George Cotes

Who was George Cotes?

George Cotes was an English Catholic bishop.

He had been Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, in 1522 and then became a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1527. He was Junior Proctor of the 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. With the accession of Queen Mary he was chosen to succeed the former Carmelite John Bird, deprived because he had married, as Bishop of Chester by papal provision in 1554. However, he died the following year, in 1555.

During the Marian Persecutions he had Protestant George Marsh burnt at the stake as a heretic.

His arms were blazoned: Argent, fretty Azure, on a canton Or a lion rampant Sable.