His mother was the heiress of Thomas Sacheverell of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire,[3] and his brother was to become Sir John Coke, Secretary of State.

[6] In 1608 he became the rector of Bygrave in Hertfordshire, which was then described as "a lean village (consisting of but three houses) maketh a fat living", as it provided a considerable income of almost £300 a year.

[2][7] Coke resigned his fellowship in late 1609, and by 9 January 1610 he had married Jane Heigham,[2] and they had five sons: Richard, John and William all entered the church and had associations with Herefordshire.

[1] Following his brother's elevation to high office in 1625, Coke was collated to the prebend of Finsbury on 19 January 1626, making him one of the canons of St Paul's Cathedral, and he was made a Doctor of Divinity in 1630.

The son had been apprenticed but ran away to sea, seeing a severe storm as a sign from God, he then sought ordination from his father.

Moreover, he had a great part of the revenues of the diocese to his own use, and John Walker complained in 1714 that "to this day, the manor of Whitborn, by the sorry compliance of some who might have prevented it, continues in his family".

[15] Coke's estate of Queest Moor was sequestred on 13 August 1646, and despite his always frugal habits, he was forced to rely on the charity of other family members.