Background
Cotton was the son of William Cotton, a London draper. He succeeded his father in 1607, inheriting estates in Shropshire and Staffordshire.
Cotton was the son of William Cotton, a London draper. He succeeded his father in 1607, inheriting estates in Shropshire and Staffordshire.
Street John"s College.
He matriculated from Street John"s College, Cambridge in 1596 and was admitted at Lincoln"s Inn on 13 June 1599. He lived at Bellaport Hall, Norton in Hales, Shropshire. He was appointed to the bench as Justice of the Peace for Shropshire by 1614 to his death, and as a commissioner of oyer and terminer for Wales and the Marches by 1616 to death.
He served as Mayor of Newcastle in 1614-1615.
In 1626 he was elected Member of Parliament for Shropshire. He was elected Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme again in 1628 and sat until 1629 when Charles I decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
2nd Parliament of King Charles I]
In 1605, he was elected Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme and knighted in 1608. He was appointed also High Sheriff of Shropshire for 1616-1617 and the following year a member of Council of the Marches for life.