Sir Thomas Cotton, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Cotton, 2nd Baronet, of Connington (1594 – 16 May 1662) was an English politician and heir to the Cottonian Library.
for Great Marlow
.
Sir Thomas was the intimate friend and correspondent of Sir John Eliot, and was entrusted by his influence with the representation of St Germans
(Eliot's native place) in the third of Charles I's parliaments. He was M.P. for Huntingdon
in the Short Parliament
of 1640, but took no active part in politics or the civil wars. His house at Westminster was left at the disposal of the parliament, and Charles I slept there during his trial. Cotton died at Connington on 13 May 1662, and was buried with his father.
Like his father, Sir Thomas gave scholars free access to his library. William Dugdale
from an early age was often there, and obtained there much of his material for his Monasticon. In 1640 Sir Thomas lent his father's collection of coins to Sir Symonds D'Ewes. He moved the greater part of the library in 1650 to a villa at Stratton
which belonged to his son's wife.
, of Naworth Castle
, Cumberland
, by whom he had one son, John; second, Alice, daughter and heiress of Sir John Constable of Dromanby, Yorkshire, widow of Edmund Anderson of Stratton and Eyworth, Bedfordshire, by whom he had four sons. The second son, Robert
, was Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire
, was knighted, was commissioner of the post office, and was friendly with John Evelyn
.
Life
He was the only surviving child of Sir Robert Cotton, 1st Baronet, of Connington and Elizabeth Brocas. He graduated B.A. at Broadgates Hall, Oxford in 1616. In 1624 he became Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Great Marlow
Great Marlow (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Marlow, sometimes simply called Marlow, was a parliamentary borough in Buckinghamshire. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons between 1301 and 1307, and again from 1624 until 1868, and then one member from 1868 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.-History:In the...
.
Sir Thomas was the intimate friend and correspondent of Sir John Eliot, and was entrusted by his influence with the representation of St Germans
St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)
St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
(Eliot's native place) in the third of Charles I's parliaments. He was M.P. for Huntingdon
Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)
Huntingdon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
of 1640, but took no active part in politics or the civil wars. His house at Westminster was left at the disposal of the parliament, and Charles I slept there during his trial. Cotton died at Connington on 13 May 1662, and was buried with his father.
Cottonian Library
He made great efforts for the restitution of his father's library. On 23 July 1631, the council ordered the catalogue to be continued; but in September Sir Thomas announced that it had been again interrupted, and begged to be allowed to retain possession of the books. This request was ultimately granted, although the date is uncertain.Like his father, Sir Thomas gave scholars free access to his library. William Dugdale
William Dugdale
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
from an early age was often there, and obtained there much of his material for his Monasticon. In 1640 Sir Thomas lent his father's collection of coins to Sir Symonds D'Ewes. He moved the greater part of the library in 1650 to a villa at Stratton
Stratton
-Places:Australia* Stratton, Western AustraliaCanada* Stratton, OntarioEngland* Stratton, Cornwall* Stratton, Dorset* Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset* Stratton, Gloucestershire, a place in GloucestershireUSA...
which belonged to his son's wife.
Family
He married, first, Margaret, daughter of Lord William HowardLord William Howard
Lord William Howard was an English nobleman and antiquary, sometimes known as "Belted or Bauld Will".-Life:...
, of Naworth Castle
Naworth Castle
Naworth Castle, also known as, or recorded in historical documents as "Naward", is a castle in Cumbria, England near the town of Brampton. It is adjacent to the A69 about two miles east of Brampton. It is on the opposite side of the River Irthing to, and just within sight of, Lanercost Priory...
, Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, by whom he had one son, John; second, Alice, daughter and heiress of Sir John Constable of Dromanby, Yorkshire, widow of Edmund Anderson of Stratton and Eyworth, Bedfordshire, by whom he had four sons. The second son, Robert
Robert Cotton (MP)
Sir Robert Cotton was an English politician. He sat as a Member of Parliament from 1679 to 1701 and briefly in 1702.-Life:...
, was Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridgeshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It was represented by two Knights...
, was knighted, was commissioner of the post office, and was friendly with John Evelyn
John Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
.