High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Cotton or Cottonian library was collected privately by Sir Robert Bruce Cotton M.P. (1571–1631), an antiquarian and bibliophile, and was the basis of the British Library. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, many priceless and ancient manuscripts that had belonged to the monastic libraries began to disseminate among various owners, many of whom were unaware of the libraries` cultural value. Sir Robert`s genius was in finding, purchasing and preserving these ancient documents. The leading scholars of the era, including Francis Bacon, Walter Raleigh, and James Ussher, came to use Sir Robert`s library. Richard James acted as his librarian.