sporting and Rural Records of the Cheveley Estate. 21 



Sir Joseph Sheldon, Knight, and Lord Mayor of London, by 

 whom he had issue Sir John Hynde Cotton, his successor, another 

 son, and nine daughters. He died in January, 171 2-13. His son 

 and heir, Sir John Hynde Cotton, third Baronet, was returned 

 M.P. for the borough of Cambridge in 1708, 1710, 1713, 1715, 

 and 1722, but being also elected for the county of Cambridge in 

 the last mentioned year, he decided to represent the latter con- 

 stituency. At a subsequent election he was defeated. According 

 to a contemporary writer, he " Was a most able speaker in the 

 House of Commons on the Tory side, which some would also call 

 the Jacobite Party. It was thought necessary by his friends that 

 one of his weight and influence should have a seat in the House, 

 where he was reckoned one of the best speakers, though, what is 

 very extraordinary, he had a great hesitation and stammering in his 

 speech ; and he was considered to be one of the most able leaders 

 of his party. In the year that his cousin Gilbert Affleck, Esq., of 

 Dalham, co. Suffolk, was elected for the town of Cambridge, in 

 the room of Thomas Scalter Bacon, Esq., whose death caused the 

 election, it was visible that Sir John Hynde Cotton's interest with 

 the Corporation was lost and gone ; for the Aldermen, though 

 almost all of them to a man were Tories in their hearts, wanted 

 their members to be more free of their money among them than 

 they found Sir John Hynde Cotton was, who, they gave out, never 

 traded with them for the necessaries of his house at Madingley, but 

 sent to London and anywhere else where he could purchase the 

 cheapest, and the Court party, or Whigs, seeing the Aldermen and 

 managing men of the Corporation grasping for money, it was 

 found for them." ... Sir John Hynde Cotton was elected 

 M.P. for the Borough of Marlborough in 1741, and again in 1747. 

 He was one of the fattest, largest, and tallest men of his day, and 

 although he indulged in equestrian exercise, it had no effect in 

 reducing his corpulence. He was a remarkably handsome man, 

 and of fine physique. He drank heavily, and was a notable six- 

 bottle man. .\n anecdote to the following effect is told of him. 



The Cotton 

 Family. 



Sir J. H. 

 Cotton, M.P. 



