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CodeP/0022
Datesd.1455
Person NameCotton; William (d.1455); Vice-Chamberlain of King Henry VI; of Landwade
SurnameCotton
ForenamesWilliam
TitleVice-Chamberlain of King Henry VI
Epithetof Landwade
ActivityWilliam Cotton's life is not entirely clear but what we do know is that he was a landholder in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex who inherited significant lands from his father who was a successful merchant, and that he expanded the estates of his family significantly, therefore he must have been reasonably affluent. He is said to have been the vice-chamberlain to King Henry VI which would suggest he was prominent enough to be noticed by the Royal Household. If it is also true that he was killed at the Battle of St Albans in 1455, which seems likely, he was also considered able to bear arms for his king. He clearly secured further prominence for his family which would continue to grow under his son, Thomas Cotton.
RelationshipsFather: Walter Cotton (c.1375-1445) Sheriff of London (1411-1412)
Mother: Joan Reade daughter of Sir Robert Reade of Checkenden, Oxfordshire
Spouse: Alice Abbot (1418-1473) daughter and co-heiress of John Abbot esq
Children: Sir Thomas Cotton (1439-1499)
William Cotton (b.1441)
Joan Cotton (b.1443) m. Sir Clement Higham
Catharine Cotton (b.1445) m. Thomas Higham
Andrew Cotton (b.1447)
Edmund Cotton of Redgrave, Suffolk (b.1449) m. Ela Conyers, heiress of the Conyers family, granddaughter of Sir Robert Conyers
John Cotton (b.1451)
Etheldred (Audrey) Cotton (1453-1505) m. 1st Thomas Barton Esq., 2nd Sir Richard Gardiner, Lord Mayor of London, 3rd Sir Gilbert Talbot
Robert Cotton (b.1455)
Linked entries in the catalogue
RefNoTitle
KP114/28/1Volume of historical notes and cuttings begun by Rev. R.Y. Whitehead, vicar, and continued by others
K588/T/76Lease for seven years in form of an indenture of watermill with adjacent tenement, windmill and two pightles on either side of the mill way in Exning, recently acquired from William Worlich.
K588/F/1Free pardon for William Cotton, esquire, with typed biographical note. (Great seal of Henry VI, damaged).
K588/F/2Free pardon for John Leventhorp, esquire, Richard Sturgeon and Thomas Radclyff, feoffee of the Manor of Ditton Camoys. (Seal missing).
K588/T/80Confirmation in form of indenture.
K588/T/73Feoffment in form of indenture of manor of Exning with all lands, liberties, etc in Exning, Reach and Burwell which donors had with John Martyn justice of Common Bench, John Billyng of Thurlby ('Thurleby') and Henry Spelman of Abthorp ('Appethorp'), deceased.
K588/F/39Cole's history of the Cottons of Madingley and Landwade and related families with pen and ink illustrations.
K588/O/6Transcripts (rolled) and translations of royal grants of 22 February 1444 and 5 April 1448 vill and half-hundred of Exning to William Cotton from patent rolls of Henry VI (cf Calendar of Patent Rolls 1446-1452, 1441-1446, p. 253, 1446-1453, pp. 155-6). (5 items).
K588/T/79Feoffment in form of indenture of 7½ acres and 1½ r in Byggyngfeld, and 3s 6d rent of assise from garde called Derbyes and meadow called Lacyees pertaining to donors manors of Coggeshall and Bassingbourn in Fordham.
K588/T/74Letters of attorney to make livery of seisen of manor of Exning etc.
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