Charles Lodowick Cotterell 1654-1710

Sir Charles Lodowick COTTERELL 1654-1710

Biographical Note

Born in the Hague, son of Sir Charles Cotterell (1615-1701), later master of ceremonies at the court of Charles II. Matriculated at Merton College, Oxford 1671, but did not graduate; he travelled on the continent during the 1670s. He took over the position of master of ceremonies from his father in 1686, and was knighted in 1687. The phraseology used by the ODNB to describe his career includes laziness, self-indulgence, disappointment to his father; his sons increasingly deputised for him and he died considerably in debt.

Books

Cotterell’s library was sold by auction in London by Edmund Curll, beginning 8 January 1711. The sale catalogue includes 1626 lots, divided between miscellaneous Latin books (241), Latin classics (57), French, Italian and Spanish books (323), English books (787), Latin law (95), English law (97) and manuscripts (26); there were also 264 “English books in lots”, i.e. bundles of tracts. The catalogue drew attention to the quantity of Spanish and Italian books, and to “scarce and valuable pieces relating to medals, sculpture, and painting”. It is likely that a significant proportion of the collection was inherited from his father.

Characteristic Markings

None of Cotterell’s books have been identified.

Sources

• Bibliotheca Cotterelliana, 1711 (ESTC t21577).
• "Cotterell, Sir Charles Lodowick (1654–1710), courtier." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.