English poet and country squire, chiefly remembered for his share in Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler.

Cotton made a number of translations from the French, including, in 1685, his often-reprinted version of Montaigne's Essays, Corneille's Horace (1671), and several historical and philosophical works. Following the French fashion, he wrote Scarronides (1664, 1665), which is a coarse burlesque of the Aeneid, books 1 and 4, and the Burlesque upon Burlesque . . . Being some of Lucians Dialogues newly put into English fustian (1675).

His original writings include The Compleat Gamester (1674); The Planter's Manual (1675); and the second part, on fly fishing, which he added at Walton's suggestion, to the 5th edition of The Compleat Angler (1676). The Wonders of the Peake (1681), a long topographical poem popular throughout the 18th century, and his other poetry, published in the posthumous and unauthorized Poems on several occasions (1689), reflect Cotton's enjoyment of life.

The standard edition of Cotton's poetry is Poems (1958), edited by John Buxton.