Edward Rolle

Edward Rolle (27 April 1703 – 30 June 1791), known as the Captain or Captain Rolle, was an English author, poet, and Anglican vicar. Rolle was one of a little group of New College men whose essays in verse enjoyed a temporary existence in miscellany, including fellow Wykehamists Christopher Pitt, Edward Young, and Joseph Spence.

Early life and education Edward Rolle was born on 27 April 1703 and baptised on 7 May 1703 in Meeth, Devon. He was the youngest son of Robert Rolle of Meeth,

Church career In 1755, Rolle was nominated by Oxford's New College to the rectory of Berwick Saint John in Wiltshire, which he accepted. In 1758, he was appointed to the vicarage of Moorlinch in Somerset and he was collated on 9 May 1771 to the prebendal stall of Yetminster Secunda in Salisbury Cathedral. These three preferments he held until his death.

In 1761, Rolle was offered the living of Sarsden in Oxfordshire, wherein he would exchange the rectory of Berwick Saint John for another New College benefice with which it would be tenable. The suggestion came to nothing and Rolle remained at Berwick, retaining his faculties until the end of his long life. Until his wife's death, in 1788, when his curates began assisting him, Rolle had for thirty years discharged all the duties of the parish without a prolonged holiday. A manuscript volume in the care of a future rector exhibits Rolle as a devoted clergyman, noting customs of the place, his services to the church, and his role in educating the village children.

Personal life On 22 September 1755 at the age of 52, Rolle married Elizabeth Eyre in Wootton Saint Lawrence. She died on 21 November 1788 at the age of 68, and was buried at Berwick Saint John on 28 November. Rolle himself died on 30 June 1791 at the age of 88, and was buried there on 7 July. A large lias tombstone near the north door of the church records their names. Rolle erected a cenotaph for his wife and himself on the east wall of the south choir-aisle in 1789. The bells of the church were recast by him in 1767, and a new parsonage house for the benefice was built after his death, partly with money from his estate.

Rolle was one of the three executors to Joseph Spence's will in 1768.

Works The Duty of Employing one's Self. An EPISTLE. LIFE burthensome, because we know not how to use it. An EPISTLE. On SCRIBLING against GENIUS. An EPISTLE. The POWER of POETRY. To a Young Lady with FONTENELLE'S Plurality of Worlds.

Of the seven poems under Joseph Spence's name which are reprinted from the Oxford University sets of verses in Nichols's collection of poetry, the second pair were by Rolle.