He joined Prince Charles at the Hague in 1648, and became one of his counsellors. In 1649, together with Edward Hyde, Cottington went on a mission to Spain to obtain help for the royal cause, having an interview with Cardinal Mazarin at Paris on the way. They met, however, with an extremely ill reception, and Cottington found he had completely lost his popularity at the Spanish court, one cause being his shortcomings and waverings in the matter of religion. He announced his intention of remaining in Spain and of keeping faithful to Roman Catholicism, and took up his residence at Valladolid, where he was maintained by the Jesuits. He died there on 19 June 1652, his body being subsequently buried in Westminster Abbey. He had amassed a large fortune and built two magnificent houses at Hanworth near Heathrow and Fonthill near Tisbury, Wiltshire. Cottington was evidently a man of considerable ability, but the foreign policy he pursued 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." Personal life He 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. Notes References This cites: , and authorities there quoted Clarendon's State Papers and Life Strafford's Letters Gardiner's Hist. of England and of the Commonwealth Hoare's Wiltshire Laud's Works, vols. iii.-vii. Winwood's Memorials: A Refutation of a False and Impious Aspersion cast on the late Lord Cottington John Dart, Westmonasterium, i. 181 (epitaph and monument). References |- |- |- |- 1570s births 1652 deaths Barons in the Peerage of England Chancellors of the Exchequer of England Ambassadors of England to Spain Lord-Lieutenants of Dorset Members of the pre-1707 English Parliament for constituencies in Cornwall English MPs 1624–1625 English MPs 1625 English MPs 1628–1629 People from Somerset Clerks of the Privy Council 16th-century English nobility Burials at Westminster Abbey 17th-century English diplomats Lord High Admirals of England Lords of the Admiralty