Thomas Coventrie

, Son of Tho. Coventrie, sometimes fellow of Ball. coll. was born at, or near to, Crome D’abitot in Worcestershire, became a Gent. Commoner of the said coll. in Michaelm.-Term, an. 1592. aged 14, whence, after he had continued under a strict Discipline for about 3 years, he went to the Inner Temple, and pursuing his fathers steps in the laudable studies of the Municipal Laws, was made choice of for the Autumn Reader of that House, 14. Jac. 1. Dom. 1616. and on the 17. Nov. the same year was (b)(b) Idem Camden in Annal. Jac. 1. MS. Sub. an. 1616. elected Recorder of London. In 1617, about the 17. of March, he was made (c)(c) Ibid. an. 1617. the Kings Sollicitor General, upon the promotion of Hen. Yelverton to be Attorney General, and afterwards Knighted and made Attorney Gen. On the 30. of Oct. 1. Car. 1. he was advanced to that eminent Office of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, tho’ of no transcendent parts or same, as the Puritans said, and upon the 10. Apr. 4. Car. 1. was (d)(d) Baronage of Engl. Vol. 2. Tom. 3. p. 460. dignified with the degree of a Baron of England by the title of Lord Coventry of Ailesborough in his native Country. He hath extant,

Several speeches, as (1) Speech at the opening of the Parliament, 6. Feb. 1625. (2) Sp. in Parl. 29. Feb. 1626. chiefly concerning the Duke of Bucks. (3) Sp. at the open [•] ng of the Parl. 17. Mar. 1627. (4) Sp. to both Houses of Parl. 28. Apr. 1628. (5) Sp. at a Conference, 26. May 1628. (6) Sp. in Parl. 2. June 1628. (7) Sp. at the delivery of a Message from the K. to the H. of C. 6. Jun. 1628. (8) Reply to Sir [•] Jo. Finch Speaker. (9) Second Reply, &c. (10) Answer to the Petition against Recusants, &c. Besides these Speeches and several discourses, goes under his name,

Perfect and exact directions to all those, that desire to know the true and just fees of all the Offices belonging to the Court of Common Pleas, Chancery, &c. Lond. in oct. He ended his days in Durham House in the Strand near London, (in a seasonable time, said the Puritan and discontented Party) on the 14. Jan. 1639-40. in sixteen hundred thirty and nine, and was buried in the Church of Crome D’abitot beforemention’d, on the first of March following, after he had enjoyed the Dignity of Lord Keeper about 15 years, if it be not more proper to say, that Dignity had enjoyed him so long. His front and presence did bespeak a venerable regard, not inferior to any of his Antecessors. His train and suit of followers were disposed agreeably to shun both envy and contempt; not like that of Bacon Visc. S. Albans, or of Williams B. of Lincoln, whom he succeeded, ambitious and vain; his port was state, theirs ostentation, &c. See more of his character in The Reign of K. Ch. 1. under the year 1639. written by Ham. L’Estrange, Lond. 1656. fol. which being just, I wonder he did not animadvert upon a certain (e)(e) Entit. The Court of K. Charles continued unto the beginning of these unhappy times, &c. Lond. 1651. oct. p. 206. Libel, which tells us, that had the Lord Coventries actions been scanned by a Parliament, he had been found as foul a man as ever lived.