- William Rosewell
William Rosewell was born about 1535, the son of William Rosewell (Rowswell) of
Loxton , Somerset. He came to some prominence as Solicitor-General to Queen Elizabeth. He appears in the list of Queen’s Counsel between 1558-1603 as W. Ruswell and was Solicitor-General from 1 February 1559 until his death in 1566. Only two items have been found relative to his action while in office. With the Attorney-General, Garrard, he signed a note, concerning grants of privileges to the University of Cambridge, about 1561; and in 1563 he made a note of the grant of the advowson of Northchurch. He was succeeded by Richard Onslow.He married Elizabeth Dale, widow of Gregory Isham of Braunston, Northamptonshire in about 1559. They left three children – Parry, William and Philippa. Parry died before he came of age. Philippa married Sir George Speke of Whitelackington, Somerset in 1584. The second son, William, was born in 1561 and inherited from Parry in 1573. William came into the possession of
Forde Abbey , Devon in about 1581 and had one son, SirHenry Rosewell .William Rosewell, the Solicitor-General, possessed a large number of estates which, in several instances, he bought from those who had obtained the properties at the dissolution of the monasteries. At the time of his death he held the manors of Ermington and Carswell (
Broadhembury ) in Devon and the manors of Southbrent (Brent Knoll ), Stapleton,Limington andAlford , in Somerset. His will is dated 10 June 1566 and it was probated 4 November 1567.References
James, Frances B (1888), 'Sir Henry Rosewell – A Devon Worthy', Transactions of the Devonshire Association, 20, 113-122.
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