Henry Rolle - Early Life and Career

Early Life and Career

Henry Rolle, the second son of Robert Rolle (d. 1633) of Heanton Satchville, Devon (a scion of the family of Rolle of Stevenstone), by Joan, daughter of Thomas Hele of Fleet in the same county, was born about 1589. John Rolle (1598–1648) was his brother. He matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford on 20 March 1606-1607, and was admitted on 1 February 1608-9 of the Inner Temple, where he was called to the bar in 1618, was elected bencher in 1633, and reader in 1637 and 1638, but, owing to the prevalence of the plague, did not give his reading until Lent 1639. Among his contemporaries at the Temple and his intimate friends were Sir Edward Littleton (1589–1645), afterwards lord keeper and baron Littleton; Sir Edward Herbert, afterwards attorney-general ; Sir Thomas Gardiner, afterwards recorder of London; and John Selden, by whose conversation and friendly rivalry he profited no little in the study of the law and humane learning. Rolle practised with eminent success in the court of king's bench, was appointed recorder of Dorchester in 1636, and was called to the degree of serjeant-at-law on 10 May 1640.

He sat for Callington, Cornwall, in the last three parliaments of King James (1614 to 1623-4), and for Truro in the first three parliaments of his successor (1625 to 1629). He early identified himself with the popular party; no member was more urgent for the impeachment of Buckingham, none more determined that supply must be postponed to the redress of grievances. On the outbreak of the civil war he adhered to the parliament, contributed ₤100 to the defence fund, and took the covenant.