Originally in trade in London, Coles had by 1651 moved to Oxford, on 23 May of the year acting as deputy-registrar to the parliamentary visitors there, in the absence of Ralph Austen, the registrar.
[1] He was also active on the committee for "scandalous ministers" for Oxfordshire, with Joshua Cross and John Palmer who were intruded heads of house in the university.
According to Anthony Wood, Coles "died in his house in Scalding Alley, near the Stocks Market in London, about 28 Oct. 1688, aged eighty years or more.
"[1] Coles wrote A Practical Discourse of God's Sovereignty: with other Material Points deriving thence, London, printed by Ben Griffin for E. C., 1673.
The son or the nephew published rhymes entitled Χριστολογία, or a Metrical Paraphrase on the History of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography suspends judgement.