William Rosewell

William Rosewell (c. 1520–1566) was the Solicitor-General to Queen Elizabeth between 1559 and 1566.

William Rosewell was born about 1520, the son of William Rosewell (Rowswell) (d. 1570) of Loxton, Somerset, England. He came to some prominence as Solicitor-General to Queen Elizabeth. He appears in the list of Queen's Counsel between 1558 and 1603 as W. Ruswell (or Mr. Russell) and was Solicitor-General from 1559 until his death in 1566. He was succeeded by Richard Onslow. He purchased a number of estates in Somerset and Devon.

About 1559 William Rosewell, the Solicitor-General, married Elizabeth, daughter of Matthew Dale, a wealthy haberdasher of Bristol and London. She was the widow of Gregory Isham, of Braunston, Northants who died in 1558. She is not mentioned in the Solicitor General's will, so it is assumed that she predeceased him. William and Elizabeth had three children – Parry (d. 1573), William (1561–1593), and Philippa. Parry died before he came of age. The second son, William, was born in 1561 and inherited from Parry in 1573. This William came into the possession of Forde Abbey, Devon in about 1581. He married Ann Walkeden in 1588 and had one child, Sir Henry Rosewell in 1590. William died at Ilminster, Somerset in 1593. Philippa married Sir George Speke of Whitelackington, Somerset in 1584.

William Rosewell was at the Middle Temple, London, in 1556 and was chosen as Assistant to the Reader of that institution in 1562. William Rosewell was appointed as Solicitor-General to Queen Elizabeth on 1 February 1559.

Only four items have been found relative to his action while in office. With the Attorney-General, Gerard, 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 one of 13 noblemen and officers of the state appointed as mourners for the honourable celebration of the funeral of the Emperor in 1564. The Chamber Accounts of 1562–63 show that he received a reward of 40 shillings per year.

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