cottington was the fourth son of Philip Cottington of Godmonston in Somersetshire.
According to Hoare, Francis Cottington's mother was Jane, daughter of Thomas Biflete, but according to Clarendon " a Stafford nearly allied to Sir Edward Stafford, " through whom he was recommended to Sir Charles Cornwallis, ambassador to Spain, becoming a member of his suite and acting as English agent on the latter's recall, from 1609 to 1611.
In the autumn Francis Cottington was again sent ambassador to Spain; he signed the treaty of peace of the 5th of November 1630, and subsequently a secret agreement arranging for the partition of Holland between Spain and England in return for the restoration of the Palatinate.
Between Cottington and the latter there sprang up a fierce rivalry.
In these personal encounters Cottington had nearly always the advantage, for he practised great reserve and possessed great powers of self- command, an extraordinary talent for dissembling and a fund of humour.
He continued, however, to take a large share in public business and served on the committees for foreign, Irish and Scottish affairs.
In the last, appointed in July 1638, he supported the war, and in May 1640, after the dismissal of the Short Parliament, he declared it his opinion that at such a crisis the king might levy money without the Parliament.
In the trial of Strafford in 1641 Cottington denied on oath that he had heard him use the incriminating words about " reducing this kingdom. "
When the parliamentary opposition became too strong to be any longer defied, Cottington, as one of those who had chiefly incurred their 1 Strafford's Letters.
He rejoined the king in 1643, took part in the proceedings of the Oxford parliament, and was made lord treasurer on the 3rd of October 1643.
He signed the surrender of Oxford in July 1646, and being excepted from the idemnity retired abroad.
He joined Prince Charles at the Hague in 1648, and became one of his counsellors.
In 1649, together with Hyde, Cottington went on a mission to Spain to obtain help for the royal cause, having an interview with Mazarin at Paris on the way.
He now announced his intention of remaining in Spain and of keeping faithful to Roman Catholicism, g, nd took up his residence at Valladolid, where he was maintained by the Jesuits.
He had amassed a large fortune and built two magnificent houses at Hanworth and Founthill.
Cottington was evidently a man of considerable ability, but the foreign policy pursued by him was opposed to the national interests and futile in itself.
According to Clarendon's verdict " he left behind him a greater esteem of his parts than love of his person. "
Francis Cottington was a Roman Catholic at least at heart, becoming a member of that communion in 1623, returning to Protestantism, and again declaring himself a Roman Catholic in 1636, and supporting the cause of the Roman Catholics in England.
Francis Cottington married in 1623 Anne, a daughter of Sir William Meredith and the widow of Sir Robert Brett. All his children predeceased him, and his title became extinct at his death.
