His family had no Puritan leanings; his uncle Roger Trosse (1595–1674), rector (1618) of Rose Ash, Devon, was one of the sequestered clergy of the English Civil War.
[1] In 1646 Trosse was sent to an English merchant at Morlaix in Brittany, who placed him for a year with Ramet, a Huguenot pastor at Pontivy, to learn French.
He matriculated on 9 August 1658, spent seven full years at Oxford, acquired a fair amount of Greek and Hebrew knowledge, but took no degree in consequence of the required subscription to the 39 Articles.
[1] Meaning to enter the ministry, Trosse studied the question of conformity; his views were formed under the influence of Henry Hickman.
[1] On Hallett's death (14 March 1688–9) Trosse succeeded him, and from the passing of the Act of Toleration 1689 conducted services in church hours and took a stipend which (except in the year of indulgence) he had until then declined.
He remained active to the end of a long life; though ailing in health, he preached as usual on the morning of Sunday, 11 January 1713, and died soon after reaching home.
In 1719, during the Exeter controversy around James Peirce, a catechism and sermon by Trosse were published in a pamphlet, and answered by Thomas Emlyn.
Trosse Late Minister of the Gospel in the City of Exon, in accordance with his instructions to his widow in his will; a preface by Hallett, his assistant, defends the publication.