Sir Francis Rolle (1630–1686) was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

at various times between 1656 and 1685.

Early life

Rolle was the only son of Henry Rolle of Shapwick in Somerset, who was

Chief Justice of the King's Bench The Lord or Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary of England and Wales and the president of the courts of England and Wales. Until 2005 the lord chief justice was the second-most senior judge of the English a ...

and his wife Margaret Bennett. History of Parliament Online - Francis Rolle
/ref> He entered

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1646 and was admitted at

Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer to Elizabeth I. The site on which the college sits was once a priory for Dominican mo ...

on 25 January 1647. He was called to the bar in 1653.

Career

In 1656, Rolle was elected Member of Parliament for

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

in the

Second Protectorate Parliament The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom), Speaker of the House of Commons. In its first sess ...

. He succeeded his father to the estate at Shapwick in 1656 and became JP for Somerset until July 1660, In 1657 he was commissioner for assessment for Somerset and Hampshire. He was commissioner for militia in 1659 and JP for Hampshire from 1659 to July 1660. He was commissioner for assessment for Somerset and Hampshire from January 1660 to 1680 and commissioner for militia in March 1660. In April 1660 he was elected MP for

Bridgwater Bridgwater is a historic market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. The town had a population of 41,276 at the 2021 census. Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies along both sid ...

in the Convention Parliament. He was commissioner for sewers for Somerset in August 1660 and was JP for Somerset from September 1660 to 1680. He was

High Sheriff of Hampshire This is a list of High Sheriffs of Hampshire. This title was often given as High Sheriff of the County of Southampton until 1959. List of High Sheriffs 11th and 12th centuries 13th century 14th century 15th century 16th century 17th ...

from 1664 to 1665 and was knighted on 1 March 1665. He also became a freeman of Portsmouth in 1665. In 1669 he was briefly MP for Bridgwater again but was removed on petition. He was

High Sheriff of Somerset The office of High Sheriff of Somerset is an ancient shrievalty which has been in existence since the 11th century. Originally known as the "Sheriff of Somerset", the role was retitled on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government ...

from 1672 to 1673 and was commissioner for inquiry for Finkley forest and for New Forest in 1672. He was commissioner for inquiry for the New Forest again in 1673. In 1675 he was elected MP for

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

for the

Cavalier Parliament The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. With the exception of the Long Parliament, it was the longest-lasting English Parliament, and longer than any Great British or UK Parliament to date, enduring ...

and was made freeman of Winchester 1675. He was commissioner for recusants for Somerset and Hampshire in 1675 and commissioner for inquiry for the New Forest in 1676 and in 1679. In May 1679 he was elected MP for Bridgwater, and in October 1679 he was elected MP for Hampshire. He was elected MP for Hampshire again in 1681. In 1685 he was committed to the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

on 26 June before he could join Monmouth who counted on his support.

Death

Rolle died at the age of 56 and was buried at East Tytherley in Hampshire on 6 April 1686.

Personal life

Rolle married Priscilla Foote, daughter of Sir Thomas Foote, 1st Baronet of London, on 23 January 1654. They had a son and six daughters. His son John was returned as MP for Bridgwater as a Tory in 1713.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rolle, Francis 1630 births 1686 deaths Members of the Inner Temple Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge High sheriffs of Hampshire High sheriffs of Somerset

Francis Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...

English MPs 1656–1658 English MPs 1660 English MPs 1661–1679 English MPs 1679 English MPs 1680–1681 English MPs 1681 Prisoners in the Tower of London Commissioners for sewers