Sir Richard Ellys, 3rd Baronet

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Sir Richard Ellys (1688?–1742), of

British House of Commons between 1701 and 1734. He was a bibliophile
and theological writer.

Early life

Ellys was the eldest son of

Wyham and grandson of Sir Thomas Ellys, 1st Baronet (created 1660). His mother was Isabella, daughter of Richard Hampden, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and granddaughter of John Hampden.[1] Ellys, who was born about 1688, was educated abroad, probably in Holland
.

Career

Ellys was elected

Member of Parliament for Grantham at the second general election of 1701 and was returned unopposed in 1702. He stood aside at the 1705 general election, making way for the Marquess of Granby.[2] He was elected as Whig MP for Boston, Lincolnshire at a by-election on 7 December 1719 and was elected again in the general elections of 1722 and 1727.[3] Also in 1727 he succeeded his father, who died on 6 October, in the baronetcy and his estate of Nocton, Lincolnshire.[1]

Later life

Ellys held strong religious opinions. He had been an

Calvinist in 1730, and when living in London (Bolton Street, Piccadilly) he was a member of Edmund Calamy's congregation; and after Calamy's death of Thomas Bradbury
's. He maintained his family's traditional hospitality. His father had kept open house at Nocton for all comers, and every day twelve dishes were prepared whether or not any guests came; Ellys allowed £800 per year to maintain the custom.

Ellys died on 21 February 1742 and the baronetcy became extinct.[1]

Scholar

Throughout his life he corresponded with continental scholars, by whom he was much esteemed, as evidenced by Gronovius's dedication to Ellys of his edition of Ælian's Varia Historia, and the Wetsteins' edition of Johann Caspar Suicer's Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus, to which he had contributed the use of a manuscript. He was especially intimate with Michel Maittaire, who, in his Senilis, addressed several pieces of Latin verse to him.[4]

His learning took the direction of biblical criticism and bore fruit in his Fortuita Sacra; quibus subjicitur Commentarius de Cymbalis (Rotterdam, 1727). The first part is a critical commentary in Latin on doubtful passages in the Greek Testament, and the second a treatise on cymbals, also in Latin. He befriended Thomas Boston, whose treatise on Hebrew accents, Tractatus Stigmato-logicus, was dedicated to him.

After leaving politics Ellys devoted himself to antiquarian research and amassed at Nocton a fine library. On 24 June 1742 an account of this library and some curiosities lately added to it formed the day's transactions of the

Gentlemen's Society at Spalding, of which Ellys had been elected a member on 12 March 1729. Ellys's library was moved from Nocton to Blickling Hall in Norfolk
.

Family

Ellys was twice married: first to Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress of Sir Edwin Hussey, bart.; and, secondly, to Sarah, daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Gould, who outlived him, and, remarrying 19 December 1745 with

heir-at-law and contested the will in the Court of Chancery
; but without effect.

References

  1. ^ a b c Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1903), Complete Baronetage volume 3 (1649–1664), vol. 3, Exeter: William Pollard and Co, retrieved 22 April 2019
  2. ^ a b "ELLYS, Richard (1683–1742), of Nocton, Lincs. and Bolton Street, Piccadilly, Westminster". History of Parliament Online (1690–1715). Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  3. ^ "ELLYS, Richard (c.1674-1742), of Nocton, Lincs". History of Parliament Online (1715–1754). Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  4. required.)
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain"Ellys, Richard". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Parliament of England
Preceded by
Member of Parliament for Grantham
1701–1705
With: Sir William Ellys
Succeeded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Member of Parliament for Boston
1719–1734
With: Henry Heron
Henry Pacey
The Lord Coleraine
Succeeded by
Baronetage of England
Preceded by Baronet
(of Wyham)
1727-1742
Extinct