in this and later parliaments he introduced the royal requests for money, and defended the foreign policy of Charles I and Buckingham, and afterwards the actions of the king. His actual appointment as secretary dates from September 1625. He was elected MP for Cambridge University in 1626 and 1628.