Charles Rose d.1791

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Charles ROSE d.1791

Biographical Note

Son of James Rose, Bishop of Fife. He was possibly educated at the university of St Andrews. He was ordained priest in the Scottish Episcopal Church in 1745, and served as chaplain to Lord Arbuthnott until 1756. He was incumbent of Doune from 1756, and was consecrated Bishop of Dunblane in 1774. Rose was dedicated to the Jacobite cause, and considered the Church of England a schismatical institution. After the death of Charles Edward Stuart, he refused to pray for the Hanoverians, and irregularly consecrated the Rev. James Brown of Montrose, in an attempt to continue the nonjuring line of succession.

Books

The full contents and fate of Rose’s library is unknown. Books from his library survive in the libraries of his episcopal colleagues, especially Donald Macintosh 1743-1808, who was ordained irregularly by the Rev. Brown.

Rose gifted Macintosh the works of Bishops Thomas Rattray and Robert Keith, whose texts underpinned nonjuring Scottish Episcopal identity and theology in the eighteenth century. These include a copy of Keith’s Catalogue of Bishops (Edinburgh, 1755) (A.K Bell 981842 M.280.4) inscribed “From Bishop Rose July 16th 1788.” Rose also gave him a copy of Rattray and Keith’s An essay on the nature of the church (Edinburgh,1728.) (A.K Bell 920644. M 262.12) and Rattray’s Some particular instructions concerning the Christian covenant (London, 1748) (A.K Bell 981671 M.238).

His copy of the sermons of St Peter Chrysologus, Archbishop of Ravenna. (Lyon, 1623) came into the possession of Bishop Jolly. (NLS Jolly.522).

Dundee University holds his copy of The Genuine Epistles of St Ignatius (Edinburgh, 1708) (Br U 281.1)

Characteristic Markings

He inscribed his books “Can. Rose Me Meliora Manent.”

Inscription of Charles Rose (Dundee University Br U 281.1)

Sources

  • Based on information provided by Dr Kelsey Jackson Williams and Dr Mhairi Rutherford, with thanks to the generosity of staff at the A.K Bell Library in Perth
  • Bertie, David M. Scottish Episcopal Clergy, 1689–2000. Edinburgh, T & T Clark, 2000.
  • Catalogue of the Mackintosh Library, Dunkeld. Edinburgh, Printed by Murray and Mitchell, 1823