John Ellys (Caius)
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Sir John Ellys or Ellis (1634?–1716) was an English academic, Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge from 1703.[1]
Early life
He was born at
Fellow and associate of Newton
After studying in a number of Suffolk schools, Ellys matriculated at Caius in 1648, aged 14. He graduated B.A. in 1652, and M.A. in 1655. He was then a Fellow of Caius from 1659 and in 1703 (N.S.) became Master,[5] succeeding James Halman, who had died.
Ellys was a personal friend of Isaac Newton.[7] He helped Newton with astronomical observations,[8] and was one of the few who knew Newton at Cambridge who visited his rooms.[9]
Ellys was also noted as a leading tutor across the university, popular and distinguished; and was not ordained, but held the degree of M.D.[10][11] A tutorial pupil, Henry Wharton, was taught by Newton,[12] and is thought to have been the only undergraduate student to have seen Newton's mathematical papers.[8] Another tutorial pupil was Samuel Clarke, and Ellys had him translate the Traité of Jacques Rohault (from French to Latin, creating a textbook).[13] It has been argued that Ellys was introducing his pupils to Newtonian thought by the 1690s.[14] William Whiston also claimed credit for the Newtonian edge to Clarke's Rohault translation (which however went to several editions); and Richard Laughton was thought by W. W. Rouse Ball to have been another Newtonian influence on Clarke. Ellys, however, is now considered a more likely source.[15]
After
Ellys was Vice-Chancellor of the university at the time of Queen Anne's visit in 1705, and was knighted by her with Newton and James Montagu.[5][18] These honours were intended to help the Whig political cause, and were engineered by Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax, brother of James Montagu. Ellys, however, is considered non-political.[19] Apart from his interest in the new Cartesian and Newtonian scientific advances, there is little to indicate Ellys's views: it has been suggested that he was a Tory, and not concerned with Newton's theology.[13] He took no part in the poll in the general election of 1710.[20]
When Whiston was deprived of the
Later life
As Master of Caius Ellys tried, from 1709, to exercise a veto in college business, causing the Visitor to intervene in 1714.[23] His ongoing conflicts in old age with the Fellows earned him the nickname "Devil of Caius".[13] He was quite isolated, his only ally in the college being his nephew John Ellys.[24][25]
Ellys was buried in the Church of St Cyriac and St Julitta, Swaffham Prior.[26] A memorial inscription recorded by Francis Blomefield states he was in his 86th year.[27] He had contributed for the purchase of the rectory of Broadwey in Dorset for the college in his lifetime, but left nothing further in his will.[28][29] His successor Thomas Gooch was a former tutorial pupil of his.[30]
References
- ^ Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College: 1849–1897. vol i. CUP Archive. p. 370. GGKEY:EWQCZ82NKW0. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Richard Caulfield (editor), Journal of the Very Rev. Rowland Davies, LL.D. Dean of Ross (1857), p. 30; archive.org.
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/8727. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Sepulchral reminiscences of a market town : As afforded by a list of the interments within the walls of the parish church of St. Nicholas, Great Yarmouth. Yarmouth : C. Barber. 1848.
- ^ a b c "Ellys, John (ELS647J2)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ greatyarmouthhistory.com, The Perlustration of Great Yarmouth, p. 330. Archived 10 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- S2CID 143972068.
- ^ JSTOR 2639340.
- ISBN 978-0-521-66310-6. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ John Venn (President of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.) (1897). Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College. CUP Archive. pp. 110–1. GGKEY:ACPDY7DTQCL. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ Le Neve, John; Hardy, Sir Thomas Duffus (1854). . Fasti ecclesiae Anglicanae. Vol. 3. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. – via Wikisource.
- ^ Alexander Chalmers (1817). The General Biographical Dictionary Containing an Historical and Critical Account of the Lives and Writings of the Most Eminent Persons; ... a New Ed. by Alex. Chalmers. – London, J. Nichols 1812–1817. J. Nichols. p. 338. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-35059-4. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- S2CID 144239282.
- ISBN 978-0-521-52497-1. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-7146-1597-4. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-521-52649-4. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ The life of Richard Bentley: with an account of his writings and anecdotes of many distinguished characters during the period in which he flourished. Printed for J. G. & F. Rivington. 1833. p. 184 note 2. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- S2CID 143972068.
- ^ historyofparliamentonline.org, Cambridge University 1690–1715.
- ISBN 978-0-521-66310-6. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ Edward Rud; Richard Bentley (1860). The Diary (1709–1720) of Edward Rud, Sometime Fellow of Trinity College, and Rector of North Runcton in Norfolk: To which are Added Several Unpublished Letters of Dr Bentley. Deighton, Bell & Company. p. 7. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-85115-423-7. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-85115-423-7. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ "Ellys, John (ELS682J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ Samuel Lysons (1808). Magna Britannia;: being a concise topographical account of the several counties of Great Britain. Printed for T. Cadell and W. Davies. p. 263. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ Francis Blomefield (1751). Collectanea Cantabrigiensa, Or Collections Relating to Cambridge. author. p. 179. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ John Venn (President of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.) (1897). Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College. CUP Archive. p. 114. GGKEY:ACPDY7DTQCL. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ John Venn (President of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.) (1897). Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College. CUP Archive. p. 281. GGKEY:ACPDY7DTQCL. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-521-35059-4. Retrieved 30 May 2013.