George Cotes
George Cotes (or Cotys) (died 1556) was an English academic and a Catholic bishop during the English Reformation.
He had been a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford in 1522, and then became a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford in 1527.[1] He was Junior Proctor of Oxford University in 1531. It was some years before he was elected Master of Balliol College, in which post he served in the years 1539–1545.[1]
With the accession of Queen Mary, he was chosen to succeed the former Carmelite John Bird, who had been deprived because he was married, as Bishop of Chester.[2] Cotes was consecrated on 1 April 1554 by bishops Stephen Gardiner of Winchester, Edmund Bonner of London, and Cuthbert Tunstall of Durham, and received papal provision on 6 July 1554.[2] However, he held the post for only a short period of time before he died in c. January 1556.[2]
During the Marian Persecutions he had Protestant George Marsh burnt at the stake as a heretic.[3]
His arms were blazoned: Argent, fretty Azure, on a canton Or a lion rampant Sable.[4]
Notes
- 1 2 Masters of Balliol. Balliol College Archives & Manuscripts . Retrieved on 10 July 2016.
- 1 2 3 Bishops of Chester. British History Online. Retrieved on 10 July 2016.
- ↑ John Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Retrieved on 10 July 2016.
- ↑ The Armorial Bearings of the Bishops of Chester. Cheshire Heraldry. Retrieved on 10 July 2016.
References
- F. Sanders, 'George Cotes, Master of Balliol and Bishop of Chester', in Notes and Queries 1894 series 8-V (1894) 48-49.
- F. Huskisson & E. Marshall, 'George Cotes, Master of Balliol and Bishop of Chester', in Notes and Queries series 8-V (1894) 153.
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Whyte |
Master of Balliol College, Oxford 1539–1545 |
Succeeded by William Wright |
| Religious titles | ||
| Preceded by John Bird |
Bishop of Chester 1554–1555 |
Succeeded by Cuthbert Scott |